Broccoli Cauliflower Soup

I made this on Tuesday and honestly the biggest surprise was how much the vegetables actually talk to you while they’re cooking. You just have to listen for it.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• 8 servings from one pot means you’re set for lunches
• The flour trick at minute 7 creates this nutty smell that changes everything about the base
• You get actual texture contrast between the soft vegetables and crispy bacon on top
• Heavy cream plus a full cup of cheese makes this hearty vegetable soup taste like you’re cheating but you’re not
• 45 minutes total and most of that is just simmering while you clean up
• The leftovers taste better on day two when everything settles together

The Story Behind This Recipe

I needed something warm last Tuesday after a long day and I had half a head of cauliflower that was gonna go bad. There was broccoli in there too and I figured if I’m making cauliflower soup I might as well throw both in. I’ve been trying to eat more vegetables without it feeling like punishment and cheese helps with that.

The thing is, I kept tasting it while I cooked and realized you can actually hear when the vegetables are ready because the sizzle changes pitch slightly. Nobody tells you that. Once I added the flour and basil the whole kitchen smelled different, kind of toasted, and that’s when I knew this was going somewhere good instead of just being another blended vegetable thing.

What You Need

You need 4 tablespoons of butter because oil just doesn’t give you that same richness at the start. I used one medium onion, chopped however you want, and 2 cloves of garlic that I minced pretty rough. The broccoli and cauliflower are the main thing here so get one full head of broccoli and one small head of cauliflower, both chopped into pieces that’ll fit on a spoon later. Two medium carrots go in too, chopped.

For seasoning you’ll add 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper right at the beginning with the vegetables. Then there’s 1/4 cup all-purpose flour which is what creates that toasted smell I mentioned, plus 1 teaspoon dried basil and 1/8 teaspoon red pepper chili flakes if you want a tiny bit of heat in the back. Skip the chili flakes if you’re making this for kids.

The liquid part is 6 cups of chicken broth, and don’t use the low-sodium kind because you need that flavor. Then 1 cup heavy cream and 1 cup shredded cheese, whatever type you have works but I used cheddar. If you want to make it look nice when you serve it grab some additional shredded cheese and cooked bacon for the top but that’s completely optional and I didn’t bother on Tuesday.

How to Make Broccoli Cauliflower Soup

Get a large soup pot or Dutch oven going over medium heat and drop in all 4 tablespoons of butter. Once it melts add your chopped onion, minced garlic, all the broccoli, all the cauliflower, the carrots, the salt and the pepper at once. Stir it around every minute or so and just listen because you’ll hear this gentle sizzle that’s kind of steady. The vegetables will get brighter looking, they’ll start smelling really fresh and green, and they’ll soften up after about 7 to 10 minutes.

Now sprinkle the 1/4 cup flour, the dried basil and those chili flakes if you’re using them right over everything. Stir it constantly for one full minute and you’ll see the flour coat all the vegetables and soak up the butter and whatever juice came out. The smell changes here to something nutty and toasted and that’s your signal it’s working.

Pour in all 6 cups of chicken broth and stir to get any bits off the bottom of the pot. Turn the heat up and wait for it to reach a rolling boil where you see big bubbles breaking the surface.

Once its boiling put the lid on and turn the heat down to low. Let the whole thing simmer for 15 minutes and you don’t need to do anything during this time. The vegetables will get completely soft and the broth picks up all the flavor from everything that’s been cooking in there.

Take the pot off the heat. If you have an immersion blender just stick it right in and blend until the soup looks creamy and smooth with no chunks. I actually used a regular blender because I don’t have an immersion one so I had to do it in batches and it was annoying but it worked fine, just be careful because it’s hot.

Put the blended soup back in the pot if you took it out. Stir in the 1 cup heavy cream and 1 cup shredded cheese and watch it get thicker and richer as the cheese melts in. I noticed the color gets paler and creamier looking once the cream goes in and it smells different, heavier somehow. When you scoop it into bowls you can add more cheese on top and some bacon if you cooked any. Serve it while it’s warm.

The leftovers go in the fridge and they’ll last 3 to 4 days. Mine actually tasted better the next day for lunch.

What I Did Wrong the First Time

I didn’t wait the full minute when I added the flour and basil so the flour didn’t toast enough and the whole cauliflower soup tasted kind of flat and pasty. You really need that minute of stirring even though it feels like you’re just standing there doing nothing because the nutty smell is what builds the flavor base. Without it the broccoli soup ends up tasting like blended vegetables with cheese dumped in instead of something that actually tastes cohesive and I had to start over because I couldn’t fix it after.

Broccoli Cauliflower Soup

By Emma

Prep:

15 min

Cook:

30 min

Total:

45 min

Servings:

8 servings

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 head broccoli, chopped
• 1 small head cauliflower, chopped
• 2 medium carrots, chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/8 teaspoon red pepper chili flakes (optional)
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup shredded cheese (your choice)
• Additional shredded cheese and cooked bacon for garnish (optional)

Method

1. 1 Heat a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat and melt the butter. Add the chopped onion, garlic, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, salt, and pepper. Stir occasionally, listening for a gentle sizzle, until the vegetables brighten in color, release a fresh aroma, and soften slightly, about 7 to 10 minutes.
2. 2 Sprinkle the flour, dried basil, and red pepper chili flakes over the vegetables. Stir steadily for one minute, coating the veggies well and absorbing the flour into the butter and juices; the mixture should smell a bit nutty now.
3. 3 Pour in the chicken broth, stirring to loosen any bits stuck to the bottom. Turn up the heat and let the liquid reach a rolling boil.
4. 4 Once boiling, cover the pot and reduce the heat to low. Let the soup simmer for 15 minutes. You’ll notice the vegetables completely tender and the broth takes on a fuller, deeper flavor.
5. 5 Remove the pot from heat. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup directly until creamy and uniform in texture. If you don’t have one, carefully transfer the soup in batches to a blender and process until fully smooth.
6. 6 Return the blended soup to the pot if needed. Stir in the heavy cream and shredded cheese. The soup will become richer and silkier as the cheese melts into it.
7. 7 Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with extra cheese and crispy bacon bits if you wish. Serve warm.
8. 8 Store leftovers in the refrigerator, where they will keep well for 3 to 4 days.

Nutritional information

Calories

220

Protein

8g

Carbs

12g

Fat

15g

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Tips for the Best Broccoli Cauliflower Soup

Don’t cut your broccoli and cauliflower too small or they’ll disappear completely when you blend. I left mine in pieces about the size of a walnut and that gave the soup body instead of turning it into vegetable water with cheese in it.

When you’re stirring during that 7 to 10 minute vegetable softening phase, push everything to the edges of the pot once and let it sit for 30 seconds. The parts touching the bottom will release this slightly caramelized smell that adds a deeper flavor you won’t get if you’re constantly moving everything around.

Your blender’s gonna get really full if you’re doing batches so only fill it halfway even though it feels wasteful to make so many trips. Hot liquid expands when you blend it and I learned that the hard way with cauliflower soup all over my counter.

Add the cream off the heat because if the soup’s still boiling when the cream goes in it can separate and look grainy. Just wait 2 minutes after you turn off the burner and you’re fine.

The cheese melts faster if you shred it yourself instead of using the pre-shredded stuff. Pre-shredded has that coating to keep it from clumping and it takes longer to disappear into the soup so you end up stirring more than you need to.

Serving Ideas

I put mine in a bread bowl from the bakery section and that turned it into an actual meal instead of just soup. The bread soaks up the broth at the bottom and you can eat the bowl after.

A handful of those crispy fried onions from the salad aisle on top adds crunch that this broccoli soup really needs since everything else is soft. My roommate did this and now I can’t eat it without them.

Serve it with a grilled cheese made with the same cheddar you used in the soup. You can dip the sandwich in and it tastes like the soup’s supposed to be eaten this way.

Variations

You can swap the chicken broth for vegetable broth if you’re cooking for someone who doesn’t eat meat and honestly I couldn’t tell the difference in taste when I tried it on Thursday. The soup’s still rich enough from the cream and cheese that you don’t miss anything.

Use half and half instead of heavy cream if that’s what you’ve got but the soup won’t be as thick. I did this once when I ran out of cream and it was fine but thinner, more like a hearty vegetable soup than the creamy version.

Throw in a peeled and chopped potato with the other vegetables at the start and it’ll make the soup thicker when you blend without needing as much cream. This actually works really well if you’re trying to stretch the recipe or cut some calories.

Skip the blending entirely and just leave it chunky. My dad likes it this way because he says he wants to know what he’s eating and the vegetables hold their shape if you cut them smaller at the beginning.

FAQ

Can I use frozen broccoli and cauliflower instead of fresh

Yeah but thaw them first and squeeze out the extra water or your soup’ll be watery. I tried it with frozen once straight from the bag and had to simmer it for an extra 10 minutes uncovered to cook off the liquid.

What kind of cheese works best in this

Cheddar’s the easiest because it melts smooth and has enough flavor to taste it. I’ve used Monterey Jack and Gruyere too and both worked but Gruyere made it taste fancier than I was going for on a Tuesday night.

Can I make this without a blender

Not really unless you want chunky vegetable soup which is fine but it’s not the same thing. You could mash it with a potato masher but you’d have to cook the vegetables longer until they’re falling apart and even then it won’t be smooth.

How do I reheat leftovers without the soup separating

Low heat on the stove and stir it every minute or so. The microwave works but it can make the cream look weird and separated if you blast it on high so I just use 50% power and heat it longer.

Can I freeze this soup

The cream and cheese don’t freeze great and when you thaw it the texture gets grainy. If you want to freeze it make the soup up until right before you add the cream and cheese then add those fresh when you reheat it.

Why does my soup taste bland even though I followed the recipe

You probably used low-sodium broth when the recipe says regular or you didn’t let the vegetables cook long enough in the butter at the beginning. That first 7 to 10 minutes is where all the base flavor comes from and if you rush it everything tastes flat.

Can I add other vegetables to this

Sure but don’t add anything with a strong flavor like bell peppers because they’ll take over. I threw in some chopped celery once with the carrots and it just blended into the background which was fine.

How thick should the soup be

Thick enough to coat the back of a spoon but still pourable. If it’s too thick add a little more broth, if it’s too thin simmer it uncovered for a few minutes or add more cheese.

Do I have to use butter or can I use oil

You can use oil but butter gives you that rich flavor that makes this taste like comfort food. Olive oil works but it adds its own flavor that doesn’t really fit with the cheese and cream.

Can I use fresh basil instead of dried

Use 1 tablespoon fresh basil instead of 1 teaspoon dried and add it at the end instead of with the flour. Fresh basil loses its flavor if you cook it too long and dried basil needs time to rehydrate and release its oils.

What if I don’t have heavy cream

Use 3/4 cup whole milk mixed with 1/4 cup melted butter as a substitute. It’s not exactly the same but it’ll get you close enough and the soup will still be creamy.

How do I know when the vegetables are soft enough before I add the flour

Stick a fork in a piece of carrot and if it goes in easy but the carrot doesn’t fall apart you’re good. The broccoli and cauliflower will feel tender when you press them with a spoon against the side of the pot.

Can I use pre-minced garlic from a jar

Yeah use 1 teaspoon from the jar for every clove the recipe calls for. It won’t taste quite as fresh but when you’re tired on a weeknight it doesn’t matter that much.

Why do I need to stir the flour for a full minute

Because that’s when the raw flour taste cooks out and it starts to toast and smell nutty. Less than a minute and your soup tastes like flour paste, more than a minute and it starts to burn.

What’s the best way to chop broccoli and cauliflower for this

Cut them into pieces that are roughly the same size so they cook evenly, about 1 to 2 inches. Don’t waste the stems either, just peel off the tough outer layer and chop them up with everything else.

Can I make this in a slow cooker

Not the way the recipe’s written because you need to toast the flour on the stove and that doesn’t work in a slow cooker. You’d have to do that step in a pan first then transfer everything.

How do I store leftover soup

Put it in an airtight container in the fridge and it’ll last 3 to 4 days. The soup gets thicker when it’s cold so when you reheat it you might need to thin it out with a splash of broth.

What if my soup is too salty

Add a peeled and quartered potato and let it simmer for 15 minutes then fish it out. The potato absorbs some of the salt and you can just throw it away after or eat it I guess.

Can I double this recipe

Yeah but use a really big pot because 12 cups of broth plus all those vegetables takes up more space than you’d think. Everything else doubles fine and the cooking times stay the same.