30-Minute Creamy Broccoli Soup for Kids and Special Diets
Have you tried to offer creamy broccoli soup to a kid? I have. The reaction is a combination of bewilderment and disgust. Once I tricked my kids into actually tasting this (gluten-free, dairy-free, & vegan) soup, they were hooked (yesss!). This kid- and special diet-friendly creamy broccoli soup is ready in 30 minutes and now in heavy winter rotation at our house.
Creamy Broccoli Soup Without Cream
How to make a soup creamy without the cow? First, the non-dairy milk alternative (NDMA) adds the right amount of white/creamy color and enhances the texture. Note that “creamiest” NDMAs I’ve tried are oat milk and soymilk.
Second, nutritional yeast gives the soup a cheesy flavor. Nutritional yeast is a deactivated yeast that is sold in yellow flakes. It is rich in B vitamins (often fortified with B12) and used a lot in vegan products to add a cheesy, nutty flavor. Although I love dairy, I still use this nutritional yeast from Anthony’s for my favorite salad dressing recipe, this soup, and a few other sauces.
How to Make Delicious Broccoli Soup
One thing you’ll need to make this soup is a blender. I use my trusty Oster stick blender, or you could also use a traditional stand blender. If you do use a stand blender, be very careful! You’ll want to blend the soup in batches and vent the lid on the pitcher to avoid hot, steamy soup explosions.
I love that I can use fresh or frozen broccoli for this recipe. Actually, using frozen broccoli is easier because you don’t have to chop it and it’s already cooked! If you need help choppin’ broccoli, check out the Rockin’ Roasted Broccoli post.
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30-Minute Creamy Broccoli Soup
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 – 6 servings 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This kid-friendly and diet-flexible creamy broccoli soup is ready in 30 minutes and now in heavy winter rotation at our house. Make it a meal by adding a side salad and heavier garnishes, such as meat, cheese, nuts, and bread.
It’s gluten-free, and easily dairy-free and vegan, too.
Ingredients
1 medium onion, chopped
1 Tablespoon oil or fat of choice
1 – 3 cloves of garlic (or 1 teaspoon garlic powder)
4 cups chopped broccoli (or 1-lb bag frozen broccoli)
2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 1/2 cups milk of choice
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons herbes de Provence (or thyme, basil, rosemary, oregano – alone or in combination)
2 Tablespoons tapioca flour or 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
Instructions
- In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, saute the onion in the fat for 3 – 5 minutes, or until the onions start becoming translucent. Add the garlic cloves and cook for a minute more.
- While the onions are cooking, microwave the broccoli (whether you’re using fresh or frozen) for 2 – 3 minutes.
- Add the microwaved broccoli and the rest of the ingredients (except the tapioca flour or cornstarch) and stir well. Bring to a simmer for 10 minutes.
- Dissolve the tapioca flour or cornstarch in equal amounts of cold water to form a slurry. Whisk or stir the slurry into the simmering soup and stir until it thickens.
- Turn off the heat and use your stick blender to blend the soup. Alternatively, blend the soup with a stand mixer.
- Serve with your favorite garnishes, or all by itself.
Notes
- Microwaving the broccoli before adding it to the soup decreases the simmer time.
- Garnishes: Leftover meat, poultry, or fish (brisket, shredded chicken, seared salmon are examples), shredded cheese, croutons, sour cream, the options are endless!
- My family’s favorites are brisket or bacon, crackers or crusty bread, red pepper flakes, and whatever cheese we have on hand.
- If you don’t have nutritional yeast and are OK eating dairy, sub 1/4 cup grated parmesan or other hard cheese, and mix it in as the last step before serving.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: soup
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 165
- Sugar: 8.4 g
- Sodium: 539 mg
- Fat: 5.8 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3.7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20.3 g
- Fiber: 4.9 g
- Protein: 9.9 g
- Cholesterol: 7.5 mg
Warm Soup For Cold Nights
When it’s cold outside, this soup is an easy and comforting addition – or main course – to any weeknight meal. Plus, it scores bonus points for being full of broccoli and kid-approved (devious mom laugh here), and it works with vegan, gluten- and dairy-free lifestyles.
If you get a chance to try it, let me know how it turns out!
2 Comments
Monica
I made this for my family last night, with extra cheese on the kids servings. They liked it! I loved it too!
Brook Hagen
Thanks for the feedback Monica! I love hearing that other kids (not mine) like the recipe! 😄