Dinner · From Adam's kitchen
Broccoli Soup
A creamy, bright green soup with no cream at all. The avocado and toasted pine nuts give it a silky, rich texture. Everything gets boiled and blended, so your chopping does not have to be perfect.
- Serves
- 4
- Skill
- Easy
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 35 min
Method
Toast the pine nuts
Toast the pine nuts in a dry pan over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, shaking often, until golden. Keep a few for garnish.
Prep the broccoli (5 min)
Cut the florets off the stems. Peel the tough outer skin off the stems with a vegetable peeler and cut them into 1-inch pieces.
Prep the rest (5 min)
Peel the onion and cut it into large chunks. Trim off the bottom inch (roots) of the scallions and cut into 1-inch pieces. Cut the stem off the jalapeño, halve it lengthwise, and scrape out the seeds.
WhyThe heat is in the seeds and white ribs. Leave some in if you like it spicy.
Boil (10-15 min)
Add the broccoli, onion, jalapeño, garlic, and scallions to the pot with 4 cups water and 1 tsp salt. Bring to a boil, cover, and cook on high.
Ready whenA fork slides easily into the broccoli stems.
Blend (3 min)
Scoop the vegetables into the blender with a slotted spoon. Save the cooking water. Add the avocados, pine nuts, basil, cilantro, wine, and pepper. Blend until smooth. Safety: hot liquid builds pressure in a blender and can blow the lid off. Fill it no more than halfway, take out the center cap, and cover the hole with a folded towel. Start on low speed.
Adjust and season (2 min)
For a thinner soup, add the saved cooking water ¼ cup at a time while blending. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.
Ready whenIt is smooth and coats the back of a spoon.
Serve
Ladle into bowls and top with chopped cilantro, a few toasted pine nuts, and a drizzle of olive oil.
Make it cheffy
Shock the color
How
As soon as the broccoli is tender, scoop it into a bowl of ice water for 1 minute before blending.
Why
Cooling it fast stops the cooking and keeps the soup bright green instead of olive-colored.
Swaps
- White wine → the same amount of vegetable broth plus 1 tsp lemon juice.
- Pine nuts → cashews.
- Soup too thick? Blend in more cooking water, ¼ cup at a time.
- Tastes flat? Add salt a pinch at a time, or a squeeze of lemon or lime.
Make ahead & storage
Make ahead
Make it ahead.
Storage
Keep in the fridge; the avocado may darken the color slightly. Reheat gently over low heat. Do not boil, or the avocado can turn bitter.
Macros per serving
Estimate- Calories
- about 400
- Protein
- about 11 g
- Carbs
- about 31 g
- Fat
- about 28 g
Per serving, based on 4 servings and two 1-lb heads of broccoli. Garnishes not included.