What You’ll Need to Make Broccoli Soup
For the ingredients, you’ll need the basics, plus white wine and Gruyère, a nutty and earthy-tasting cheese from Switzerland. It is available at most large grocery stores, Whole Foods, or gourmet markets.
How to Make Broccoli Soup
Begin by chopping your vegetables. No need to chop them too finely since they all get puréed in the end.
Melt the butter in a large soup pot.
Cook the onion, garlic, carrots and celery until soft, about 5 minutes.
Add the white wine and cook until almost completely reduced.
Add the broccoli, chicken broth, salt and pepper.
Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes.
Add the cream.
Then purée until smooth.
Gradually add the cheese, stirring until smooth. Add the nutmeg, then taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
What You’ll Need to Make the Croutons
While the soup is cooking, make the croutons. You’ll need bread cubes (preferably day old), butter, salt, and pepper.
Bake for about 15 minutes, until the bread cubes are golden brown and crisp.
Broccoli and Gruyère Soup With Homemade Croutons
Servings: 4-6 Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cook Time: 30 Minutes Total Time: 45 MinutesIngredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 small yellow onions, roughly chopped (about 1¾ cups)
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- 2 carrots, roughly chopped
- 1 celery stalk, roughly chopped
- ½ cup white wine
- 1 pound broccoli, florets and stems, roughly chopped
- 4 cups (32 oz) low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, plus more to taste
- 1 cup heavy cream (or half & half, for a lighter version)
- 1 heaping cup grated Gruyère, packed (you'll need about 3 oz.)
- Pinch nutmeg
- 2 cups cubed French Bread, preferably day old
- 2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the Soup
Melt the butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, carrots and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes.
Add the white wine and cook until almost completely reduced, a few minutes.
Add the broccoli, chicken broth, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 20 minutes.
Add the heavy cream; then, use a hand held immersion blender to purée the soup until completely smooth. (Alternatively, cool the soup slightly, then purée in a blender in batches. Be sure to leave the hole in the lid open and cover with a kitchen towel to allow the steam to escape.) Bring the soup to a simmer, then gradually stir in the cheese, stirring until melted. Add the nutmeg, then taste and adjust seasoning if necessary (I usually add about ¼ teaspoon more salt and a few grinds of fresh black pepper). Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with croutons.
For the Croutons
Preheat the oven to 375 F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy clean-up.
Directly on the baking sheet, toss the bread cubes with the melted butter. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Bake for 13-15 minutes, tossing once, until the bread cubes are golden brown and crisp.
Note: The soup thickens as it sits; add a bit of water to thin it out if necessary.
Nutrition Information
Per serving (6 servings)
Calories: 414, Fat: 31g, Saturated fat: 18g, Carbohydrates: 22g, Sugar: 6g, Fiber: 3g, Protein: 13g, Sodium: 700mg, Cholesterol: 95mg
