Hearty & Silky Broccoli Soup

This is broccoli soup at its most refined. Leeks instead of onions are the move that pulls the flavor toward something gentler and more sophisticated, and slow-simmering them in butter until they turn translucent (no browning) is what builds the soup’s silky, savory base.

Broccoli is the star, but the diced potatoes are doing more work than they get credit for. They thicken the puree naturally as they break down, giving the soup body without flour or cornstarch and lending an almost creamy mouthfeel even before the half-and-half goes in.

Half-and-half rather than heavy cream keeps the texture rich without overwhelming the vegetable flavor. The cream goes in after pureeing and never boils, which preserves both its texture and the vivid green color that makes this soup look as good as it tastes.

Pro Tips

• Use a non-cast-iron pot as the recipe specifies, the iron reacts with green vegetables and turns the soup an unappealing gray-green.
• Wash the leeks aggressively, sand hides between the layers and grits up the entire pot if you don’t.
• Blend in batches with the lid vented, hot soup explodes out of sealed blenders, and a kitchen towel over the lid helps.
• Stir cream in off-heat, boiling cream-based soups breaks the dairy and gives a curdled texture.

Variations

• Add 1 cup of grated sharp cheddar before serving for a classic broccoli-cheddar version.
• Sub vegetable broth and coconut cream for a vegan adaptation.
• Stir in a teaspoon of grated lemon zest at the end for a brighter, fresher finish.