Homemade Italian Broccoli Soup (Printable)

A velvety blend of fresh broccoli, aromatic vegetables, and Parmesan creates this comforting Italian soup ready in under an hour.

# What's Needed:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 large head broccoli (about 1.1 lbs), cut into florets
02 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
03 - 1 medium carrot, diced
04 - 2 celery stalks, diced
05 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
06 - 1 medium potato, peeled and diced

→ Liquids

07 - 4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
08 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Dairy

09 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving

→ Seasonings

10 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs (oregano, basil, thyme blend)
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Garnish

12 - Fresh basil or parsley, chopped (optional)
13 - Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling (optional)

# How to Make It:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, celery, and garlic. Sauté for 5-6 minutes until vegetables are softened and fragrant.
02 - Add diced potato and broccoli florets to the pot. Cook for another 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally to lightly coat vegetables.
03 - Pour in broth and add dried Italian herbs. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 20 minutes until vegetables are very tender.
04 - Remove from heat. Using an immersion blender, puree soup until smooth and creamy. Alternatively, transfer to a standard blender in batches and puree carefully.
05 - Stir in grated Parmesan cheese until melted and well combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
06 - Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish with extra Parmesan, a drizzle of olive oil, and fresh herbs if desired. Serve hot.

# Tips for Success:

01 -
  • The potato trick makes it creamy without any heavy cream at all
  • It comes together in under an hour but tastes like it simmered all day
  • This is secretly how I get my vegetable hating friends to eat their greens
02 -
  • Blend carefully because hot soup expands aggressively in blenders
  • The potato is non negotiable if you want that velvety texture without cream
  • Let it cool slightly before blending or you will have soup all over your kitchen
03 -
  • Cut your vegetables uniformly so they cook at the same rate
  • Taste before salting since Parmesan is already quite salty

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