Seton Magazine Catholic Homeschool Articles, Advice & Resources
This is the third post in Abby Sasscer’s Simple Kitchen Series
Welcome back to my Simple Kitchen Series!
With the holidays coming, here’s a simple recipe that could easily be part of your yearly Thanksgiving fare. We all have our favorites but my family never gets tired of asking for Cream of Broccoli Soup during this time of year.
I decided to bring this soup to our Thanksgiving gathering one year and it has been a much requested dish since. It serves as a perfect comfort food…a sort of “warm your heart on this chilly November evening” appetizer while everyone is milling around the kitchen waiting for Thanksgiving dinner to take place.
And because it’s so simple to make, I am more than happy to oblige :-)
Here’s What You’ll Need
- ¼ cup butter
- 1 medium onion – chopped
- 2 large heads of broccoli – chopped with small stems
- 1 ½ to 2 cups heavy cream or half-and-half
- 8 – 12 cups water
- 2 to 3 cups all-natural potato flakes
- Salt to taste
Simple Steps
1. Butter & Onion
In a large pot, heat butter on medium to high heat. Cook onion for about 3 to 5 minutes or until tender.
2. Boil Broccoli
Add broccoli and water and bring to a boil. Simmer until broccoli florets and stems are soft and tender. This may take around 20 to 30 minutes.
If you’re pressed for time, you can also use two 10 oz. bags of frozen broccoli in place of fresh broccoli. But the taste wouldn’t be the same :-)
3. Cream & Puree
Add cream or half-and-half and puree in batches with a regular blender or food processor. I prefer using an immersion blender because it’s simpler :-)
If you have picky eaters, my suggestion is to puree the soup all the way. If your family loves vegetables, just puree half of the soup and make sure to leave plenty of broccoli chunks for more texture.
4.Potato Flakes
Add potato flakes one cup at a time. These flakes help add a creamy consistency to the soup.
Keep adding flakes and stirring until desired consistency is reached. Just make sure you don’t add more than 3 cups of flakes total.
If you prefer, you can substitute all-natural potato flakes with 1 to 2 russet potatoes, peeled and quartered and added during step 2. I prefer using potato flakes because, well, it’s simpler :-)
5 .Salt
Add salt to taste.
Not Just For Thanksgiving
The beauty of this dish is that it doesn’t need to be served just during the holidays. If you add a salad and whole grain crusted bread on the side, it makes for a perfect weekday winter supper.
Until then, Happy Cooking and a Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!
Printer Friendly Recipe
Easy Cream of Broccoli Soup
- ¼ cup butter
- 1 medium onion – chopped
- 2 large heads of broccoli – chopped with small stems
- 1 ½ to 2 cups heavy cream or half-and-half
- 8 to 12 cups water
- 2 to 3 cups all-natural potato flakes
- Salt to taste
In a large pot, heat butter on medium to high heat. Cook onion for about 3 to 5 minutes or until tender. Add broccoli and water and bring to a boil. Simmer until broccoli florets and stems are soft and tender. Add cream or half-and-half and puree in batches with a regular blender or immersion blender. Stir in potato flakes a little a time until desired consistency is reached. Add salt to taste. Serve with whole grain bread and salad.
