I love soup season. Not only is soup just really good food, but a pot of soup makes 4-12 servings, depending on the recipe, which usually gives me lunch for the week. In one recipe. I love that.
I’m not sure exactly what I was going for when I started working on this soup — cream of broccoli, broccoli potato, broccoli cheese, potato cheese? My notes are a little unclear. It sort of ended up being an intersection of all of them — a creamy, rich soup, with a tangy cheesiness, and lots of broccoli, which is by far one of my favorite vegetables ever. This soup is great for the cold nights we’re starting to have, and it makes about 6 servings.
Creamy Broccoli Soup
- 2 lbs. russet potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 lb. broccoli crowns, split into florets
- 2 teaspoons salt, split
- 1 Tablespoon sherry (could substitute red wine vinegar, but sherry’s flavor is better here)
- 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- 1/3 cup + 1/4 cup chicken or vegetable stock
- 1 Tablespoon Earth Balance or other solid fat
- 3 Tablespoons tahini
- 3 Tablespoons ketchup
- 1 teaspoon mustard
- 6 Tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 Tablespoon + 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (IF NEEDED)
- pepper to taste
- shredded cheddar style cheese/cheese sub of your choice, to top, optional
Put roughly chopped potatoes in a saucepan, with water to cover, and about 1 teaspoon salt. Over high heat, boil until well done (test with a fork). Drain and mash roughly.
In a separate pot, put broccoli florets and about 1/2 to 1 inch of water. Cover and bring to a boil. Cook broccoli until bright green and JUST done — this takes just a few minutes. The broccoli should still be crisp, but tender. Even if you like your broccoli more well-done, take it out now — it will cook more in the soup. Immediately when done, drain into a colander and let cool. When cool enough to handle, chop it.
Mix the potatoes, broccoli, 2 cups of vegetable stock, and sherry and set aside while you make the sauce.
In a small sauce pan, mix the 1/3c + 1/4 cup stock, and the rest of the ingredients (minus the cheese for topping) over low heat until well combined. You may want to taste this before adding the salt, as your stock may be salty enough. I generally buy low-sodium broth or stock, though, and need this little bit of additional salt.
Add to the pot with the rest of the ingredients, and heat over low, covered, 20-30 minutes. Add more stock if needed, and adjust the seasonings before serving, sprinkled with cheese if you like.
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