Broccoli is one of those vegetables that can be so brassy. It’s bold and in your face flavor needs some cheesy love when you make broccoli soup. Brie makes this such a comforting bowl of deliciousness.
Additionally, I’ve made it easy to adapt to dairy-free broccoli soup so you can cater to a variety of needs with one dish.
There are some recipes that I secretly hope no one else cares for because it means I get the leftovers without a fight. Broccoli Brie Soup is one of those recipes.
My verdict is, “Just the right balance. That final touch of cheese is what makes my broccoli soup lick-the-bowl-clean delicious.” Who, me? Lick the bowl? No. Way. Anyway….
Can you use frozen broccoli?
You can use frozen broccoli, to make this soup even more quickly. However, I have not tested it. Making this swap will affect the ratio of solid versus liquid, which makes a crucial difference in thickening soup.
You may wonder why that is. If you’ve ever had frozen broccoli and thawed it, you know that when it thaws the broccoli is all wilty and there’s a ton of water that “thaws out” of it. The process of freezing broccoli results in a higher water content. Because of that, it isn’t as simple as replacing equal amounts of frozen broccoli for fresh.
If you do try using frozen broccoli for your soup, I’d love to hear the results and how you adjusted the recipe.
See this article for more about the benefits of incorporating broccoli in your meals and for more recipes.
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How do you thicken the soup?
If you follow this recipe exactly as it’s written you don’t need to add thickeners as it has the right balance of solids plus liquid to make it a nice creamy consistency.
The heavy cream aids in the satisfying creaminess so if you skip that, you may end up with a slightly thinner result. This is where I would make a slurry of one part cornstarch to two parts water then stir that in and stir frequently until the soup is thickened to your preference.
How do you make it dairy-free?
The base of this soup is dairy-free so you can easily make this for everyone at the table. Say you love brie, but someone else in your family doesn’t. Done! Say you’re having a dinner party and someone is vegan or dairy-free. Easy solution!
So yes, the reality is that you can’t possibly make broccoli brie soup dairy-free and get the exact same flavor. That being said, the reason I made this a dairy-free adaptable recipe is because it’s easy to do so.
Can you make this on the stove instead of Instant Pot?
Absolutely! However, I haven’t tested this because I absolutely despise having to stand in front of the stove patiently watching and stirring dishes that burn easily if I have another option.
That’s why I use the Instant Pot. I can set it and forget it for a little bit. Not long, of course, since it takes less than an hour, but that’s time I can spend elsewhere.
If you do prepare it on the stove you may need more liquid. Again, if you give it a try, I’d love to hear your results.
Broccoli Brie Soup (Adaptable for Dairy-free)
Broccoli is one of those vegetables that can be so brassy. It’s bold and in your face flavor needs some cheesy love when you make broccoli soup. Brie brings that smooth and calming note that makes this such a soothing comforting bowl of deliciousness. Additionally, I’ve made it easy to adapt to dairy-free so you can cater to a variety of needs with one dish.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon oil
- 1 large onion, chopped (appr. 1 cup)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 cups chopped broccoli (appr. 4 medium broccoli crowns – florets and stem)
- 2 cups water*
- 2 cups full-fat coconut milk**
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup heavy cream (optional)
- 4 ounces mild brie (optional)
Instructions
- Set Instant Pot to Saute and add oil.
- Once oil is hot, add onion and garlic. Saute until slightly softened, approximately 5 minutes.
- Add broccoli, water/stock, dairy-free milk, salt, and pepper to Instant Pot.
- Seal pot and close vent.
- Press manual, set to high pressure and set cook time to 12 minutes.
- Once cook time has elapsed, use quick release method. (Carefully flip vent to open position, taking care not to burn yourself on the steam that erupts.)
- Use an immersion blender or blender to puree the mixture.
- Optional: Add heavy cream a small amount at a time until consistency is as desired. Alternately, you could add another dairy-free milk to get the consistency you prefer.
- Taste to see if you prefer more salt.
- If adding brie, cube brie into small pieces then stir into soup as desired.
Notes
- *You can substitute vegetable or chicken stock in for the water for additional flavor.
- ** You can also swap in another dairy-free milk, but this will alter the thickness and richness of the soup.
- Nutrition is based on using full-fat coconut milk, heavy cream, and brie.
- If cooking on the stove top, follow steps 1-3 over medium heat on the stove. When cooking the ingredients in steps 3 and 4, cook with lid on pan, stirring occasionally, until all ingredients are soft enough to puree. Follow rest of steps above to finish.
- If the soup is thinner than you prefer, make a slurry of one part cornstarch to two parts water then stir that in and stir frequently until the soup is thickened to your preference.
Keywords: broccoli, broccoli soup
Do you have a favorite cheese to add to broccoli soup?
Original Publish Date: January 5, 2017