Cream Of Broccoli Soup with Roasted Garlic

Roast a whole garlic bulb while the broccoli steams. That’s it. That’s the whole thing — no cream, no cheese, just roasted garlic doing all the heavy lifting.

Why You’ll Love This Cream Of Broccoli Soup

Takes 15 minutes of actual work. The oven does the rest. Vegan and naturally gluten free, so it works for basically anyone at your table. Roasted garlic tastes sweet and mellow — nothing like raw. Makes the whole soup taste richer than it has any right to. Texture stays slightly chunky. Not blended into submission like some versions. Doubles as a spread. Just thicken it up a bit and put it on bread.

What You Need For Cream Of Broccoli Soup

Two and a half liters of broccoli crowns. Cut them into florets — pieces about the size of your thumb. Not tiny. Not huge. Eight hundred milliliters of cauliflower florets. Honestly, broccoli alone works fine. The cauliflower just stretches it and mellows things out. One whole garlic bulb. Not cloves. The whole thing. Slice the top off and roast it until it’s basically falling apart. A hundred forty milliliters of avocado oil. Olive oil burns at the roasting temperature. Don’t bother trying. Avocado oil just works. Salt and white pepper. That’s enough.

How To Make Cream Of Broccoli Soup

Heat the oven to 175 Celsius. Middle rack. Slice the top quarter inch off your garlic bulb — you want to expose the cloves without cutting into them too much. Wrap it in foil and shove it in. Set a timer for 50 minutes. The garlic should be soft and golden when it’s done, kind of collapsing out of the skin.

While that’s going, cut your broccoli and cauliflower into pieces. Doesn’t have to be fancy. Consistent size helps them cook evenly, but close is fine. Steam them together for 9 minutes. Not boiling — steaming. There’s a difference. Boiling makes them waterlogged and gray. Steaming keeps them bright and firm.

Pull the garlic out. Let it cool for maybe 3 minutes — just until you can handle it without burning yourself. Squeeze each clove out of the skin into the food processor. The insides should slide right out like butter. If they don’t, it needed more time.

Add the steamed broccoli and cauliflower. Pour in your avocado oil. Salt it. White pepper. Pulse it. Don’t go full smoothie — you want some texture left, something to feel when you eat it.

How To Get The Right Texture In Roasted Broccoli Soup

This is where people mess up. They blend it into submission or leave it too chunky.

Pulse first. Few times. You’re breaking things down but not erasing them. Stop before it’s totally smooth. It should look a little rough still.

Taste it. Fix the seasoning. Salt makes a difference here — more than you think. White pepper is subtle but changes the whole thing if it’s missing.

If you want it thicker, just blend less. If you want it thinner, steam an extra minute or two so there’s more liquid. Or add water. Doesn’t matter. The roasted garlic is what makes it taste rich, not cream.

Cream Of Broccoli Soup Tips And Common Mistakes

Don’t rush the garlic roasting. Fifty minutes seems like a lot, but you need it soft and sweet. Raw garlic is sharp. Underroasted is sharp. Roasted all the way through tastes completely different.

Temperature matters. 175 Celsius is specific because hotter burns it, cooler won’t cook it through. Use an oven thermometer if you have one. Most ovens run hot or cold.

Steam the vegetables. Boiling works but you lose something — the color, the flavor, the texture. Nine minutes is exact. Check them at 8 if you like them firmer.

Avocado oil is the only oil that makes sense here. Olive oil smokes. Butter adds a flavor you might not want. Avocado oil gets out of the way and lets the roasted garlic be the star.

The white pepper thing isn’t pretentious. Black pepper flecks show up in a green soup and look wrong. White pepper blends in and tastes sharper anyway — fits the soup better.

Cream Of Broccoli Soup with Roasted Garlic

By Emma

Prep:

15 min

Cook:

1h

Total:

1h 15min

Servings:

6 servings

Ingredients

• 2.6 litres broccoli crowns, cut into florets
• 800 ml cauliflower florets
• 1 whole garlic bulb
• 140 ml avocado oil
• Salt as needed
• White pepper to taste

Method

1. 1 Set oven to 175 °C (347 °F). Put rack in middle position.
2. 2 Slice top off garlic, cover in foil, roast 50 minutes until soft. Cool slightly.
3. 3 Steam broccoli and cauliflower florets 9 minutes until tender but not mushy.
4. 4 Transfer vegetables to food processor bowl. Squeeze garlic cloves from skin into bowl.
5. 5 Add oil, season with salt and white pepper.
6. 6 Pulse & blend until smooth but still with some texture. Adjust seasoning.
7. 7 Serve warm alongside roasted meats or as spread with crusty bread.

Nutritional information

Calories

110

Protein

3g

Carbs

8g

Fat

10g

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Frequently Asked Questions About Cream Of Broccoli Soup

Can I make this cream of broccoli and cheddar soup instead? Yeah. Add sharp cheddar at the end, after everything’s blended. A handful, maybe a quarter cup. Stir it in off heat so it doesn’t break. Makes it less vegan obviously, but tastes good.

Does this count as a side dish or is it a main? Side. Serve it alongside roasted chicken or fish. Pairs with basically anything. Some people eat it as a main with bread and call it done. Works either way.

How long does cream of broccoli soup keep? Three days, maybe four. Refrigerator. It thickens up as it sits — that’s normal. Add water or broth when you reheat if it’s too thick. Freezes fine too. Eight weeks, probably longer.

Can I use frozen broccoli instead? Thaw it first. Let it drain. Frozen has way more water. You’ll end up with broccoli soup instead of a proper cream of broccoli soup. Totally fine if that’s what you want, but different.

What if my roasted garlic doesn’t come out soft? Your oven’s probably running cold. Add ten minutes next time. Or check it at 45 and see where you’re at. Some ovens are just like that. Make a note.

Do I have to use cauliflower? No. All broccoli works. Cauliflower just mellows the flavor and makes it creamier without adding actual cream. You like broccoli sharp? Skip it.