“Good for You” Cream of Broccoli Soup (Don’t Throw Away the Broccoli Stalks!)

Recipe Description:

Eating broccoli stalks doesn’t have to be a chore … and don’t you dare throw those healthy stems away! Simply blend them into a delicious and healthy cream of broccoli soup!

Prep Time: 30 Minutes

Cook Time: 45 Minutes

Servings: 6

Difficulty: Moderate

Recipe Ingredients:

4 large organic broccoli stems, peeled and cut into chunks (of course, you may also use the florets if you wish; but soups are a good way to eat the otherwise fibrous stems)

3-4 large organic carrots, chopped

6 cups homemade chicken or turkey bone broth or homemade chicken stock (using pastured and organic chicken or turkey)

1 large yellow onion, peeled and diced

1 cup raw whole milk from grass-fed cows (use organic, grass-fed low-temp pasteurized milk if you have no access to raw milk)

1 tablespoon grass-fed organic ghee or pastured butter

3 tablespoons fresh organic sage leaves, chopped

1 teaspoon organic ground ginger

Unrefined salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Kerrygold Dubliner or other hard cheese, preferably raw and grass-fed (optional)

Fresh lemon juice, to taste (optional)

Recipe Instructions:

Prepare the bone broth or stock: If you have no broth or stock on hand, use some saved bones (that you've previously frozen) from pastured birds to make a nutritious broth by simmering the bones overnight in a pot-full of filtered water, a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, an onion, some carrots and celery, and spices. You can also make stock in advance by boiling the pastured bird for an hour or two with an onion, some bay leaves and cardamom seeds, and some salt and pepper. For either, make sure to filter the veggies, bones and spices out before saving the liquid in a glass jar. This recipe assumes you have either bone broth or homemade stock previously prepared.

Chop and saute onion: Peel and dice an onion. In a large stainless steel pot, melt a tablespoon of grass-fed ghee or pastured butter, and saute the onion on medium heat until it has caramelized a bit and has become fragrant, stirring occasionally throughout.

Chop broccoli and carrots and add to pot: Peel the broccoli stalks and chop into small pieces. Chop the carrots as well. Add chopped broccoli and carrots to the pot and saute on medium heat for a few minutes with the onions, stirring frequently.

Pour the stock or bone broth in the pot: Measure approximately three parts stock to two parts veggies, and add to the pot. Bring to a boil, cover, and leave to simmer on low for 35 minutes, until the broccoli stalks and carrots have become soft.

Puree the soup, and add milk and spices: Using an immersion blender, blend the soup into liquid. Then, add a cup of raw whole milk to the pot, and blend once again to integrate the flavors. Finally, add the ground ginger, fresh chopped sage leaves and unrefined salt and black pepper, and bring the hand blender to a final whirl. Taste the soup and adjust the seasonings as you see fit.

Add the cheese and lemon juice (optional): If you wish, you can add a few drops of fresh lemon juice to the soup for a little zest. In individual plates, you can also add thin slices of hard tasty grass-fed cheese for a little extra flavor and for the texture of melted goodness. Either way, make sure to serve warm, and enjoy!

Author: hsaleh

Heba Saleh is a Virginia-based writer, internet enthusiast, and most importantly, a food lover dedicated to whole sustainably-sourced ingredients and traditional cooking. She has co-founded midEATS (http://mideats.com/), a hub for Middle Eastern cuisine and culture that has been steadily growing since August 2011. She also keeps her own blog on real food and healthy living: My Life in a Pyramid (http://mylifeinapyramid.com/). Heba has a Master's degree in English from George Mason University with a focus on Cultural Studies, and she has taught writing at the university level. View all posts by hsaleh

1 thought on ““Good for You” Cream of Broccoli Soup (Don’t Throw Away the Broccoli Stalks!)”

helay8403 says:

April 24, 2012 at 10:15 am

Very good soup! I have made it for my family a couple times now and we love it. I was wondering if I could use frozen stalks in the soup? We eat broccoli fairly often but we just don’t eat enough at one time. Could I peal and chop the stalks and freeze them for a later time to make soup?

Recipe Description:

Recipe Ingredients:

Recipe Instructions:

Author: hsaleh

1 thought on ““Good for You” Cream of Broccoli Soup (Don’t Throw Away the Broccoli Stalks!)”

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