Spicy Broccoli Soup

This Spicy Broccoli Soup is absolutely amazing. Creamy, vibrant, full of wonderful flavors. It's so simple, yet so delicious and healthy, packed with superfoods and aromatic spices - cinnamon, turmeric, and ginger. A real Winter comfort food favorite. 

This broccoli soup is high on my favorite list since I made it for the first time many years ago. Surprisingly, my boys love it too despite the fact it's made with broccoli (and they are not fans). But this soup, we all love. Once you taste it, you'll know why.

It's quite spicy but so delicious. Luxuriously smooth and creamy but free of added flour or heavy cream. It’s rich and indulgent, but not in the way to overburden your belly or weigh you down.

It's full of superfoods and fresh flavors, packed with nutrients. Perfect immune-boosting soup for colder days. Great for fighting off colds and flu.

And the best part, it's super easy to make!

Ingredients used

This broccoli soup is very basic. You’ll just need a few simple ingredients:

• Broccoli. It's definitely a star ingredient with many health benefits. When you eat broccoli you're getting dozens, maybe even hundreds, of super-nutrients that support optimal health. Broccoli is called a SUPERFOOD for a reason. It's packed with powerful antioxidant Vitamin C, as well as Vitamin K and dietary fibers. 
• Parsnip. It's a wonderful addition to creamy soups like this one. It's sweeter than carrots with a bit of a nutty after-taste. Parsnips are incredibly nutritious, packed with antioxidants, soluble and insoluble fibers.
• Ginger. I used fresh ginger root here. Ginger is known for its anti-inflammatory and anti-viral properties. It's a super-spice known in India for centuries. 
• Cinnamon. I bet you find it strange putting cinnamon in the soup. But believe me, you'll get surprised by how amazing it tastes here. I'm using Ceylon cinnamon, also known as "true" cinnamon. It's a highly delicious spice with many health benefits. Cinnamon gave this broccoli soup a wonderful smell and touch of sweetness needed to balance spicy ginger. 
• Turmeric. It may be the most potent spice in existence. Curcumin, the active component in turmeric, has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for centuries due to its strong antioxidant properties. (1) Antioxidants are essential for our immunity too. Curcumin also has potent anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. (2) I recommend using organic turmeric powder, if possible. 

Other ingredients you'll need:

• Extra virgin olive oil.
• Salt and pepper.
• Vegetable broth. (optional)

How to make Spicy Broccoli Soup

This broccoli soup is easy to make. It will take you 15 minutes TOPS! - and you need only basic equipment.

Equipment used

• Large pot.
• High speed blender or handheld stick blender.  

Step by step instructions

• Step 1: Prepare the ingredients.
  • Wash the broccoli head and cut it into florets. Cut the stem into small pieces. Use whole broccoli, don't waste anything.
  • Peel the parsnip and ginger and cut them into small pieces. 
• Step 2: Cook the soup.
  • Place broccoli, parsnip, and ginger in a large pot.
  • Add water or vegetable broth, if using, just enough to cover the vegetables.
  • Add olive oil and season with salt (add just a half teaspoon).
  • Bring soup to a boil. Cover with the lid, lower the heat, and simmer for 15 minutes until vegetables are soft enough to puree.
• Step 3: Puree the soup.
  • Take the soup off the heat. Remove a cup of the liquid and set it aside.
  • Transfer the cooked vegetables into a high-speed blender and blend the soup until smooth and creamy.
  • Add more reserved liquid if the soup is too dense until you achive the desired constancy.
• Step 4: Season the soup.
  • Add in spices - cinnamon, turmeric, and pepper. Blend the soup again, just a few pulses for spices to combine.
  • Taste the soup and add more salt to taste.
  • Transfer the soup back to the pot.
• Step 5: Serve the soup.
  • Serve hot with additional toppings.
  • Drizzle of cold-pressed flaxseed oil or extra virgin olive oil.
  • Pumpkin seed oil is a great option too.
  • Seeds: pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, or sunflower seeds.
  • Crispy croutons or a slice of toasted sourdough bread.  

Substitutions

• You can substitute parsnip with other root vegetables, like celery root (celeriac) or potatoes. The role of the root vegetable here is to make soup dense and creamy.
• If you have homemade vegetable stock use it here. If not, simple water and salt are great. I don't recommend using vegetable cubes or store-bought preseasoned vegetable stock. They can contribute to unwanted color, off-putting flavors, and excess salt. 
• I recommend using extra virgin olive oil here, but you can substitute it with flaxseed oil. Flaxseed oil has a bitter taste but it's packed with Omega-3s. 

Tips for storing

• Keep the soup stored in the pot with the lid, or glass jar covered. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• TO FREEZE: Broccoli soup freezes really well. Allow it to cool completely before freezing. Portion the broccoli soup into freezer-safe bags or containers. Place in the freezer for up to three months. Thaw at room temperature before reheating. 

Tips for serving

This soup is a light meal on its own. But if you want to make a proper meal, serve the broccoli soup with a sandwich or salad. Try these recipes:

Recipe tips

• Seasoning is the key to the perfect soup. Add salt gradually and taste as you go. 
• Ginger adds a lot of spiciness. If you want to make this soup less spicy and kid-friendly, add just a small slice of ginger. Don't skip it thou. Ginger is a key ingredient here in this recipe. 
• Don't substitute fresh ginger with ginger powder. It won't work well here. 
• If the soup is too thick and you don't have enough reserved broth from cooking, just add boiled water. 

Broccoli buying guide

• Look for bright green broccoli with firm stalks.
• Avoid woody stems that get chewy when cooked.
• Avoid yellowing florets. This indicates it has gone past the desirable freshness.
• Choose broccoli with compact florets. The more open the florets, the older it is.

Safety note 

• Never fill a stand blender past the maximum fill line.
• To allow steam to escape, remove the centerpiece of the cover so the contents don’t build pressure as they blend. Cover the hole with a tea towel, but don’t place your hand over it because the steam is hot.

📖 Recipe

Spicy Broccoli Soup

By Natalie

This Spicy Broccoli Soup is absolutely amazing. Creamy, vibrant, full of wonderful flavors. It's so simple, yet so delicious and healthy, packed with superfoods and aromatic spices - cinnamon, turmeric, and ginger.

4.8 from 127 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 15 mins

Total Time 20 mins

Course Soup

Cuisine American, British, International

Servings 4 servings

Calories 148 kcal

Equipment

• Cooking pot
• Blender

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 large broccoli head
• 1 large parsnip or ½ medium-sized celery root
• 0.8 inch fresh ginger rooth
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons Ceylon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 4-5 cups water
• Himalayan salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

 

• Wash the broccoli head and cut it into florets. Cut the stem into small pieces. Use whole broccoli, don't waste anything. Peel the parsnip and ginger and cut them into small pieces.
• Place broccoli, parsnip, and ginger in a large pot.
• Add water or vegetable broth, if using, just enough to cover the vegetables.
• Add olive oil and season with salt (add just a half teaspoon).
• Bring soup to a boil. Cover with the lid, lower the heat, and simmer for 15 minutes until vegetables are soft enough to puree.
• Take the soup off the heat. Remove a cup of the liquid and set it aside.
• Transfer the cooked vegetables into a high-speed blender and blend the soup until smooth and creamy.
• Add more reserved liquid if the soup is too dense until you achive the desired constancy.
• Add in spices - cinnamon, turmeric, and pepper. Blend the soup again, just a few pulses for spices to combine.
• Taste the soup and add more salt to taste.
• Transfer the soup back to the pot.
• Serve hot with additional toppings.

Notes

Makes 4 bowls that serve 2 - 4 people.

Tips for storing

• Keep the soup stored in the pot with the lid, or glass jar covered. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• TO FREEZE: Broccoli soup freezes really well. Allow it to cool completely before freezing. Portion the broccoli soup into freezer-safe bags or containers. Place in the freezer for up to three months. Thaw at room temperature before reheating. 

Substitutions

• You can substitute parsnip with other root vegetables, like celery root (celeriac) or potatoes.
• If you have homemade vegetable stock use it here. If not, simple water and salt are great. I don't recommend using vegetable cubes or store-bought preseasoned vegetable stock. They can contribute to unwanted color, off-putting flavors, and excess salt.  

Toppings suggestions

• Drizzle of cold-pressed flaxseed oil or extra virgin olive oil. Pumpkin seed oil is a great option too.
• Sprinkle with seeds: pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, or sunflower seeds.
• Serve with crispy croutons or a slice of toasted sourdough bread.  

Please read "Recipe tips" for more info about the recipe. As a measure, I used a US cup (240ml). 

Nutrition

Serving: 1bowl | Calories: 148kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 55mg | Potassium: 638mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 947IU | Vitamin C: 142mg | Calcium: 95mg | Iron: 2mg

Keyword broccoli soup, easy broccoli soup, healthy broccoli soup, healthy broccoli soup recipe, spicy broccoli soup

Tried this recipe?Don’t forget to rate it and leave the comment. I would love to hear what you think.

DisclaimerThe nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but I have endeavored to be as accurate as possible.

This post is originally published in September 2015. It's updated in November 2020, with more information and new photos, and then in November 2021 with more tips. The recipe stayed the same. 

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