CREAMY BROCCOLI SOUP WITH TOASTED ALMONDS

Posted in Soups by

This soup was quite a revelation for me, because it tasted amazing even though it called for very few, humble ingredients. No need to search for black truffles in a jar to make it, although I must say the flavor was so complex that I wondered if truffles had been hanging out around that broccoli at harvest time. Nah…. Just my overly vivid imagination.  The inspiration came once more from Mike, the man behind The Iron You. I’ve been a reader of his blog for only a few months, but that is long enough to realize his taste in food matches ours quite well. On a side note, for those into special nutrition, this concoction is paleo-friendly and low-carb.

unnamed-3

CREAMY BROCCOLI SOUP WITH TOASTED ALMONDS
(modified from The Iron You)

1 ½ lbs broccoli cut into florets
2 tablespoons coconut oil (or olive oil)
1 leek stalk, thinly sliced
3 small celery ribs, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced (optional)
2 ½ cups vegetable broth
1 teaspoon fine grain salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 (13.5 oz) can full fat coconut milk
dash of ground nutmeg
slivered almonds slightly browned in olive oil
.
Heat the coconut oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add leeks, celery, garlic, a little salt and pepper, and cook, stirring every now and then, until softened, about 7 minutes.

Add broccoli florets, broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the broccoli florets are tender, about 15 minutes. Add coconut milk, give a good stir and cook for further 5 minutes. Add the nutmeg and mix well.
.
Transfer the soup to a blender and puree in batches, or use an immersion blender if you prefer. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, maybe a little more nutmeg. If the soup is too thick add a bit of water; if instead it’s too thin cook until it reaches the desired consistency.
.
Serve warm with sautéed almonds on top.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: For some reason I don’t make soups that often, but whenever I do, I feel quite virtuous…  I prepared this particular recipe early in the morning and had it for lunch after running. It was a bright sunny day, but quite cold, maybe 40 F with a little wind.  The soup was like a warm hug, soothing and energizing at the same time. I highly recommend it after a workout. There’s something about the creaminess offered by the coconut milk that will make you feel on top of the world.  Vivid imagination, you say? 😉

Mike, thanks for the constant culinary inspiration!

ONE YEAR AGO: Cheddar and Fennel Seed Crackers 

TWO YEARS AGO: A Festive Pomegranate Dessert

THREE YEARS AGO: My First Award!

FOUR YEARS AGO: A Message from WordPress

FIVE YEARS AGO: Turkish Chicken Kebabs

 

29 thoughts on “CREAMY BROCCOLI SOUP WITH TOASTED ALMONDS”

  1. That soup has such a brilliant color and after reading the list of ingredients I didn’t see it full of cream and cheese and other calorie laden things. I really like soup and make it often in the winter. Not so much in the summer but I do make a lovely chilled lemon soup. 🙂

    Like

    Reply

    • One of my pet peeves is soups that are finished off with 1 cup of cream and 2 cups of cheese…. they are out there, you know. It is amazing how the flavor of the veggie itself can shine if we allow it to “speak”. Just made another great soup, zucchini, which shall be on the site soon

      Like

      Reply

  2. What a gorgeous recipe and indeed from so few ingredients… I’m guessing the one and a half pounds is the quantity for broccoli? Thanks for sharing this, love it!

    Like

    Reply

  3. I have to agree with a previous poster. That soup is such an amazing green colour. I thought the almonds might be ground and used as a thickener but I see it seems to be there mostly for texture contrast with the creamy soup itself.

    Like

    Reply

    • Indeed. Mike used cheddar crisps, I ended up making them for another soup, this one I went with almonds. I like a little textural contrast in creamy soups, and I thought the almonds went very nicely with the broccoli. A real keeper of a soup!

      Like

      Reply

  7. I agree, Mike’s work is straightforward and amazing — I love his style too, it’s nice to have a male voice in the blogging world :). Leek is a veggie that always seems to produce great results in soup. This looks so delicious Sally, a warm hug indeed and a must try for this busy mamma! (then we can feel virtuous together 😉 ) — love the image of the sun streaming in… perfect.

    Like

    Reply

    • My thoughts exactly – he has such a straightforward style, comes across as super authentic, genuine. Love it! I am in complete awe of human beings who complete the Iron Man. In person I only met one, who actually taught me to swim at the over-ripe age of 40. Impressive guy. I bet Mike is equally impressive in person. And a great cook to boot!

      Like

      Reply

  11. Hi Sally, are you saying the soup has a slight truffle flavor, even without adding any? You included a link so I am not sure what to think, maybe you are suggesting the truffles would be good with it? I have never had real truffles. Are they worth buying in the jar?

    Like

    Reply

Click here to comment, love to hear from you!

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.