This is a really tasty soup. I mean, I think all my soup recipes are pretty damn good, but I've had several people tell me now this is their favourite soup recipe, period.
There's a lot of vegetables in here, so much so that you don't need to use stock for the soup base. The use of potato also gives this soup a thickened texture reminiscent of potato and leek soup.
What is Broccoli and Stilton soup?
This is a soup made with vegetables, bigging up broccoli as the hero and using Stilton to bring a sharp, piquant flavour.
Broccoli and Stilton soup Ingredients
- Broccoli - our hero in this dish, making the normal quantity you need 500g of broccoli, which is 1 good sized head of broccoli. You can use frozen if you'd prefer - it works fine.
- Stilton - Stilton blue cheese is also a hero here, its sharp, piquant flavour pairs exceptionally well with the broccoli. You can sub the cheese for another blue if there's one you like.
- Onion, leek, carrot, celery - usual soup suspects, these build the flavour base for the soup.
- Cream is optional, and you can add it when blending or put a tablespoon or so into each bowl while serving.
- Potato is used to thicken the soup
- Butter is used to sauté the onion, leek, celery and carrots. Use extra virgin olive oil, if you'd prefer.
- Water or stock - If you choose to use stock, make sure you use salt reduced. You don't need to though, there's enough vegetables in this soup that it stands on its own with water.
- Salt and pepper - as always, season to your taste.
How to make Broccoli and Stilton soup
- Chop the onion, leak, carrots and celery - coarsely chop the onion, leek, carrots and celery.
- Cook the onion, leak, carrots and celery - add the butter to a large pot (at least 4 litres, preferably larger) and heat over medium heat. When the butter is melted (1), add the onion, leak, carrots and celery (2) and cook until the vegetables have sweated down but not taking on colour (3), about 10 minutes.
- Prepare the broccoli and potato while the other vegetables are cooking. Cut the potato into large dice and separate the broccoli florets. Cut the woody bottom part of the stalk off, and then slice the stalk.
- Cook the broccoli and potato - add the broccoli and potato to the pot (1), along with the water or stock (2). Cover and increase heat to high until the soup comes to a boil, then reduce heat to medium high and cook for 10-15 minutes until the potato and broccoli are tender.
- Add cheese and blend - add 150g of the Stilton to the soup. Then, using a blender, food processor or stick blender, blend the soup until it's at your desired consistency.
- Adjust seasoning - add salt and pepper to taste. Always do this slowly because it's easy to add more, but you can never take any out!
- Serve with crusty bread, a tablespoon or so of cream and crumble some of the remaining Stilton into the soup.
Do I have to use Stilton cheese?
Nope - use whatever blue cheese you love! Not all blue cheeses are equal though, and their flavour and saltiness can vary, so add slowly and be prepared to add more if needed.
Blue cheese isn't for everyone - it has a strong flavour. This soup is still delicious without the cheese - I serve it to my kids before I add the cheese. You can also use a strong cheddar in place of the blue cheese if you'd prefer.
Can I use cauliflower instead?
Yep! It makes a nice change and the flavour is different; if you're curious, give it a go!
Will the soup freeze well? What do I do with leftovers?
Yes, the soup freezes well but if you're planning on freezing a batch, omit the cream. Make sure you freeze in an airtight container or freezer bags.
Leftovers will be good for 3-4 days in the fridge. Store in an airtight container and reheat in the microwave or slowly in a pot.
Broccoli and Stilton Soup
| Prep | Cook | Total |
|---|---|---|
| 5 mins | 20 mins | 25 mins |
- 1 onion
- 1 leek
- 2 carrots
- 2 celery sticks
- 60g butter you can use extra virgin olive oil, if you prefer
- 1 potato
- 500g broccoli 1 good sized head of broccoli, use frozen if you prefer
- 1.5L water or reduced salt stock see note 1
- 200g Stilton cheese see note 2
- 1/2 cup cream optional, see note 3
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Chop the onion, leak, carrots and celery - coarsely chop the onion, leek, carrots and celery.
- Cook the onion, leak, carrots and celery - add the butter to a large pot (at least 4 litres, preferably larger) and heat over medium heat. When the butter is melted, add the onion, leak, carrots and celery and cook until the vegetables have sweated down but not taking on colour, about 10 minutes.
- Prepare the broccoli and potato while the other vegetables are cooking. Cut the potato into large dice and separate the broccoli florets. Cut the woody bottom part of the stalk off, and then slice the stalk.
- Cook the broccoli and potato - add the broccoli and potato to the pot, along with the water or stock. Cover and increase heat to high until the soup comes to a boil, then reduce heat to medium high and cook for 10-15 minutes until the potato and broccoli are tender.
- Add cheese and blend - add 150g of the Stilton to the soup. Then, using a blender, food processor or stick blender, blend the soup until it's at your desired consistency.
- Adjust seasoning - add salt and pepper to taste. Always do this slowly because it's easy to add more, but you can never take any out!
- Serve with crusty bread, a tablespoon or so of cream and crumble some of the remaining Stilton into the soup.
- Water or stock - You can use a chicken or vegetable stock if you'd like, but there's enough vegetables in here that I think it's unnecessary. If you do use stock, make sure to use reduced salt so you can adjust to taste at the end.
- Stilton cheese - You can leave the cheese out for a perfectly delicious broccoli soup, or if serving to people (or kids!) who don't like blue cheese, use a strong aged cheddar instead.
- Cream - Up to you whether you use cream. You can either add it before blending, or you can add to the bowl when serving.
