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A healthy and simple broccoli and cauliflower soup, made a little special and more flavoursome with crisp parmesan wafers. This recipe is easy and quick and perfect for freezing. It’s great for a starter or light lunch.
How do you add flavour to vegetable soup?
Vegetable soup can be a little bland, but there are countless ways to add additional taste and interest. For this soup, I’ve added some horseradish, which adds a little extra warmth and depth.
I also like to serve this with parmesan wafers, which adds an extra dimension of texture and a rich additional flavour.
Is it healthy?
This soup is packed with healthy, fresh veg. The health benefits of broccoli are numerous, including that it fights inflammation, is loaded in antioxidants and is high in fibre. Cauliflower is nutrient-dense and contains vitamins C and K whilst also packing in potassium, fibre and many other wholesome things.
The soup contains 200 calories and 14g of fat. If you are looking to make this lighter you can omit the parmesan wafers and cream, which will reduce calories by around 75 and fat by 7g.
Can you freeze it?
This soup freezes really well. Simply allow to cool and portion into freezer-proof containers. Freeze for up to 3 months. Allow to defrost before reheating in the microwave or on the hob/stove.
You can also keep the soup for up to 3 days in the fridge and reheat when you are ready to serve it. However, the parmesan wafers should be made fresh as they won’t retain their texture and crunch after chilling or reheating.
Ingredients
You need a few simple ingredients for this broccoli and cauliflower soup (for a full list including measurements jump to the printable recipe card).
- Olive oil
- Onion – brown or white, roughly chopped
- Broccoli florets, roughly chopped
- Cauliflower florets, roughly chopped
- Vegetable stock
- Lemon juice
- Horseradish
- Freshly grated parmesan (make sure to freshly grate, as pre-grated won’t melt properly)
- Parsley, finely chopped
Substitutions
You can use any kind of oil suitable for frying instead of olive oil
The horseradish can be omitted if you aren’t a fan, although it does add an extra dimension to the flavour. Alternatively, you can use some mustard, extra lemon juice or some chilli flakes if you like a little spice.
How to make it
For more detailed instructions jump to the printable recipe card.
- First pre-heat the oven to 200C/400F (this is for the parmesan wafers, so if you don’t plan on making these then skip this).
- Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and gently fry until softened, around 4-5 minutes.
- Add the broccoli, cauliflower, stock, lemon juice and horseradish to the pan. Bring to a simmer and cook for around 10 minutes, until the cauliflower is soft.
- While the soup is cooking, scatter the parmesan into small circle shapes on a baking tray lined with parchment/baking paper. Around 4-5cm is a good size. Place in the oven for 4-5 minutes until melted and then leave to cool.
- Remove the soup pan from the hob/stove and add the cream. Use a stick/immersion blender to blitz into a smooth texture and season to taste.
- Serve in bowls, topped with the parmesan wafers and the chopped parsley.
If you are looking for more great soup recipes then you may want to try:
- Slow cooker leek and potato soup
- Sweet potato and red pepper soup
- Polish Zurek soup
- Carrot and coriander soup
- Sweet potato and horseradish soup
- Chorizo and chickpea soup
Products that work well for this recipe:
Cole & Mason Herb Keeper
Soup n Sauce Freezer Bag
Leak Proof Soup Bowl
Broccoli and Cauliflower Soup
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 1 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
A beautifully creamy and warming broccoli and cauliflower soup. Top with parmesan wafers and freshly chopped herbs for added flair and flavour!
The default recipe serves one.
Ingredients
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1/4 medium brown or white onion, roughly chopped
- 100g / 3.5oz broccoli florets, roughly chopped
- 100g / 3.5oz cauliflower, roughly chopped
- 250ml / 1 cup veg stock
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp whipping or double cream
- 1 tsp horseradish (optional)
- 1 tbsp freshly grated parmesan
- 2 sprigs of parsley, leaves stripped and finely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200C/400F. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. When hot add the onion and saute for around 4-5 minutes until softened and a little translucent.
- Add the broccoli, cauliflower, stock, horseradish and lemon juice to the pan and season well. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes or until the cauliflower is soft.
- While the soup is cooking spread the parmesan into small circle shape over a baking tray lined with baking or parchment paper. Place in the oven for 3-4 minutes until melted. Leave to cool.
- Remove the soup from the heat and add the scream. Use a stick/immersion blender to blitz into a smooth but thick texture.
- Serve with the parmesan wafer on top and the parsley scattered over.
Notes
- Use freshly grated parmesan rather than pre-grated. The pre-done stuff has emulsifiers added to help stop it sticking, which also prevents it from melting properly.
- The horseradish is optional, so can be left out. Or you can add more lemon juice, or even some mustard, to add extra flavour.
- Frozen broccoli or cauliflower also works well, just extend the simmering time by 1-2 minutes.
- The parmesan wafers can be moulded when still warm, to add extra curve or shape. Or you can also place the parmesan over the back of a spoon before placing in the oven (just make sure the spoon has cooled before handling).
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Hob
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 200
- Fat: 14g
- Carbohydrates: 11g
- Protein: 7g
Keywords: soup, healthy, broccoli, cauliflower, vegetarian, parmesan, lunch, freezable, starter
