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WW Recipe of the Day: Stovetop Broccoli Cauliflower Soup
This easy soup is based on another simple recipe template I use a lot.
There are gazillions of recipes for “cream of vegetable soup” and/or “pureed vegetable soup” online and in cookbooks that are virtually all the same with very minor differences among them.
Trust me, I’ve spent more time than I should’ve comparing and contrasting them.
The more you cook and read about cooking, the more you begin seeing patterns that let you rely less on recipes, which can make the process a whole lot easier and more fun 🙂
To make a ‘cream of’ or ‘pureed’ vegetable soup, like this broccoli cauliflower soup, all you need to do is cook a vegetable, or some combination of vegetables, with some seasonings until tender.
Then puree the mixture until it’s creamy and reheat it with, or without, a little cream or butter. That’s really all there is to it!
Recipe Notes
If the vegetables you’re using don’t have a lot of body or if you prefer thicker soups, adding a peeled and chopped medium sized baking potato or 1/3 cup rice will help.
It also will add creaminess without the cream, something I first read in Julia Child’s cookbook, The Way to Cook (affiliate link) back in the 1990’s, when even she seems to have been affected by the low-fat craze!
Adding a bit of cream or butter at the end will make your broccoli cauliflower soup incredibly smooth and rich. But this is totally optional! Sometimes I do. sometimes I don’t.
It depends on the day, whether I’m at goal, and how virtuous I’m feeling.
How Many Calories and WW Points in this Broccoli Cauliflower Soup?
Without the cream, a serving of this deliciously nourishing satisfying broccoli cauliflower soup has just 113 calories.
To see your WW Points for this recipe, track it in the WW App!
(You must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.)
3 SmartPoints (Green plan)
3 SmartPoints (Blue plan)
2 SmartPoints (Purple plan)
3 PointsPlus (Old plan)
You can puree your soup in a blender (affiliate link) or food processor (affiliate link), with an immersion blender (affiliate link) or with an old-fashioned food mill. I like my blender (affiliate link) version best.
Last year, I finally bought a Vitamix that I had been coveting for years and now use it every chance I get!
For a super quick and easy soup, you can even use frozen vegetables, which is what I did yesterday to make this broccoli cauliflower soup.
I will give you the basic recipe for a simple broccoli cauliflower soup, along with several variations, so you can see how variable this deliciously satisfying soup can be.
Cooking Tips
You can use either fresh or frozen broccoli and cauliflower in whatever proportions you prefer to make this broccoli cauliflower soup.
I used a frozen package of broccoli cauliflower blend since that’s what I had on hand.
If you are in a hurry, skip cooking the onion in the butter, before adding the broccoli, cauliflower and stock. Just put everything in the pot and let it simmer.
Once the soup is finished, if it seems too thick you can thin it to your desired consistency by adding more stock, or water, a little at a time.
For a delicious burst of flavor, add a handful of fresh basil to this broccoli cauliflower soup when you puree it and garnish with some grated Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
If you like this easy Broccoli Cauliflower Soup, be sure to check out my other Weight Watchers Friendly soup recipes including Cream of Broccoli Cheese Soup Made Lighter, Jamie Oliver’s Spring Vegetable Soup, Creamy Crock Pot Cauliflower Potato Soup, 12 Tasty Vegetable Soup Recipes and Easy Slow Cooker Potato Soup
If you’ve made this creamy low fat Broccoli Cauliflower Soup, please give the recipe a star rating below and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. And stay in touch on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.
Broccoli Cauliflower Soup Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons butter or olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- 1 to 1-1/2 pounds broccoli and cauliflower florets (about 4 cups)
- 1 medium baking potato, peeled and chopped
- 4 to 5 cups chicken stock, vegetable stock or water
- 1/4 to 1 cup cream (optional)
- Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish (if desired)
Instructions
- Put the butter (or oil) in a large, deep pot set over medium heat. When the butter has melted, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes.
- Add the broccoli, cauliflower, potato and stock.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently until the vegetables are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. (You’ll want to give the pot an occasional stir to prevent sticking.)
- Carefully puree the soup until smooth. If you’re using a blender, be sure to let the mixture cool a bit and do it in batches, only filling the blender halfway, to prevent any exploding soup accidents. (It’s also a good idea to remove the cap from the hole of the blender’s lid and cover the hole with a dish towel while blending to allow the heat to escape and prevent splattering.)
- Give the pot a quick rinse and then add the soup back to the pot set over low to medium low heat.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Stir in the cream, if desired, and heat gently.
Notes
(Must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.) 3 SmartPoints (Green plan) 3 SmartPoints (Blue plan) 2 SmartPoints (Purple plan) 3 PointsPlus (Old plan) You can use either fresh or frozen broccoli and cauliflower in whatever proportions you prefer to make this broccoli cauliflower soup. For a delicious burst of flavor, add a handful of fresh basil to this broccoli cauliflower soup when you puree it and garnish with some grated Parmesan cheese.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More Recipe Variations + Combinations Beyond Broccoli Cauliflower Soup:
- Butternut Squash Coconut Soup: Use peeled and chopped butternut squash. Substitute 2 cups coconut milk for 2 cups of the stock. Add 2 tablespoons chopped garlic and 1-½ tablespoons curry powder with the vegetables.
- Carrot Ginger Soup: Use sliced carrots instead of broccoli and cauliflower. Add 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger with the vegetables. Add 1/2 cup orange juice and a small drizzle of maple syrup when you puree it.
- Cream of Asparagus Soup: Use trimmed asparagus cut into 1-inch pieces. Add 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme with the vegetables. Stir in 1/4 cup cream and 2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice at the end.
- Cream of Mushroom Soup: Use 1 pound button mushrooms, trimmed and chopped and 4 cups stock. Add 1/4 to 1 cup cream at the end.
- Creamy Parsnip Soup: Use 1 pound parsnips, peeled and sliced into 1-inch pieces, 2 apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1-inch pieces, 2 cups chicken stock and 4 cups water. Stir in 1/2 cup cream at the end.
- Curried Zucchini Soup: Use sliced zucchini (about 3 medium). Add 2 garlic cloves minced and 2 teaspoons curry powder with the vegetables.
More Weight Watchers Friendly Soup Recipes:
- Creamy Sweet Potato Soup – Simply Recipes
- Cream of Spinach Soup – Being Suzy Homemaker
- Pureed White Bean and Winter Squash Soup – New York Times
- Homemade Creamy Tomato Soup – Simple Daily Recipes
- 15 Minute Creamy Corn and Potato Soup – Hungry Desi
This brief video shows how to make another version of broccoli and cauliflower soup:
This is absolutely delicious. I did add a crushed clove of garlic to the onion and some chopped celery.
Thanks for sharing this one.
My husband and I did a plant based diet for 30 days last spring. For him it was a serious health issue for a combination of arthritis, gout and leftover ex professional sports injuries. The plant based diet was very restrictive, no night shades, dairy, fish, meat etc. However turned his life around. So now we look for recipes such as these and they are great. Had leftover black beans that we added to the broccoli cauliflower soup and it was super. Do watch the exploding blender though, use the towel. Thank you.
Thanks! I was trying to figure out something healthy to do with the frozen broccoli to make space in the freezer. I’m picking and choosing from your list and going with a can of coconut milk and adding some ginger, garlic, tumeric and Thai curry. Healthy, quick, and everyone here will eat it! Goodby frozen broccoli, hello freezer space, and quick and yummy green food for my lunches this week.
Hi Jenny, Glad this worked for you. I’m working to clear out my freezer too. I think it’s a New Years thing!
Thanks for including my recipe in your round up. Yours looks great!