Gluten free and keto cream of broccoli soup is made with heavy cream and Parmesan cheese and without flour. It is wonderfully creamy and flavorful!
Creamy, delicate and incredibly flavorful, cream of broccoli soup turns the healthy yet humble broccoli into a delicacy.
Many years ago, I used to frequent a local coffee shop with a close friend. We had a standing order there. The waitstaff knew us and would ask if we wanted “the usual.” We always ordered a bowl of cream of broccoli soup, with bread and butter.
I have since moved far away and only “see” my dear friend on Facebook, and I no longer eat bread. But this homemade keto cream of broccoli soup always makes me think of her and of our lovely lunches.
The ingredients needed to make cream of broccoli soup
You only need a few ingredients to make this soup:
- Chicken stock
- Salt and pepper
- Spices: onion powder, garlic powder, dried thyme
- Fresh broccoli
- Heavy cream
- Grated Parmesan
How to make cream of broccoli soup?
It’s so easy! Scroll down to the recipe card for the full instructions. Here are the basic steps:
- In a large saucepan, add the chicken stock, salt and pepper, and spices.
- Add the broccoli. Bring to a boil, then simmer until very tender, about 15 minutes.
- Turn the heat off. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until very creamy.
- Return the soup to the saucepan. Stir in the heavy cream and the Parmesan. Cook just until heated through, and serve.
Does cream of broccoli soup have carbs?
Of course it does. But with 7g carbs and 3g fiber in each serving, this soup is keto and low carb. I add just 1/4 cup of heavy cream. I find it’s just the amount needed to make this soup wonderfully creamy without detracting from the broccoli flavor and making it too milky. You can add more if you wish.
How to serve cream of broccoli soup
This soup makes a wonderful first course. But you can also make it into an entree. Simply serve it to two instead of four, with these tasty keto cheese muffins to round out the meal.
How do you thicken cream of broccoli soup?
I’m not sure why some recipes tell you to add flour to this soup. Any pureed soup is inherently thick (this butternut squash soup is a good example although higher in carbs). And when you add heavy cream and Parmesan, there’s absolutely no need for starches in this soup.
How to store the leftovers?
If you happen to have leftovers of this cream of broccoli soup, they keep well in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. Gently reheat them in the microwave, covered, on 50% power.
You can also freeze this soup in covered mugs, in individual portions. To prevent the frozen soup from curdling when I reheat it, I reheat very gently in the microwave, on 50% power, in 30-second increments, stirring often.
More tasty low carb soups
Another creamy low carb soup that I highly recommend is this cream of mushroom soup. It’s wonderfully flavorful. And this easy egg drop soup is tasty and nutritious.
Cream of Broccoli Soup
INGREDIENTS
- 3 cups reduced-sodium chicken stock
- 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt (not fine table salt)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 lb. fresh broccoli florets, roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a large saucepan, add the chicken stock, kosher salt, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder and thyme. Whisk to combine.
- Add the broccoli. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook until broccoli is very tender, about 15 minutes.
- Turn heat off. In batches in a blender or in a food processor, or using an immersion blender, blend the soup until very creamy.
- Return the cream of broccoli soup to the saucepan. Turn the heat up to medium. Stir in the heavy cream and the Parmesan. Cook just until heated through, 2-3 minutes. Serve immediately.
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