Broccoli & Gruyère Soup with Homemade Croutons
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Topped with homemade croutons, this creamy broccoli soup is a meal unto itself and ready in under an hour.
Topped with crisp homemade croutons, this rich and creamy broccoli soup is a meal unto itself. It’s perfect to ward off the evening chill, and it’s ready in under an hour.
What you’ll need to make Broccoli Soup
For the ingredients, you’ll need the basics, plus white wine and Gruyère, a nutty and earthy-tasting cheese from Switzerland. It is available at most large grocery stores, Whole Foods, or gourmet markets.
Since the recipe only calls for a half cup of wine, I use a small bottle from a four-pack — they’re inexpensive and great to keep on hand for cooking.
How to make broccoli soup
Begin by chopping your vegetables. No need to chop them too finely since they all get puréed in the end.
Melt the butter in a large soup pot.
Cook the onion, garlic, carrots and celery until soft, about 5 minutes.
Add the white wine and cook until almost completely reduced.
Add the broccoli, chicken broth, salt and pepper.
Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes.
Add the cream.
Then purée until smooth.
Gradually add the cheese, stirring until smooth. Add the nutmeg, then taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
What you’ll need to make the croutons
While the soup is cooking, make the croutons. You’ll need bread cubes (preferably day old), butter, salt, and pepper.
How to make the croutons
Melt the butter in the microwave, then toss it with the bread cubes directly on the baking sheet. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper.
Bake for about 15 minutes, until the bread cubes are golden brown and crisp.
Ladle the soup into bowls and top with croutons. Enjoy!
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Broccoli & Gruyère Soup with Homemade Croutons
Topped with homemade croutons, this creamy broccoli soup is a meal unto itself and ready in under an hour.
Ingredients
For the Soup
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 small yellow onions, roughly chopped (about 1¾ cups)
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- 2 carrots, roughly chopped
- 1 celery stalk, roughly chopped
- ½ cup white wine
- 1 pound broccoli, florets and stems, roughly chopped
- 4 cups (32 oz) low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, plus more to taste
- 1 cup heavy cream (or half & half, for a lighter version)
- 1 heaping cup grated Gruyère, packed (you'll need about 3 oz.)
- Pinch nutmeg
For the Croutons
- 2 cups cubed French Bread, preferably day old
- 2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
For the Soup
- Melt the butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, carrots and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add the white wine and cook until almost completely reduced, a few minutes.
- Add the broccoli, chicken broth, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 20 minutes.
- Add the heavy cream; then, use a hand held immersion blender to purée the soup until completely smooth. (Alternatively, cool the soup slightly, then purée in a blender in batches. Be sure to leave the hole in the lid open and cover with a kitchen towel to allow the steam to escape.) Bring the soup to a simmer, then gradually stir in the cheese, stirring until melted. Add the nutmeg, then taste and adjust seasoning if necessary (I usually add about ¼ teaspoon more salt and a few grinds of fresh black pepper). Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with croutons.
For the Croutons
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy clean-up.
- Directly on the baking sheet, toss the bread cubes with the melted butter. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Bake for 13-15 minutes, tossing once, until the bread cubes are golden brown and crisp.
- Note: The soup thickens as it sits; add a bit of water to thin it out if necessary.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 414
- Fat: 31g
- Saturated fat: 18g
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Sugar: 6g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 13g
- Sodium: 700mg
- Cholesterol: 95mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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This is a fantastic way to get kids to eat their broccoli! We love Broccoli & Cheese Soup with Homemade Croutons on cold, winter nights.
Has the veggies, protein and creamy flavor that we all need. I substitute chicken broth for family suppers but use the wine to please myself for adult dinner parties … I know that the alcohol probably burns off … but not all kids like the flavor of wine … chicken or veggie broth works too!
I made this wonderful soup as part of our meatless Christmas eve menu. I followed Jenn’s recipe to a T, except for using whole wheat bread for the croutons (we can’t consume white gluten products). We also added about a half cup of cheddar (more on that later). The soup has such a rich and complex flavor, so much yummier than any other recipes I’ve made or had at restaurants. The croutons really take the soup over the top! They’re so delicious and yet so easy to make (even with the whole wheat bread). I noticed that some reviewers opted for cheddar over the Gruyère. We added a touch of cheddar in addition to the Gruyère, but I wouldn’t recommend skipping it or adding too much cheddar that you overpower the flavor. Thanks Jenn for a wonderful recipe that will be in our family holiday rotation every year!
I made this last night and it was the best broccoli cheese soup I have ever had. I used about half gruyere and half cheddar since I didn’t have enough gruyere. Delicious!!
So wonderful!
Perfect broccoli flavor with a delicate hint of cheese. Gruyere cheese is lovely and not as overpowering as a cheddar cheese might be.
I would definitely serve in a small bowl as a first course with a couple of yummy croutons (I like to add a garlic clove to my melted butter for the croutons!)
Perfect soup on a cold January day!!
I made this a few weeks ago, it was wonderful! Not sure why, but I was thinking it would be thicker and heartier, like a Panera version. This was much more sophisticated and delicate, and delicious. I’d maybe serve it as an appetizer or with a main course, I’m not sure it’s quite a “meal” alone, but then again, I’m feeding my husband and 3 boys—they eat a lot!!!
This is the 3rd recipe we have made from Jenn’s site, (only found it a week or so ago) all have been really gorgeous. I have just ordered Jenn’s book. Look forward to making many more of these delicious recipes. One of the great finds of the UK lockdown periods. Thank you Jenn.
Really enjoyed the flavor and ease of this soup. It was simple and easy to make with some fairly standard pantry and refrigerator ingredients. Another favorite of your recipes to add to the arsenal.
Absolutely delicious soup, which everyone loves in our family! Thank you for another fantastic recipe!
Lovely recipe, Jennifer! Very tasty and simple. Bravo!
Hi Jenn, thank you so much for your wonderful recipes. I made this soup for the first time tonight and everyone liked it (also my picky children, some went for second portions! Yay veggies!). Personally I found it very yummy.
I’d like to add how much I like your cookbook. Over the last couple of years I have given it to four of my closest friends, perfect gift idea! I appreciate how your recipes nearly always call for basics that I can easily find or substitute here in Germany.
Hi Maggie, I’m happy to hear the soup was a hit with the whole family! Also, I appreciate your support with the cookbook — so glad you enjoy it!