With the onslaught of March, I have found myself positively clinging to all things spring (me and the rest of the world, it seems). Considering how long and dismal this winter has been, it’s totally understandable (although Matt reminded me the other day that people complain every winter and that this winter is hardly different than most).
Agree to disagree.
Anyway, I’ve been trying to make more meatless meals and have unofficially made Monday nights our “soup and breadsticks” night for dinner (at least while it’s still frigid and gray outside), and I’ve also been on the lookout for a broccoli soup that doesn’t call for any processed ingredients (as our old go-to broccoli soup recipe called for cream of chicken soup).
And that is how this soup that looks like spring came to be.
(As this is a soup I invented myself based on a few different recipes, I’m still tweaking it, so you’ll notice some important notes at the bottom while I continue to make improvements.)
Creamy Broccoli Chowder
4 potatoes, peeled and chopped (about 1.5 lbs.)
One bag frozen chopped broccoli (16 oz)
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 – 3 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth (see note)
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 cup heavy cream (or sour cream)
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp salt (to start with–you might want to add more to taste)
1/4 tsp pepper
- Cover the potatoes and carrots with cold water (enough to submerge them, with about an extra inch of water on top) and place on the stove on high heat. When the water starts boiling, slightly turn down the heat (to prevent the water from overflowing) and boil the vegetables for 15-20 minutes until tender.
- Microwave the broccoli according to the bag’s instructions. Drain.
- While the potato mixture is boiling, melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Add the flour and whisk thoroughly until smooth. Slowly add the chicken broth, stirring frequently, until all the liquid is in the pot and the mixture is at a low boil and thickening. Add the salt, pepper, and thyme. Turn down the stove to low.
- When the potatoes and carrots are soft, drain thoroughly and allow to cool slightly. Put the potato mixture, broccoli, and sauce together in a blender and pulse until smooth. Add the cream or sour cream and blend thoroughly.
- Serve warm, with breadsticks and a salad.
Yield: 4-5 servings
***Notes:
- If you like your soup to be thicker (like, REALLY thick), stick with the two cups of broth. If you want a soup with a thinner consistency, add in the extra cup, or go somewhere in between the two.
- I generally cook with reduced-sodium chicken broth, but if you cook with regular, you might want to hold off putting in salt until the very end and just put in tiny amounts until it’s to your liking.
- If you want to make this totally vegetarian, you can substitute vegetable broth for the chicken broth, or you can substitute milk instead and cut down slightly on the cream.
