This is the last soup for a while, I promise. But I’ve been in desperate need of some warming comfort food.
There are about a million things whirling around in my head this January: How will I manage as a single mom when food prices are insane? Will I no longer be able to rely on my autistic son’s Medicaid? WTF is up with all the Nazis? How is this ok?
Not to mention the arctic temperatures that have us holed up in our homes…
One day, while the kids were off from school due to the below-zero temps and nipping wind chill, my daughter asked me to make some broccoli soup. She even offered to help. Her innocent little voice and kind gesture brightened up an otherwise cold, dark day.
I’ve been making this soup for nearly twenty years and realized that I’ve never written down the recipe. It’s such a simple thing to make and so cheap. Will this one soup recipe solve all our problems? Definitely not. But will it offer my family comfort and warmth without costing an arm and a leg? You bet.
This soup was one of my staple foods when I was a young broke gal in my 20s, way back in the early 2000s. And guess what? I’m a yinzer, and this soup is amazingly yummy. So it counts as a Yinzer Yum of Yesteryear.
When I say this soup is cheap to make, I mean it. One large bag (32 oz.) or two small bags (12 oz.) of frozen broccoli florets cost under $4, and in some cases under $3 to purchase. A bag of carrots is about $1.50, celery can cost as little as $1.50 per bunch, a five-pound bag of potatoes runs around $4, onions cost around 50 cents each when you purchase a bag, and shallots cost about a buck apiece.
Other ingredients I use for this recipe are bouillon (if I don’t have ample pre-made broth), a Parmesan rind (which I always have leftover since I’m addicted to cheese), half a cup of heavy cream or half and half, butter, a dusting of flour, and a sprinkle of cheddar cheese. If we break the whole recipe down, it costs less than $0.60 per serving.
Sure, you can use fresh broccoli, but it’s typically more expensive than frozen, and you don’t get as many crowns for the price. And you won’t use the whole bag of carrots; 2-3 will suffice, depending on the size.
And unlike many broccoli soups that are cheese-heavy and don’t freeze well, this soup has plenty of cheese flavor without the heavy cheese texture and freezes beautifully without separating. This recipe makes a lot of soup, so feel free to save some for later!
There is no original recipe (other than the one in my head), unlike most of my Yinzer Yums. This is my recipe perfected over 20 years:
- 24 oz. frozen broccoli florets, thawed
- 2-3 carrots, peeled and diced
- 2-3 stalks celery, cleaned and diced
- Medium onion, chopped
- Medium shallot, chopped
- 4-6 potatoes, (4 if large, 6 if small) peeled and chopped
- Enough water or stock to cover veggies
- If using water, 4 cubes or 4 tsp. veggie or chicken bouillon
- 4 tbsp butter
- 4 tbsp flour
- ½ cup heavy cream or half and half
- A leftover Parmesan rind
- Salt and pepper to taste
First, thaw out your broccoli in a colander. Then peel and chop your carrots and potatoes and chop your celery, onion, and shallot. Place your carrots, celery, onion, and shallot into a heavy Dutch oven with 4 tablespoons of butter plus some salt and pepper, and cook for 5 to 8 minutes until softened. Then add your potatoes and broccoli, adjusting the flavor with more salt and pepper, and stir until all flavors are combined. Allowed to cook for another 5 to 8 minutes. Then add 4 tablespoons of flour and combine. Add your water or stock, just covering your veggies. If using water, add bullion. Add a Parmesan cheese rind and cover your Dutch oven. Allow to simmer for at least an hour.
Uncover and add ½ cup cream or half and half. Then, blend your soup with an immersion blender. If you don’t have an immersion blender, add soup to a standing blender or food processor carefully with a ladle and pulse blend so it is still a bit chunky.
Top with shredded cheddar cheese to serve. This soup also pairs beautifully with grilled cheese sandwiches. This recipe, as is, makes about 10-15 servings, depending on how hungry you are.
Find the printable PDF version of this vegetarian soup recipe here:
This article appears in Jan 22-28, 2025.
