Creamy Broccoli and Potato Soup
A hearty one-pot soup of tender potato and broccoli simmered in milk, finished with melted chedder for a comforting bowl.
- Total
- 35 min
- Prep 10 · Cook 25
- Serves
- 1
- Difficulty
- Easy
You'll practice: Simmering · Sautéing
- Savory
- Comforting
- Stovetop
- Oven
Instructions
-
Peel the potato and cut it into 2 cm cubes. Cut the broccoli into small florets, peeling and slicing the stalk into 1 cm pieces. Grate the chedder.
~8 min
-
Warm 1 tsp olive oil in a small pot over medium heat. Add the potato cubes and cook for 5 minutes, stirring, until the edges start to turn golden.
~5 min
Cooking the potato in oil first builds flavor and starts browning before liquid is added.
Sautéing Stir the potato in hot oil until edges turn golden, using medium heat. Too high and it burns outside before softening inside.
-
Pour in 200 ml water and add 0.5 tsp salt. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for 8 minutes until the potato is nearly tender.
~8 min
Simmering gently with the lid on cooks the potato evenly without breaking it apart.
Simmering Keep the liquid at a gentle bubble, not a rolling boil, so vegetables cook evenly and milk doesn't split. Adjust heat as soon as bubbles break the surface.
-
Add the broccoli florets and stalk. Cover and simmer for 6 minutes until the broccoli is tender and the potato falls apart when pressed with a spoon.
~6 min
Adding broccoli later prevents it from overcooking and turning mushy while the potato finishes.
Simmering Keep the liquid at a gentle bubble, not a rolling boil, so vegetables cook evenly and milk doesn't split. Adjust heat as soon as bubbles break the surface.
-
Mash about half the potato and broccoli against the side of the pot with a potato masher to thicken the water, leaving the rest chunky.
~2 min
Mashing some vegetables releases starch that naturally thickens the broth without cream.
Mash only half the vegetables so the soup stays hearty; over-mashing turns it gluey.
-
Stir in 250 ml milk and the grated chedder. Heat gently for 4 minutes without boiling, stirring, until the chedder melts and the soup thickens slightly. Season with 0.25 tsp black pepper and serve hot.
~4 min
Keeping the milk below a boil prevents it from curdling and turning the soup grainy.
Keep the milk below a boil after adding it, or the soup can split and turn grainy.
Simmering Keep the liquid at a gentle bubble, not a rolling boil, so vegetables cook evenly and milk doesn't split. Adjust heat as soon as bubbles break the surface.