Comfort food is many things to many people. One of the things that I think of as comfort food is a warm bowl of cream of broccoli soup. Its creamy texture and subtle flavors have the power to soothe your taste buds as well as your soul. But this soup is more than just a comforting dish; it’s a culinary gem with a fascinating history and impressive nutritional benefits. This velvety delight has its roots in the traditional French soup known as Potage Saint-Germain. Originating from the Saint-Germain-en-Laye region in France, this soup was originally crafted with peas. However, as culinary creativity knows no bounds, innovative cooks began swapping peas for broccoli, giving birth to Cream of Broccoli Soup.
Cream of Broccoli Soup has the incredible ability to cater to a wide range of palates and dietary preferences. Whether it’s a casual family dinner, a gathering with friends, or a formal occasion, this soup fits the bill perfectly.
In 1990, the Campbell Soup Company debuted a commercial variety of cream of broccoli soup. They devised it to be used as a soup and as an ingredient to be used in other dishes. During that time, the Campbell Soup Company published a booklet of broccoli dishes that are prepared using their canned cream of broccoli soup, which was offered free to consumers through the provision of a stamped, self-addressed envelope to the company. Some of the dishes in the booklet included ‘Easy Broccoli Bake’ and ‘Two-Step Chicken Broccoli Divan’. After the original soup’s debut, the company devised and marketed additional cream of broccoli-style soups, such as broccoli cheese soup, chunky chicken broccoli cheese soup and cream of chicken and broccoli soup.
Today, I decided to make our broccoli soup using Boursin cheese instead of cheddar. The garlic and herbs in the Boursin give some added depth to the flavor. Plus, it melts into the soup so smoothly and provides extra creaminess. Another nice thing about this recipe is it’s super creamy without the use of heavy cream. Such great comfort food!
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- 500 gm fresh broccoli
- 1 large potato, diced
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- 1 clove garlic, peeled & sliced
- 150 gm Boursin garlic & fine herbs
- 6 Tbsp chicken or vegetable broth powder
- 2 cups water
- 2 tsp Smoky Ranchero seasoning OR seasoning of choice I like the Club House la Grill seasonings myself
- 4 slices bacon, grilled & sliced for garnish
Ingredients
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- Peel & slice onion & garlic. Cut broccoli into pieces. Peel & dice potato into pieces. In a saucepan sauté onion for a few minutes, add the garlic & broccoli & potato pieces.
- Cover with water, add chicken or vegetable stock powder & simmer for 25-30 minutes until veggies are tender. Meanwhile, grill bacon & slice for garnish.
- With a slotted spoon, remove some of the broccoli florets if you wish to keep whole & set aside. In a food processor, puree remaining veg/broth mixture.
- Add the Boursin & seasoning, puree again to obtain a homogeneous preparation. Fold in reserved broccoli florets. Serve hot topped with bacon bits.