truffled cream of broccoli soup

You think “cream of anything” and you automatically think heavy, calorie-laden, not healthy, right?  Not this time.  This cream soup has no cream.  You heard right!  In fact, there’s no dairy at all.  Not even a smidge.  Truffled cream of broccoli soup is rich without breaking your calorie-bank.

The richness comes from a just a pinch of a pseudo-luxury ingredient.  Truffle-salt.  I say pseudo – because actual truffles can cost up to $150 for an ounce.  Ouch!  Not on this food-bloggers budget.  Truffle salt on the other hand, while still a splurge (I’ve seen it anywhere from $10-30), is much more palatable to my wallet.  Bonus: you don’t need much to get a lot of flavor!

In this soup, I’ve used the entire head of broccoli  – the florets are cut into pieces to blanch.  The stem is peeled (to get rid of the tough outer layer) and only the tender stalk goes into the soup.

You’ll need a heavy duty blender or food processor to achieve that silky smooth texture.  And speaking of silky smoothness – remember I said there’s no cream?  Instead, silken tofu adds that velvety mouth feel as well as a good dose of protein (10 grams per 1/2 cup serving).  Who says you can’t have it all?

A sprinkle of homemade croutons on top add  savory, satisfying crunch.  I’ve served this soup as a starter to a larger meal, but it would be terrific as a light lunch or dinner with a crusty chunk of bread and a glass of wine (smirk).

5 from 1 vote

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Truffled Cream of Broccoli Soup

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Total Time

35 mins

 

This creamy soup has no cream in it -- in fact, it's 100% vegan!

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Servings: 6

Calories: 226 kcal

Ingredients

• 2 cups bread day old (stale)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons truffle salt divided
• 1 pound broccoli not frozen
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1/2 pound silken tofu
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. Trim the crust from the bread and cut into bite-sized cubes and transfer to a baking sheet. Drizzle the olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon truffle salt over the bread. Toss with your hands until the bread is lightly coated. Bake for 15-20 minutes until lightly brown and crisp. Set aside.
3. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil.
4. Cut the broccoli florets from the stems. Peel the stems using a vegetable peeler and trim the woody part of the stalk (roughly the last inch). Cut the stalks into 1/2" planks so they cook at the same pace as the florets.
5. When the water comes to a boil add the stalks and stems and cook for 4-5 minutes until bright green and just tender. Drain the broccoli, reserve a few small florets for garnish and transfer the rest to a blender. Add the vegetable broth and tofu. Place the lid on the blender and puree the broccoli mixture until smooth. Add the remaining teaspoon of truffle salt and the black pepper and blend again.
6. To serve, heat the soup over medium heat. Ladle into bowls and top with a scattering of broccoli florets and croutons. Serve.

Nutrition Facts

Truffled Cream of Broccoli Soup

Amount Per Serving

Calories 226 Calories from Fat 27

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 3g 5%

Saturated Fat 0g 0%

Cholesterol 0mg 0%

Sodium 339mg 14%

Potassium 109mg 3%

Total Carbohydrates 38g 13%

Dietary Fiber 1g 4%

Sugars 3g

Protein 9g 18%

Vitamin A 30%

Vitamin C 84.1%

Calcium 7.1%

Iron 7.4%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.