Broccoli Potato White Bean Soup

By Kathy PatalskyPublished 01/27/2016
This cheesy, rich and creamy broccoli-potato soup has a creamy broccoli base studded with tender broccoli florets, onions and potatoes. This soup is warming, soothing and satisfying. And delicious!

Ingredients

• 1 large bunch of organic broccoli (about 6-8 cups raw when roughly chopped – including stems — my “bunch” had 3 small heads in one bunch)
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 medium white potato — or Japanese white sweet potato***
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 1/2 cups white beans, cooked (1 standard can drained and rinsed beans)
• 1 medium white onion, chopped
• 3/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp smoky paprika
• 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
• 1 bay leaf
• optional: 1 cup cooked pasta – any variety
• ***I used a white sweet potato — this added a subtle sweetness that I actually loved, but I know a regular white potato will work well too for a more savory flavor profile.

Instructions

1. Rinse broccoli. Divide head (or curd!) into florets. Dice or thinly slice the stems. For the potato, peel skin and roughly chop.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
3. Place the potato in first. Cook 5-6 minutes or until mostly tender. Then you can add in the broccoli to lightly cook until tender – about 2-3 minutes should do it. Around the ten minute mark, you can drain the water.
4. Get a large mixing bowl for separating the veggies. Place 2/3 or the broccoli in a large blender container — set the other 1/3 of broccoli aside in the big bowl. Add half of the potato to the blender and set the other half aside. For the chopped onion, add half to the blender and the other half aside.
5. Also add to the blender: beans, nutritional yeast, pepper, salt, paprika, veggie broth and garlic.
6. Blend the blender contents until thick and smooth. This works best in a high speed blender! You want this mixture to be silky and creamy.
7. Pour the blender soup into a large soup pot. Then stir in the veggies you set aside in the large bowl. Also add in the bay leaf. Stir as you bring to a slow boil – then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for at least five minutes. If adding pasta, stir in the cooked pasta just before serving so it doesn’t get too mushy. The soup will be ready to serve now, or you can simmer longer for a thicker soup consistency and more developed flavors.
8. Serve warm with additional nutritional yeast and smoky paprika on top.
9. Tip! For a thinner soup you can add more veggie broth or even a few splashes of unsweetened non-dairy milk. For a thicker soup you can add another potato.

Yield: 4 bowlsPrep Time: 00 hrs. 15 mins. Cook time: 00 hrs. 15 mins. Total time: 30 mins. Tags: soup, broccoli,potato,beans,onion,entree,vegan,dinner,