Martha Stewart's Cozy, Filling Broccoli Soup Comes Together In 30 Minutes

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When it comes to Martha Stewart's tips for making soup, the most important things to keep in mind are simple ingredients and thoughtful preparation. In the spirit of this, Stewart's recipe for a 30-minute broccoli soup yields a delicious dish that will warm from the inside out with every satisfying sip. All you need is a pound and a half of chopped broccoli florets, a sliced medium onion, rolled oats, ground nutmeg, reduced sodium chicken broth (like this Progresso Chicken Broth), olive oil, coarse salt, and ground pepper.

This recipe comes together easily in just around a half hour using one pot on the stovetop. Start by cooking the onions in olive oil until they soften before adding freshly ground nutmeg. Once fragrant, stir in chicken broth, water, and rolled oats. Although the oats seem like an odd choice for a vegetable-based soup, this ingredient is an excellent source of fiber, protein, and carbohydrates. It will seamlessly blend into the soup's creamy texture later in the process.

Finish by adding broccoli, salt, and pepper, and letting the soup simmer until the broccoli tenderizes. Gently load the soup into a high-quality blender and puree until smooth before seasoning to taste and serving. Much like a quick puree is the key to thickening up broccoli cheddar soup, so too does using your blender let all the ingredients properly combine into a cozy indulgence.

Martha Stewart's simple 30-minute soup is all about keeping it simple. Between minimal ingredients, low effort preparation, and an easy presentation, the meal is great on its own. Of course, if you want to liven up your broccoli soup even more, there's a lot you can do while still keeping the additional ingredients and techniques fairly basic.

Just a gentle drizzle of olive oil or a dollop of sour cream or crème fraîche floating on top will give this soup an extra special look and taste. Add a sprinkle of breadcrumbs, homemade croutons, or even a handful of Kitchen Table Bakers Parm Crisps on top to alter the texture a bit. Introduce a few other favorite ingredients to stretch out the soup even further. For example, you can add cheese, milk, carrots, and potatoes and transform the dish into a classic broccoli cheddar soup recipe. Similarly, a puree of white beans will add creamy flavor sans dairy.

To transform this Martha Stewart staple into a plant-based meal, swap out the chicken broth for vegetable broth. If you want to turn up the heat on your broccoli soup, try adding shredded pepper Jack cheese, crushed red chili flakes, or a float of hot sauce on top. In just a half hour, you'll have a comforting dish that's endlessly customizable and enjoyable.