Curried Broccoli Stem Soup

Curried broccoli stem soup is a clever way to use up those perplexing broccoli stems, minimizing waste and saving you money! Warm curry spice adds a flavorful kick to the soup, making it both tasty and satisfying. Plus, it’s packed with vitamins and nutrients, making it a healthy choice for any meal!

What To Do With Broccoli Stems

Broccoli stems are the crunchy, thick part of broccoli that we usually throw away, but you can actually use them in cooking! Instead of tossing them, you can peel off the tough outer layer with a vegetable peeler, and then chop them up into small pieces. These stems can be cooked just like the florets and added to stir-fries, soups, or salads for extra flavor and nutrition.

In this recipe we peel and cut the stems into medallions, and then sautee them with onions before adding our spices and broth and blending everything together. Adding curry to broccoli soup enhances its flavor by infusing it with warm and aromatic spices.

The curry adds depth and complexity to the soup, balancing out the natural grassiness of the broccoli with its savory and slightly sweet undertones. It also gives the soup a distinctive and exotic taste, transforming it into a more interesting and flavorful dish.

So, next time you have broccoli, don’t forget about the stems and make this broccoli stalk soup!

Is Curry Mediterranean Diet Friendly?

Curry itself is not traditionally associated with the Mediterranean diet, as it is more commonly found in South Asian and Indian cuisines. However, the Mediterranean diet emphasizes using healthy herbs and spices to flavor dishes, and curry powder can certainly be incorporated into Mediterranean-inspired recipes!

When using curry powder or paste in Mediterranean cooking, try choosing a curry powder with minimal added salt and sugar to help align it with the principles of the Mediterranean diet, which emphasizes whole, unprocessed foods.

The Health Benefits Of Curried Broccoli Stem Soup

• Curry – Curry powder and paste offers many potential health benefits due to its rich blend of spices, including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties associated with ingredients like turmeric and coriander. Incorporating curry powder into your diet has been shown to support digestive health, heart health, and overall well-being, but choosing high-quality blends with minimal additives is important for maximizing its potential benefits.

• Broccoli Stems – Broccoli stems are rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals, contributing to digestive health and immunity. Broccoli contains an antioxidant called sulforaphane, which is being studied for its potential to lower blood sugar in patients with type 2 diabetes.

• Onion – Onions are rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds, which may help reduce the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease and cancer. Additionally, onions contain prebiotic fibers that support gut health and may improve digestion and immune function when consumed regularly.

• Garlic – Garlic has been shown to have disease-preventing properties through its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and lipid-lowering properties.

How To Make Broccoli Stem Soup

Make sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and instructions.

1. Start by peeling the broccoli stalks until you reach the meaty interior. You want to make sure you do a good job of this because if you don’t, your soup will have little fibers in it that aren’t very appetizing.

2. Once peeled, chop them into 1/2-inch medallions. Rough chop the onions as well.

3. Heat a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Pour in the olive oil and then add the broccoli stem medallions and chopped onions. Cover and cook for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.

4. At the 6-minute mark, toss in two peeled garlic cloves and add a tbsp of water to the pot. Place the lid on again and continue to cook, stirring occasionally to prevent burning, for 6 more minutes.

5. Add the curry powder, coriander, black pepper, salt, and curry paste (if using), and stir well to incorporate. Allow to cook for 60 seconds before pouring in 3 cups of broth.

6. Bring the soup to a boil and continue to simmer for 5 minutes until the broccoli is fork-tender.

7. Remove the pot from the heat and allow it to cool for 15 minutes before carefully pouring it into a blender.

8. Blend on high for 60 seconds. Test the temperature – if it needs to be hotter to serve, pour the soup back into the soup pot and heat on the stove until the desired temperature is achieved. If the temperature is okay, you can pour it directly into soup bowls. Garnish with sliced green onion, and enjoy!

Quick Tips FOr Success

• It’s really important that you completely peel the outer skin of the broccoli stalk until you reach the meaty part inside. If you don’t, you will get little fibers, almost like splinters, in your soup that are edible, but slightly unappetizing. Feel free to use a knife if this is easier for you, just be careful!

• Use a blender instead of an immersion blender. The high-speed blender will give you that soupy texture that you want.

• I recommend adding some red curry paste to go along with the curry powder. Curry paste is super condensed flavor, and I find that it really transforms the dish. If you don’t have any, play around with adding a little more curry powder until you reach a flavor that you like.

• Leftovers – Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can also freeze this soup in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months! Re-heat on the stove or in the microwave.

More Soup Recipes You Will Love

Did you make this healthy broccoli soup using stems? If so, it would mean so much to me if you would give it a star rating in the recipe card. Thank you so much!