Broccoli Soup with Blue Cheese
Silky broccoli cream soup with Niva blue cheese
Introduction
Broccoli soup with blue cheese is a simple vegetable soup where the key lies in how the broccoli is cooked. A short cooking time helps preserve its fresh flavour and vibrant green colour.
A small potato creates a naturally creamy texture without the need for too much cream. Niva – a Slovak blue cheese – is added partly to the soup and partly at serving. This keeps the broccoli flavour delicate while the crumbled cheese adds small bursts of salty, distinctive flavour.
Why This Recipe Works
• short cooking helps preserve the broccoli’s vibrant green colour and fresh flavour
• a small potato naturally thickens the soup without flour
• a modest amount of cream adds smoothness without making the soup too heavy
• part of the blue cheese melts into the soup, adding a subtle savoury layer
• crumbled blue cheese added at serving creates a stronger flavour contrast
• a touch of lemon balances the richness of the cream and blue cheese
The result is a smooth and light broccoli soup with a delicate blue cheese character.
Ingredients
Soup Base
• 500–600 g broccoli
• 1 small onion
• 1 small potato (about 100–120 g)
• 1 small garlic clove
• 1 tbsp butter
• 650–700 ml mild vegetable or chicken stock
• 70–80 ml cooking cream
• a pinch of nutmeg
• freshly ground black or white pepper
• 1–2 tsp lemon juice
• salt, as needed
Niva / Blue Cheese
• 30–40 g Niva or other blue cheese for the soup
• 40–60 g Niva or other blue cheese for serving
Niva is a Slovak blue cheese. If unavailable, use another mild blue cheese of your choice.
Method
Prepare the Broccoli
• wash the broccoli and separate it into small florets
• don’t discard the stalk – remove the tough outer layer and cut the tender centre into small pieces
• reserve a few small florets for serving if desired
Make the Soup Base
• melt the butter in a saucepan
• add the finely chopped onion and cook gently until translucent without allowing it to brown
• add the garlic and cook briefly
• add the diced potato and chopped broccoli stalk
• pour in approximately 600 ml of the stock
• simmer for 10–12 minutes, until the potato is almost tender
Add the Broccoli
• add the broccoli florets
• cook for approximately 5–7 minutes, just until tender
• avoid overcooking the broccoli – prolonged cooking dulls both its colour and fresh flavour
Blend
• blend the soup until completely smooth using a hand blender or countertop blender
• add more stock as needed to reach your preferred consistency
• for an exceptionally silky texture, pass the soup through a fine sieve
Finish the Soup
• stir the cream into the blended soup
• add 30–40 g of crumbled Niva or another blue cheese
• season with a pinch of nutmeg and freshly ground pepper
• warm gently until the cheese melts – avoid bringing the soup to a vigorous boil
• finish with 1–2 teaspoons of lemon juice
• taste and only then add salt if needed
TGCC Tip
• avoid overcooking the broccoli – short cooking helps preserve its vibrant green colour
• for an even brighter colour, briefly blanch some of the florets and cool them in ice water before blending
• add the Niva gradually – the blue cheese should complement the broccoli rather than overpower it
• season with salt only at the end, as blue cheese is naturally salty
• a few drops of lemon juice brighten the soup and balance its richness
• for an ultra-smooth texture, pass the blended soup through a fine sieve
Feta Alternative
If blue cheese isn’t your preference, Niva can be replaced with feta. The result will be fresher, slightly tangier and less creamy.
For this variation, do not blend the feta into the soup. Instead, crumble it over the finished broccoli soup just before serving. Its saltiness and gentle acidity create a pleasant contrast with the naturally sweet flavour of the broccoli.
Serving
• pour the hot broccoli soup into a warmed bowl
• crumble a few pieces of Niva or blue cheese over the top
• allow some of the cheese to soften while leaving a few pieces intact
• finish with freshly ground pepper
• add a few drops of good-quality olive oil if desired
Do not completely stir the blue cheese into the soup when serving. Leaving small pieces intact creates occasional bursts of salty flavour against the smooth broccoli cream.
Wine Pairing
• Sauvignon Blanc – fresh acidity balances the creamy texture and blue cheese
• dry Riesling – freshness and minerality
• Grüner Veltliner – light and versatile pairing
• unoaked Chardonnay – a softer pairing that complements the soup’s creamy texture
Recipe Details
Type: Soup
Cuisine: Modern European
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20–25 minutes
Total time: approx. 35 minutes
Servings: 4
Main ingredient: Broccoli
Style: Smooth vegetable soup / comfort food
