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Home » Recipes » Lunch » Soup + Stew + Chili » Dairy-Free Broccoli Stem Soup

Jun 1, 2015(updated May 23, 2022)

Dairy-Free Broccoli Stem Soup

4.73 from 73 votes
By Dani Spies
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This post may contain affiliate links.

Deliciously creamy Broccoli Stem Soup is easy to make, takes less than 30 minutes and only requires one pot! It’s a light, refreshing, healthy soup you can enjoy all year long. Perfect for summer and winter alike!

Broccoli stem soup in a bowl with a spoon.

I can’t even tell you how many years I spent throwing my broccoli stems in the garbage. I didn’t even think twice about it until I discovered how delicious the stems actually are when they’re cooked the right way.

Here’s the simple truth of it, broccoli stems are as delicious as the florets and if you have a really fresh head of broccoli, dare I say, the stems can be even more sweet and tender than the broccoli florets.

Broccoli stems are packed full with calcium, iron, and Vitamin A – so when you’re throwing them away, you’re also missing out all of those awesome nutrients. Let’s fix that!

Soup garnished with a broccoli floret.

Ingredients needed

This easy broccoli soup recipe is packed with simple, wholesome ingredients. It’s also loaded with tons of fiber and vitamins. Here’s everything you’ll need:

  • Olive oil – for cooking the stems, onion and garlic.
  • Onion + garlic – adds delicious, savory flavor.
  • Broccoli stems – slice the stems from 1 large head of broccoli into coins. You’ll need 4 to 5 cups of sliced stems.
  • Salt & pepper – to bring out all of the delicious flavors!
  • Broth – feel free to use vegetable broth or chicken broth (if not vegetarian) for the soup base. I like to use a low-sodium broth, so I can control the saltiness of the soup.
Ingredients for broccoli stem soup divided into small bowls.

How to make this recipe

Broccoli stem soup could not be easier to make and everything gets cooked in one pot, making for easy clean up. Here’s the simple method, but for printable instructions, reference the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

  1. Sauté veggies – Heat oil in a medium pot and then add the onion, garlic and broccoli stems. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes and until veggies are tender.
  2. Blend soup – Stir in broth and then remove from heat. Allow the soup to cool a bit and then transfer it to a blender. Only fill the blender half way to avoid the soup exploding. Blend until smooth, about 10 to 15 seconds.
  3. Serve – Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. You can also add more broth, if you prefer the soup to be thinner. Enjoy!
Cooking broccoli stems in a pot.
Blending Broccoli Soup in a blender.

Serving suggestions

Trying to decide what goes good with broccoli stem soup? I personally think the soup itself, topped with some crispy bacon crumbles and maybe a dollop of Greek yogurt is plenty satisfying, but if you want a little something extra, here are some tasty ideas:

  • Salad – Keep things on the lighter side and pair this flavorful soup with a fresh green salad.
  • Grilled cheese – This soup is perfect for dipping a grilled cheese sandwich into. So good!
  • Bread – Crusty bread, biscuits or cornbread – always a welcome pairing with soup!
  • Crackers – I love the added crunch of multigrain crackers crushed up in this soup recipe.

Storage, Freezing, and Reheating Instructions

  • Store cooled, leftover Broccoli Stem Soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
  • Freeze this broccoli soup in an airtight, freezer-safe container or plastic bag for up to about 3 months.
  • Reheat soup from chilled or frozen state in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat until warmed through and simmering.

More ways to use broccoli stems

While this Broccoli Stem Soup is one of my favorite ways to make use of broccoli stems, here are 5 more ways I love to use them:

  1. Slice them into coins and stir-fry with a little ginger, garlic, say sauce, and sesame oil.
  2. Finely chop them and toss them into a salad.
  3. Sauté in some coconut oil and scramble them into eggs (they are great in frittatas and omelets, as well).
  4. Slice them into coins and roast at 400ºF for about 20 minutes (very similar to my Popcorn Broccoli only made with the stems).
  5. Slice them into thin rounds and use as a ‘chip’ to dip into hummus or guacamole.

What about you guys? Do you save your broccoli stems? What creative ways do you find to use the stems?

Broccoli stem soup in a bowl with a spoon and topped with a broccoli floret.

More healthy soup recipes

Looking for more delicious soups to try? Here’s some of my favorite options:

  • Meatball Vegetable Soup
  • Asparagus Soup
  • Lentil Soup
  • Black Bean Soup
  • Butternut Squash Apple Soup

If you make and enjoy this Broccoli Stem Soup recipe, be sure to leave a comment and ★ rating below letting me know how they turned out. Your feedback is so helpful for me and our Clean & Delicious community (thank you!).

Broccoli stem soup in a bowl with a spoon.
Print Recipe
4.73 from 73 votes

Dairy-Free Broccoli Stem Soup

Deliciously creamy Broccoli Stem Soup is easy to make, takes less than 30 minutes and only requires one pot! It’s a light, refreshing, healthy soup you can enjoy all year long. Perfect for summer and winter alike!
Course: DIET, LUNCH, soup + stew + chili
Cuisine: American, dairy free, gluten free, low carb + keto
Author: Dani Spies
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time15 mins
Total Time25 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 62kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 medium onion sliced into half moons
  • 2 cloves garlic chopped
  • 1 large head of broccoli (stems only) sliced into thin coins (about 4-5 cups)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth*
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Heat olive oil in a medium pot and stir in onions, garlic, and broccoli stems. Season the veggies with some salt and pepper and allow to cook for about ten minutes being sure to stir a few times to ensure nothing burns.
  • Once the veggies have become tender pour the chicken broth into the pot. You can add more or less broth depending on how thick or thin you like your soup. Remove from heat and blend up the soup (*It's a good idea to let the soup cool just a bit before blending and be careful not to fill your blender more than halfway with soup, otherwise you run the risk of the soup exploding).
    Blending soup in a blender.
  • Blend for about 10-15 seconds or until the soup is smooth and completely blended. You could add a little more broth if you want your soup to be thinner. Taste and adjust seasonings. Enjoy!
    Broccoli Soup in a bowl served with bread.

Notes

*If you want to keep this recipe vegan/vegetarian, simply replace the chicken broth with veggie broth or water.
Storage, Freezing, and Reheating Instructions
  • Store cooled, leftover Broccoli Stem Soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
  • Freeze this broccoli soup in an airtight, freezer-safe container or plastic bag for up to about 3 months.
  • Reheat soup from chilled or frozen state in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat until warmed through and simmering.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 62kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 54mg | Potassium: 158mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 1mg

Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Low Carb + Keto, Recipes, Soup + Stew + Chili, Video

About Dani Spies

Dani Spies is the founder and host of Clean & Delicious; a weekly cooking show on YouTube and a healthy eating blog that celebrates real, whole foods! She takes a holistic approach to health and wellness and is loved for her approachable, down to earth style both in and out of the kitchen.

Learn MoreWork With Me

Reader Interactions

Yum! I love this recipe.

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    If you loved this recipe please leave a comment and star rating below. Questions are also welcome. Cheers!

    Recipe Rating




    Comments

  1. Marcia says

    March 21, 2012 at 8:38 am

    5 stars
    Wow! I’ve always thrown away those stems! These are some awesome ideas! Thanks Dani! I can’t wait to try the soup! Looks great!

    Reply
    • Dani says

      June 1, 2015 at 1:27 pm

      5 stars
      You are very welcome! Let me know if you get to try any of them:)

      Reply
    • Grace says

      April 15, 2018 at 6:10 am

      5 stars
      May I know if the leftovers can be kept in the fridge for the next few days? Would be great if they do

      Reply
      • Dani says

        April 15, 2018 at 7:48 am

        5 stars
        Absolutely!

        Reply
  2. Ren says

    March 22, 2012 at 6:57 am

    5 stars
    I love these ideas! I have always thrown the stems away too!

    Reply
    • Dani says

      June 1, 2015 at 1:27 pm

      5 stars
      A lot of people throw them away! I hope you get to try some of these ideas.

      Reply
  3. Amber says

    March 22, 2012 at 8:20 am

    5 stars
    Great ideas Dani, I love the idea of roasting them in the oven. Thank you.
    I just recently found a green juice recipe which included broccoli stems so now they have a special purpose in getting me more juice for my buck.

    Reply
    • Dani says

      June 1, 2015 at 1:26 pm

      5 stars
      Love that idea – I never tried juicing them, but I will now!

      Reply
    • Sunny says

      March 1, 2019 at 3:13 pm

      5 stars
      My soup has a lot of broccoli ribs in it, I don’t want to serve it. What did I do wrong?

      Reply
      • Dani says

        March 6, 2019 at 4:30 pm

        5 stars
        Hmmmm. The only thing that comes to mind is that you may have had an older head of broccoli. The older (and bigger) the broccoli, the tougher the stems can be. In this case, I would recommend trimming them down before cooking. So sorry this didn’t work out for you.

        Reply
  4. Amy says

    March 22, 2012 at 1:17 pm

    5 stars
    I grate them and add to salad or make cole slaw.

    Reply
    • Dani says

      June 1, 2015 at 1:26 pm

      5 stars
      Brilliant! Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
    • Cristie says

      June 19, 2020 at 3:19 pm

      5 stars
      I don’t cook often but I decided this was simple enough since there were so few ingredients. I’ve never had plain broccoli soup before so I didn’t expect much. I enjoyed this soup and was so happy with how easy it was. I will make again for sure. Thanks!

      Reply
  5. Michael says

    March 24, 2012 at 5:13 am

    5 stars
    Just made this and the taste of red onion and broccoli is so good 🙂 On top I added som chicken and fromage frais to get a higher protein content 🙂

    Reply
    • Dani says

      June 1, 2015 at 1:26 pm

      5 stars
      Sounds delicious… so glad you enjoyed it.

      Reply
  6. Grandma Kat @ Easy Recipes Land says

    March 28, 2012 at 10:17 am

    5 stars
    Thanks for the recipe. I’m excited to try this out later in the week for me and my husband.

    Thanks,

    Grandma Kat
    XOXOXOXOXO

    Reply
    • Dani says

      June 1, 2015 at 1:26 pm

      5 stars
      You are very welcome! Enjoy!

      Reply
    • Angie says

      May 5, 2019 at 9:22 pm

      5 stars
      I’m wondering if putting some coconut milk into the soup to make it sweet & creamy might work.

      Reply
      • Dani says

        May 22, 2019 at 2:20 pm

        5 stars
        That would definitely work!

        Reply
  7. Betty says

    March 29, 2012 at 11:50 am

    5 stars
    Hi there…love your site!!! Could you tell me the name of your blender…I use mine every day and find that it’s really super loud, but I noticed that you could even talk while blending your soup, very impressive 😉

    Keep up the good work!!!

    Reply
    • Dani says

      June 1, 2015 at 1:25 pm

      5 stars
      My hubby may have done some sound editing for the video – which is why I was able to talk over the blender. In this video I was using the Breville Hempishere.

      Reply
  8. Rich says

    February 6, 2014 at 1:20 pm

    5 stars
    My peas turned into cocoa-puffs. 20 minutes was too long, but the flavor was still great. Next time it will be 15 minutes.

    Reply
  9. Karen says

    August 24, 2014 at 10:34 am

    5 stars
    I’ve always used the whole broccoli. It’s kind of like poultry where some like dark and some like light meat. Some in my family like the ‘flower’, some like the stems. I can’t wait to try this soup, one of the few that don’t use cheese

    Reply
    • Dani says

      June 1, 2015 at 1:24 pm

      5 stars
      I agree! I hope you enjoy the recipe:)

      Reply
  10. Ofra says

    February 5, 2015 at 5:30 pm

    5 stars
    Don’t you find that you get tough short fibers that the blender could not chop up? That’s what happened to me twice, and I took extra care this time to peel the stems. 🙁

    Reply
    • Dani says

      February 9, 2015 at 3:01 pm

      5 stars
      The only thing I can think is if you has vey mature broccoli (older) – I have never had this problem. Total bummer!

      Reply
    • Nupur says

      July 22, 2018 at 8:43 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious recipe… was making broccoli pasta and the soup went well with it. I strained the soup after blending it to get rid of the tougher Fiber. I also did peel the tougher skin before starting.

      Reply
  11. Jessica says

    June 2, 2015 at 12:47 pm

    5 stars
    Wow, I didn’t know that some people threw away the stems. Sometimes I enjoy the stems more than the florets.

    Reply
    • Dani says

      June 2, 2015 at 3:22 pm

      5 stars
      What do you like to do with them?

      Reply
  12. karen says

    August 31, 2015 at 6:33 pm

    5 stars
    Someone long ago said I should peel the stems before using, and I think they are very good!

    Reply
    • Dani says

      September 1, 2015 at 5:15 am

      5 stars
      As long as the broccoli is not super old and bitter the stems are delicious!

      Reply
  13. Debra says

    November 23, 2015 at 3:55 pm

    5 stars
    Always loved stems but never made soup. Thanks for another great video. Love your style. :O)

    Reply
    • Dani says

      November 29, 2015 at 12:18 pm

      5 stars
      Thanks Debra!

      Reply
  14. David says

    March 18, 2016 at 8:55 pm

    5 stars
    Wow… the broccoli stems you can get are at least four or more times longer than the stems we get in Australia. Now I can understand why your recipe says one bunch/four cups… it would take us Aussies about 10-20 broccoli bunches to collect four cups of broccoli stem!

    Reply
    • Dani says

      March 19, 2016 at 2:11 am

      5 stars
      Interesting! You can try using the whole head of broccoli, rather than just the stems… and, of course, I’d love to hear about it if you do 🙂

      Reply
  15. Nani Lu says

    March 26, 2016 at 1:54 pm

    5 stars
    Very interesting Dani… you don’t even peel them? I must try! Thanks!

    Reply
    • Dani says

      March 27, 2016 at 11:10 pm

      5 stars
      I don’t usually peel them, but if you think they need it, then you can give them a peel 😉

      Reply
  16. Melanie says

    September 22, 2016 at 9:34 pm

    5 stars
    Just went out and bought a bunch of broccoli for this recipe… I WAS SO YUMMY! We doubled the recipe and used the entire broccoli head and stem. Yummy and healthy! thank you Dani!!!

    Reply
    • Dani says

      September 27, 2016 at 10:39 am

      5 stars
      So gla to hear it, Melanie!!

      Reply
  17. Janet Huyton says

    November 20, 2016 at 11:36 am

    5 stars
    I’m going to make this tonight and add a tin of cannelini beans before blitzing, it adds a really velvety texture to soup that means you don’t need cream or potatoes if you are keeping them out of your diet.

    Reply
    • Dani says

      November 20, 2016 at 11:30 pm

      5 stars
      Great idea!

      Reply
  18. Marjorie says

    March 28, 2020 at 2:28 pm

    Want to make this 2nite. Do I need to peel the bigger stems before cooking?

    Reply
    • Dani says

      April 3, 2020 at 5:23 pm

      Yes, if they are tough, but no if they are young and tender.

      Reply
  19. Linda Welsh says

    April 20, 2020 at 5:03 pm

    I ask my niece what she would like me to make for her birthday. My niece wanted broccoli soup. I made her your recipe. It was delicious! She loved it! Thank you.

    Reply
    • Dani says

      April 21, 2020 at 12:46 pm

      What a great birthday request! So glad you all enjoyed it.

      Reply
  20. John K says

    June 10, 2022 at 1:27 pm

    Can you collect and freeze the stems ahead of time?

    Reply
  21. vince says

    June 26, 2022 at 1:50 pm

    5 stars
    now I buy fresh whole broccoli with stems. Love the soup. Thanks.
    vince

    Reply
    • Dani Spies says

      June 26, 2022 at 3:39 pm

      I’m so glad to hear that!! Thanks for letting me know, Vince.

      Reply
  22. Lynette Chamas says

    August 23, 2022 at 2:21 am

    5 stars
    Thank you! I hate wasting food – my broccoli stems always ended up in the compost, so at least they weren’t entirely wasted, but I really wanted to use them in a better way. I found a Cream of Celery Leaf soup and now I have a Broccoli Stem soup as well. Fabulous! Being a vegetarian I love finding different ways to use every part of a vegetable. Thanks so much for this.

    Reply
    • Dani Spies says

      August 27, 2022 at 11:52 am

      It’s my pleasure, Lynette! And I agree, it’s so satisfying to use the entire veggie!

      Reply
  23. Shai Dunbar says

    January 31, 2023 at 5:49 am

    5 stars
    Amazing recipe ! Just loved the simplicity and tastes amazing!

    Reply

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