Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 4 large cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 head broccoli, cut into florets (approx. 5 heaping cups, including stems)
- 2 small-medium yellow potatoes (approx. 3 cups; Yukon Gold preferred)
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 large bunch curly kale (approx. 6-7 cups, packed)
- 1 liter vegetable broth (low sodium preferred)
- 1/2 a lemon, juice only
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (Parmigiano-Reggiano recommended)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Heat olive oil: In a large pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat, pour the olive oil and allow it to warm up to prepare for sautéing the aromatics and vegetables.
- Sauté aromatics and initial vegetables: Add the minced garlic and diced onion to the pot along with broccoli florets, cut potatoes, dried thyme, dried basil, and smoked paprika. Cook for about 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are slightly tender and fragrant.
- Add kale: Stir in the curly kale and continue cooking for about 2 minutes until the kale wilts and reduces in volume.
- Add broth, lemon juice, and parmesan: Pour in the vegetable broth and lemon juice, then add freshly grated parmesan cheese. Season the pot with salt and pepper to taste, stir everything together well, and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Simmer the vegetables: Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let the soup simmer gently for 15 minutes until all the vegetables are soft and ready for blending.
- Blend the soup: Using an immersion blender, carefully blend the soup until smooth and creamy. Alternatively, transfer the soup in batches to a high-speed blender and puree until smooth.
- Final seasoning and serve: Taste the blended soup and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Serve hot for a comforting and nutritious meal.
Notes
- Using low sodium vegetable broth allows you to control the salt content better.
- If you prefer a chunkier texture, blend only half of the soup and stir it back in.
- For a vegan version, omit the parmesan cheese or substitute with a vegan cheese alternative.
- Leftover soup can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
- You can add a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt on top when serving for extra creaminess.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
