Broccoli Soup with Coconut Milk
This broccoli soup with coconut milk is so good and super easy. It's a simple broccoli and spinach affair made with a coconut milk broth a topped with good stuff like pan-fried tofu croutons, toasted almonds, and shredded scallions. Time to break out your blender.
This broccoli soup with coconut milk was a staple when we had our studio in San Francisco's Chinatown. At the time, the QUITOKEETO studio had no kitchen. It had a warhorse of a sink with two of the legs truncated, but that's about it. If we wanted to expand our lunch options to warm or hot foods, appliances needed to be involved. We had none, and this became a favorite topic of discussion. The question: if you can only have three appliances, what are they?
A hotplate was the obvious first pick. A toaster oven and/or microwave also seem like contenders. My argument against both of those was we didn't have either of those at home, so why would we have them at the studio? I wanted a wine refrigerator to stock with rosé for the summer and a coffee grinder. This is a position that triggered much eye rolling. Jack voted that the waffle maker should live at the studio.
The Hotplate
While we figured out appliance #2 and #3, a hotplate was purchased and made its efficient and unsexy debut heating this simple, pureed broccoli soup with coconut milk from a perch atop a beer garden bench. The soup - a simple broccoli and spinach affair - was made with coconut milk broth, double greens (broccoli & spinach) and was topped with good stuff like pan-fried tofu cubes, lots of toasted almonds, and shredded scallions.
Broccoli Soup: Variation
For those of you who like options, here's something to think about. Blended vs. unblended. I generally feel that blended is the way to go with broccoli soup, especially if you're planning on enjoying leftover. That said, if you're going to serve the soup immediately, you can play this soup entirely differently by leaving the broccoli florets whole and skip the blend. With the bright broccoli, and thin, white coconut broth, simply douse everything with a good amount of lime juice, and the soup takes on an entire (equally delicious) different personality. Go ahead with the same toppings: tofu, almonds and scallions. Maybe a dose of something spicy? A chile crisp oil? Or bit of sriracha? Enjoy! xoh
More Soup Recipes
There are *so* many soup recipes in the archives, be sure to poke around a bit. Here's a list of the most popular soups on the site from last year. Don't miss these other blender soups. I'm going to make this tomato soup next and this favorite noodle soup after that. This wonton soup has also been a big favorite over the past year.
More Broccoli Recipes
- Broccoli Apple Salad
- Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- Braised Broccoli with Orange and Parmesan
- Double Broccoli Quinoa
- all broccoli recipes
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Broccoli Soup with Coconut Milk
Because this soup has just a small list of ingredients, you want them all to shine. Look for deeply green, tight heads of broccoli. I typically avoid any heads that have yellowing florets or seem dried out.
- 1 14- ounce can of full fat coconut milk
- 3 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 1 small serrano chile, stemmed and chopped
- 2 teaspoons fine grain sea salt
- 4 1/2 cups water
- 2-3 large heads of broccoli (~1 1/2 lb.), cut into small florets
- 2-3 large handfuls of spinach
- to serve: lots of pan-fried tofu cubes, toasted almonds, scallions, chive flowers (optional)
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Scoop a big spoonful of thick coconut cream from the top of the coconut milk can. Add it to a large pan over medium-high heat. When hot, stir in the garlic, onions, chile, and salt. Sauté for a couple minutes, just long enough for everything to soften up.
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Add the remaining coconut milk, and the water, and bring to a simmer before adding the broccoli and spinach. Simmer just long enough for the broccoli to get tender throughout, 2 - 4 minutes.
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Immediately remove the soup from heat and puree with an immersion blender. Add more water if you feel the need to thin the soup out. Taste and add more salt if needed.
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Serve sprinkled with tofu cubes, toasted almonds, and lots of scallions.
Makes 8 servings or so.
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Broccoli Apple Salad
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Broccoli Cheddar Soup
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Meal In A Jar: Tortellini Soup
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Meal In a Jar: Spicy Coconut Curry Noodles
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Comments
My home/home office microwave just gave up the ghost but I wasn't using it much so bought a toaster oven instead and so also got an unattractive toaster off my counter! Anyway, agree the ability to broil and toast would be wonderful and perhaps necessary! My electric burr grinder also passed and I bought a very cute, working, old fashioned manual grinder from Etsy. There are lots! So, not that you asked, but I'm with those who say wine frig (I'm LOVING Julia's Dazzle Pinot Grigio Rose this summer!), toaster oven and manual coffee grinder. Those, your French press and a hot plate - you are set! I've been making my own coconut milk - mostly for a popsicle mix, but I'm going to try it with this soup. I won't have the "cream" dollop but I think it will still work. ***Just saw June's comment about an induction plate - I will be looking into that as I just learned about induction and would like to try it.
Just the best! This soup is truly wonderful. I used garden marjoram, parsley and dry chili peppers (the kind you shake from a jar). I did have spinach in the garden and lots of chives & chive flowers to add. Amazing soup. Thanks. I'm making Beard's french bread to go with the rest; if there is any left by dinner time.
Gosh, Heidi. I wish I could rent a small corner in your mouth.
For me it would be, fridge (cause what if you suddenly need ice cream??), vitamix, and induction plate because they are so much safer. The "hot"plate can be used to heat water for either tea or coffee, soups, or anything else, including toasted sandwiches, etc. More practical than toaster oven.
The soup looks so good! I would say the rose fridge is essential for the studio as well. :)
Talk to the people at 20 Spot, on, you guessed it, 20th. They have a very minimal kitchen and turn out some very tasty food.
Just bought a small convection/toaster oven, I simply LOVE IT. Was not very expensive and I'm so surprised at how well it works. I'm not even using the microwave to reheat things anymore.
How does one shred scallions? Thank you!
HS: Hi Nina! Just slice them razor thin on a deep angle, so they become somewhat feathery.
Will this be a shop that anyone can pop into? Or a work studio for you to design, pack, ship etc...?
HS: Hi Holly - hopefully, all of the above! We'll definitely have be open at various points for people to come by, but haven't worked out the details of what that might look like quite yet.
This is looks delicious! It is just perfect coming into winter! Especially with my love of coconut and broccoli (:
Do you think mushrooms (sliced, roasted) would go well for a smokey flavor?
HS: Absolutely! - especially as a topping.
The three appliances I couldn't live without is my gas stove, double oven, and fridge. Soup made with coconut milk I've found to be very tasty -- and the ingredients should be simple. I really like the addition of the serrano chili.
A wine fridge certainly can do double duty storing assorted ziploc bags of lunch items. Hey, there's an energy crisis war on and not a single square inch of fridge cold should go to waste. The Rose wine will survive sharing the cold with the food bags :)
Toaster oven is key. How do you live without this, even at home? Do you warm up the whole oven every time you want to toast bread or reheat a slice of pizza? And in a workplace where there is no oven, it's indispensable.
HS: Hi Kristin - I typically throw things under the broiler....
I feel like the blended version would have a better texture. Which version do you like better?
HS: They're both great! Entirely different though. You can always try the unblended route, and puree the leftovers...
Would you be offended by the idea of a crock pot? Then you'd have dinner ready when you got back home....
HS: Not at all opposed to a foray into crock pot land!
Where can I get bowls like that?
If I may, here are my suggestions...an induction hot plate and a small counter-top convection oven. I've found both at places like Tuesday Morning or Bed Bath and Beyond for reasonable prices. My convection is also a toaster that holds a 12-inch pizza pan and that's very convenient. You can grind coffee at home...but I predict you'll be getting that wine cooler! :)
What a gorgeous soup! And such a fun recipe. Love this!
Yum, coconut milk--it seems that stuff makes almost any soup better. This one looks delicious, I love the idea of the tofu "croutons"