Broccoli, Kale & Pecorino Romano Soup

Serves 4-6

I created this recipe as a lighter, more nourishing alternative to traditional broccoli cheddar soup. I’ve always found the classic version overly heavy, with an artificial cheese flavor and mushy, overcooked broccoli that loses both texture and nutrients. This version uses potatoes and an immersion blender to achieve a creamy texture—without any cream. Blanching the kale and broccoli helps preserve their vibrant green color and nutritional value, and Pecorino Romano adds bold, salty flavor with less fat than cheddar.

Ingredients

• 1 leek, whites only, chopped

• 2 heads broccoli (including 2 full stalks; optional: additional stalk for broccoli bites)

• 1 onion, chopped

• 1 - 2 bunch kale (ribs removed), roughly chopped

• 1-2 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes

• 2 tbsp coconut oil

• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour

• 1/2 tsp white pepper

• 8 cups broth (vegetable or chicken)

• ½ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese

• Sourdough croutons and Parmesan crisps (for topping)

• Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

Heat a large pot over medium heat and melt the coconut oil. Add the leek, onion, chopped broccoli stems, and white pepper. Sauté until softened, making sure not to brown the vegetables. Sprinkle in the flour and stir constantly, cooking for 2-3 minutes.

Add the broth, potatoes and a pitch of salt. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 10 -15 minutes until potatoes are soft. Remove the pot from heat and blend the soup base with an immersion blender. If you do not have an immersion blender, transfer to a blender in batches. Reserve 2 cups of this mixture and let it cool completely.

While the soup base cools, bring a separate pot of salted water to a boil. Blanch the broccoli florets and kale separately until vibrant green (about 2-4 minutes each). Immediately transfer to an ice bath to stop cooking and preserve bright green color. Squeeze kale to remove excess water then roughly chop.

Optional: if you’d prefer some broccoli bites in your soup to add texture, set aside about 1 cup of broccoli florets to add to soup later.

Blend the reserved cooled soup base with the blanched broccoli and kale until smooth. Stir this blended mixture back into the main soup pot. Warm the soup gently over low heat and stir in the Pecorino Romano cheese. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.

Ladle the soup into bowls and top with sourdough croutons and Parmesan crisps for added texture and flavor. I like to also add a drizzle of calabrian chili oil as well.