Warming Italian Broccoli Soup

A cozy Italian-style soup made with tender broccoli, garlic, savory broth, small pasta, Parmesan, and a drizzle of olive oil. The original recipe serves 4.

Ingredients

For the soup:

• 1 lb (450 g) fresh broccoli, stems and florets
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 2 cups water
• 3–4 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg, optional
• ¾ cup orzo or ditalini pasta

For serving:

• Finely grated Parmesan cheese
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Prepare the broccoli: Wash the broccoli well. Trim away any tough or woody parts from the stems and cut the broccoli into manageable pieces.
2. Simmer the soup: Add the broccoli, chicken stock, water, smashed garlic, salt, and black pepper to a large soup pot or Dutch oven. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for about 30 minutes.
3. Mash the broccoli: Use a potato masher to gently mash the cooked broccoli directly in the pot. You can use an immersion blender instead, but keep some chunks for texture.
4. Add the pasta: Stir in the orzo or ditalini. Cook uncovered for about 15 minutes, stirring frequently so the pasta doesn’t stick.
5. Season: Stir in the optional nutmeg. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper.
6. Serve: Ladle the hot soup into bowls. Top generously with grated Parmesan, freshly ground black pepper, and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.

⏱️ Details

• Prep: 20 minutes
• Cook: 40 minutes
• Total: About 1 hour
• Serves: 4

Tip: The source page has a small inconsistency about when to add the broccoli florets. For a brighter, less-mushy result, you can cook the stems first and add the florets during the final 8–10 minutes of simmering.