White beans pureed into this broccoli soup make it extra creamy so you don’t need heaps of cheese to do the job. Serve with a crunchy whole-grain roll and a glass of winter ale.

Makes 6 servings, scant 1 cup each

ACTIVE TIME: 20 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 20 minutes

EASE OF PREPARATION: Easy

1 14-ounce can reduced-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
1 cup water
1 pound broccoli crowns, trimmed and chopped (about 6 cups)
1 14-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed (see Tip)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 cup shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese

1. Bring broth and water to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add broccoli, cover and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Stir in beans, salt and pepper and cook until the beans are heated through, about 1 minute.
2. Transfer half the mixture to a blender with half the cheese and puree. (Use caution when pureeing hot liquids.) Transfer to a bowl. Repeat with the remaining broccoli mixture and cheese. Serve warm.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 153 calories; 7 g fat (4 g sat, 0 g mono); 21 mg cholesterol; 15 g carbohydrate; 11 g protein; 6 g fiber; 437 mg sodium; 435 mg potassium.
Nutrition bonus: Vitamin C (94% daily value), Vitamin A (25% dv), Calcium (21% dv).
1/2 Carbohydrate Serving
Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 vegetable, 1 1/2 lean meat

TIP: Tip: While we love the convenience of canned beans, they tend to be high in sodium. Give them a good rinse before adding to a recipe to rid them of some of their sodium (up to 35 percent) or opt for low-sodium or no-salt-added varieties. (These recipes are analyzed with rinsed, regular canned beans.) Or, if you have the time, cook your own beans from scratch.

I made this for my picky 7 year old. Broccoli is about the only veggie I can get her to eat willingly. She had no idea there was *gasp* FIBER in there as well.:) We all loved it.

Anonymous, Palm Harbor, FL

This recipe will definitely become a repeat performer at our dinner table. So easy to prepare and the flavor was great!

Jane, Pittsburgh, PA

This made a thick, delicious soup.

Anonymous, Boston, MA

I started with an onion sauteed in a bit of butter to give the soup a more solid base. I thought it brought out the sweetness in the broccoli much better than the original.

Anonymous, Walden, NY

My kids loved it! What more can I say? It was a very thick rich soup. Easy to make. The kids sprinkled extra grated cheese on top.

Anonymous

Even though this was excellent, I only gave it 3 stars due to my changes. First, I halved the recipe as there's only 2 of us. There's not really any ingredients to provide flavor depth, so I sauteed 1/2 an onion, 1 clove of garlic--minced, a pinch of dried red pepper, parsley and fresh thyme. Then I added the broth, broccoli etc. and continued as directed. Served in 'bowls' of roasted squash, with a side of sauteed apples and onions. A wonderfully warming fall meal!

Anonymous, Lansing, MI

This is a great "dump veggies in soup" recipe. I added a chopped carrot and some canned artichokes. I also mixed cheeses - cheddar and Parmesan, because I didn't have enough of each. Thick, comforting, filling, and yummy.

Sara, Colchester, VT

What a disappointment. I can't believe how many good reviews this recipe got. I followed the instructions perfectly, and after I'd blended the soup, I still ended up with something that was the consistency of broccoli dip. It was VERY thick. I ended up having to crack open a can of canned vegetable soup I had around the house and use the broth from that, AND used the juice from a can of diced tomatoes, just to bring this to a somewhat edible consistency. After I'd doctored it up, I liked the taste, but it still was much more thick than a soup should be. I may try this again, but if I do, I know now that I need to double up on the vegetable broth.

Anonymous, Morrisville, NC

A squeeze of lemon does wonders for this recipe. Also had to add a little more salt , pepper, and cheese, which decreases the healthy factor a bit. A wonderful Saturday afternoon lunch with chewy bread.

Barbara

So yummy and so simple! This is a keeper.

Elizabeth, Topeka, KS

YUCK! It was not at all what I was ecpecting. the beans ruined it. The texture and taste with the beans was the unbearable. Yuck! This is the first recipe we have found on here that we did not like. It was the only thing that taste like health food.

Karissa, RI

This was amazing. Easy to prepare and very satisfying.

Livtocook, New York, NY

This is an easy and delicious way to serve a lot of nutrition to my family. Both my sons -- one who loves broccoli and the other who hates it -- loved this soup.

MW, Whittier, CA

SO easy, SO delicious!! The entire family enjoyed it with some whole grain bread on the side for dipping. YUM. I really appreciate a soup (or any meal prep) that is simple and nutritious.

Anonymous, AK

My daughter did not care for this but my husband and myself loved it, and will make it again.

Renee, Kansas City, MO

Works well with nutritional yeast instead of the cheese, too!

Kelly, Ashland, OR

Nice creamy texture with out cream would make again.

Cindy, Levittown, PA

I really liked this and will make it again.

Mary, MS

I didn't exactly try the soup you made. I used the broccoli, beans, pepper, and cheese. But, I added my own little things into it. Try with the ones I just listed, but also with Campbell's chicken noodle soup in it. Instead of the broth you used try that. Even with the chicken and noodles and stuff in it! It decreased the healthy factor, but don't add the salt because Campbell's is salty enough! DELICIOUS INDEED! This is a keeper, and I'm only a kid!

Jackie.

I thought this soup was very good and easy to make. I would suggest using more liquid - maybe 2 cans of chx broth. When I blending the soup it was very think. I also tossed on a few fresh chopped tomatos in top - that was a great addition. I also used 50% white chedder and 50% yellow.

Jessica, Boynton Beach, FL

This is a great tasting and good for you soup. My boyfriends loves it - especially since there are no onions (which he does not like). The only thing I added was a few dashes of hot sauce to give it just a little kick. I think the sauteed onions would be good but I happily leave them out for the bf. Otherwise, it's a hearty, creamy soup with requests for repeat performances.

P, Virginia Beach, VA

Low sodium at 437mg. per 1/2 cup? The top of the recipe says "Scant" 1 cup serving. My measuring cup does not have a line marked "Scant."

Doug, Thorndale, PA

Low sodium at 437mg. per cup? The top of the recipe says "Scant" 1 cup serving. My measuring cup does not have a line marked "Scant."

Doug, Thorndale, PA

Healthy doesn't have to taste this bad. It's attributes are certainly its ease of preparation, but it just didn't taste good. The canned beans didn't puree well. The cheddar didn't stand out. It needed more flavor and, in my opinion, a creamier consistency.

Meghan L., Sonoma, CA

This soup is delicious! My whole family loved it & wanted it again 2 days later. I added some extra spices & fresh garlic. I also used a Vita-Mix to blend it with which made it very creamy. It is super easy to make, and great on cold nights.

Kim, NC

The great thing about this soup is that it stands really well on it's own, or can be modified to suit individual tastes and creativity. My husband loves it just as it is, which is great because it's super easy to make.

Laurie, Fair Haven, VT

This recipe was so wonderful! It was extremely easy and keeps really well. I made it on a Sunday and will be eating it for days!

Sarah, Boston, MA

I had to use 2 cans of broth, as well I added 1 cup of shredded carrots. I seriously could not find any cannellini beans, so I used 1 can of chick-peas. It turned out great!

Allison, Lombardy, ON

This was so good. I following the recipe and when it got to the blended part, i only blended 1/2 and mixed the other half with the remaining food. It added a littlle more texture than a one-note soup.

Lisa, Yukon, OK

Thanks for this awesome soup recipe:) I surely keeps my waist line on watch!! Happy and Healthy cookin

Ann, Detroit, Mi