Roasted Broccoli & White Bean Soup
Method
Roast the broccoli: Preheat the oven to 220°C. Reserve about 80 g of the smallest broccoli florets for the topping. Toss the remaining broccoli with half the olive oil, cumin, smoked paprika, salt and black pepper. Spread on a baking tray with the garlic cloves and roast for 18–20 minutes until tender and deeply golden around the edges.
Build the soup: Heat the remaining olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the leek and cook for 4–5 minutes until softened. Add the roasted garlic, cannellini beans, roasted broccoli, thyme and vegetable broth.
Simmer: Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 7–8 minutes to allow the flavours to combine.
Blend: Blend the soup until smooth and creamy using an immersion blender. Stir in the lemon juice and zest and season with salt and black pepper.
Finish: Quickly pan-roast the reserved broccoli florets for 3–4 minutes until crisp and golden. Ladle the soup into four bowls and top with the roasted broccoli, pumpkin seeds, parsley and chives.
Vegan option: Naturally vegan — no substitutions needed. For extra protein, add 60 g shelled edamame per serving or increase the cannellini beans by 100 g. Roasting the broccoli first gives this creamy white bean soup a deeper, almost nutty flavour that you won't get from simply boiling the vegetables. Cannellini beans create a silky texture while adding protein and fibre, and crisp roasted broccoli provides a satisfying contrast.
Nutrition Facts
Per serving
