This comforting Broccoli Feta Soup combines fresh broccoli and hearty rice with onion, garlic, dill, and salty feta. The perfect remedy for chilly days!
Another go-to favorite for a warm and cozy 30 minute meal is healthy broccoli cheese soup.
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I came up with this broccoli feta soup recipe out of necessity to use broccoli. It’s a version of the Ukrainian “rassolnik” aka dill pickle soup made with dill pickles instead of feta which gives it a tangy taste.
The combination of broccoli and feta cheese might seem unusual, but trust me, it’s absolutely delicious!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Healthy: Each bowl is filled with vitamin-rich broccoli, protein-packed feta, and no heavy cream or flour.
- Versatile: I love the flexibility of soup and stew recipes! You can truly make them your own by swapping out the veggies, herbs, and aromatics.
- Easy to make: Simple, wholesome ingredients come together in 30 minutes using one pot!
- Delicious: Broccoli’s natural sweetness complements tangy feta, and the rice adds comfort, all in a flavorful broth. You’ll love every spoonful!
Ingredients for Broccoli Feta Soup
I created this easy broccoli feta soup using a short list of readily available, simple ingredients.
- Broccoli: I used 2 pounds fresh broccoli florets and stems. Frozen broccoli can be used but flavor and texture will be slightly different.
- Onion and oil: Sauteing finely chopped onion in extra virgin olive oil at the start adds depth of flavor.
- Rice: I added white rice for a hearty, comforting touch.
- Chicken broth: Use store-bought low sodium chicken broth for the base. Homemade chicken broth is another delicious option, if you have some.
- Feta cheese: Crumbled feta adds a creamy texture without the need for heavy cream.
- Seasonings: Salt and pepper balance and enhance the flavor of the soup.
- Lemon: Fresh lemon juice is best for a final burst of flavor.
- Garlic: We stir in freshly grated garlic toward the end for flavor and aroma.
- Fresh herbs: I loved the tangy addition of fresh dill, basil or parsley would be great too.
How to Make Broccoli Feta Soup
A win for me is when I can prepare dinner in a single pot, fuss free with little clean up! Here’s a quick overview how to make a delicious pot of broccoli feta soup.
There’s also a full recipe card below.
- Saute the onion: Heat a large pot on medium heat, coat with oil, add onion, and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Combine: Toss in broccoli, rice, salt, pepper, and broth. Stir, cover, bring to a boil, then simmer on low for 15 minutes or until broccoli is tender.
- Add remaining ingredients: Turn off heat. Mash broccoli with a potato masher until chunky. Stir in feta, lemon juice, garlic, and dill.
- Serve: Give it a final stir and enjoy a delicious cozy dinner!
Tips for Best Results
Here are my key tips for perfecting this broccoli soup with feta cheese, the combination will become your new favorite!
- Use broccoli stems too: Love those stems! They’re nutrient-packed, bring a unique texture, and their mild flavor jazzes up the soup. Plus, it’s a win against food waste. If their skin is too thick or old, gently peel them with a vegetable peeler.
- Don’t overmash the broccoli: Aim for a mix of small and large chunks to maintain a perfect texture.
- Use full fat feta cheese: Good quality, full fat feta cheese is the secret to achieving that rich and creamy texture. Low fat feta just doesn’t have the right texture for soups.
- For super creamy consistency: Blend soup with an immersion blender to your desired consistency before adding feta, final aromatics, and herbs.
Variations
This broccoli soup is so simple yet wonderfully delicious. Feel free to add your personal touch, here are a few ideas that popped into my mind.
- Use pasta instead of rice: Making the switch to 1 cup small pasta introduces a different texture and is sure to win the approval of kids.
- Brown rice: You will have to cook soup for about 30-40 minutes, just be ready broccoli will be very soft. Another option is to pre-cook the brown rice for 20 minutes before adding it to soup. Or use 1 1/2 cups leftover Instant Pot brown rice.
- Using leftover rice: Add 1 1/2 cups of any rice to the soup after the broccoli has simmered for 10 minutes, then cook for another 5 minutes.
- Vegetable broth: An easy substitution to keep this soup vegetarian, I particularly like chicken broth flavor here though.
- Add potatoes: Dice 1-2 potatoes into large cubes, go for starchy varieties like Russet potatoes or Yukon gold potatoes which break down easily.
- Parmesan cheese: Garnish with Parmesan for a tangy, nutty finish.
- Red pepper flakes: Always the top choice for a spicy kick.
- Olive oil: Try a drizzle of olive oil for a rich flavor boost.
- Other toppings: Add crunch with toasted pine nuts or croutons, I love making my own sourdough croutons! Or add creaminess with a dollop of plain Greek yogurt.
How to Store
Store: Pack leftovers for tomorrow’s lunch! Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. Reheat covered on low for about 5 minutes until warmed through.
Freeze: Store in a freezer-friendly airtight container, leaving space for expansion, and freeze for up to 3 months.
FAQs
If you’re out of feta cheese or not a fan, you can use Parmigiano Reggiano. Be sure to use a block of it and grate yourself, it is more flavorful than the shaker or pre-shredded varieties.
Yes, to make broccoli feta soup in slow cooker first saute onion in a skillet. Transfer to your crock pot, add broccoli, rice, salt, pepper and broth then slow cook on High for 2 hours or Low for 4-5 hours. Then add feta cheese, lemon juice, garlic, and dill, stir and serve hot.
Yes. Start by sauteing onion in Instant Pot until fragrant. Press Cancel then add broccoli, rice, salt, pepper, and broth. Close lid, turn valve to Sealing position and pressure cook for 3 minutes and do Quick Release. Instant Pot broccoli feta soup is not ideal because broccoli will be more done than on the stove, but we need to cook the rice and it does work.
Certainly! For vegan broccoli soup use plant-based feta cheese and vegetable broth or vegetable stock.
More Broccoli Recipes
- Crustless broccoli quiche
- Healthy broccoli salad
- Broccoli mushroom stir fry
- Healthy beef and broccoli
More Soup Recipes to Try
Broccoli Feta Soup
Ingredients
- 2 pounds broccoli florets and stems coarsely chopped
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
- 1/2 cup rice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 7 cups chicken broth low sodium
- 7 ounces feta cheese crumbled
- 1/2 lemon juice of
- 2 large garlic cloves grated
- 1/4 cup dill finely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat large pot on medium heat and swirl oil to coat. Add onion and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add broccoli, rice, salt, pepper, broth and stir. Cover, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes or until broccoli is fork tender.
- Turn off heat. Mash broccoli with a potato masher until chunky. Add feta cheese, lemon juice, garlic and dill. Stir and serve soup hot.
Notes
- Store: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days. Cover and simmer on low heat for about 5 minutes or until warmed through.
- Freeze: Freeze in an airtight container with room for expansion for up to 3 months.
This is such a good recipe, totally unique. To be honest I thought the comparison to pickle soup was far-fetched, but you’re right! I was about 100 gr short of broccoli so included a small potato to make up the weight. Was surprised by how filling this soup is, it must be the rice. Love the quick prep/cook time, will definitely make again.
Potato is a great sub as well. I found the soup very filling as well, I think it’s a lot of broccoli and cheese combination, plus a bit of rice. Glad you loved it!
Excellent recipe. Because it had such a strong nod toward a Greek Soup I added 1/2 teaspoon of Greek Seasoning. Also, I try to stay low carb so I substitute riced cauliflower instead rice. The texture was perfect the taste amazing. I will keep this one as a staple!
I’m so happy to read this! Thanks for your positive feedback!
Your broccoli and feta soup sounds marvelous and a.s.a the weather here in Cape Town cools down a bit I will be making it. I follow yr blog and love your take on food in general. Thank you so much Olena and keep them coming !
Sounds fantastic! I hope you give it a try soon and let me know how you like it!