Broccoli Feta Soup
In line with my Tomato Feta Soup, I wanted to create a green version. This soup is calling your name if you have a few broccoli crowns chilling in your fridge. SO incredibly simple to make and very few ingredients. The broccoli-feta combination is the greatest of partnerships. This soup is super creamy even without the feta cheese.
Ingredients:
Get your tiny square post it pad out, because this is a short list of ingredients. And if you’re not a fan of orzo (or don’t have any) you can use rice or any other small size pasta. In addition, if you’re not down with feta cheese, you can just leave it out or add some freshly grated parmigiano reggiano cheese on top.
For the broccoli, you are not just using the florets. Use the stems too. Just trim the edge gross part off and chop up the stems. Very important to this recipe is to not overly mash your broccoli after it has cooked. You want to gently mash but sustain the texture of the broccoli at the same time; small chunks and large chunks are what’s desirable. I smashed 6 times and it was perfect.
When plating your soup, you MUST drizzle some olive oil on the top – in my household you drizzled olive oil on everything. Also a necessity is to top with chili pepper flakes. It adds that extra little kick that perfects the soup. Please please please serve this with crusty fresh bread. It is a match made in heaven. Another recommended option is squeezing some lemon juice on top.
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Broccoli Feta Soup
Ingredients
- 1 lb broccoli
- 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp salt
- black pepper to taste
- 3/4 cup orzo pasta
- 3.5 oz feta cheese
- chili pepper flakes, to taste
- Garnish: drizzle of olive oil + lemon juice
Instructions
- Rinse and slice your broccoli into florets and dice the stems too.
- To a medium stock pot, add all of the broccoli pieces, garlic, broth, water, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover your pot and cook for 30 minutes.
- Using a potato masher, gently smash the broccoli about 6 times. Leave large and small pieces in the soup for texture. Add in the orzo and cook uncovered, STIRRING CONSTANTLY, for 15 minutes or until pasta is cooked. Stay on top of the pot, the pasta will stick if left unattended.
- Remove the pot from the burner and crumble in your feta. Mix it in. Serve in your bowls, drizzle with a little olive oil, squeeze on some lemon juice and top with chili pepper flakes to taste.
Made this soup last night…..HUGE HIT!!!!
It’s a keeper!
Hi Helen! SO happy you all enjoyed and thank you for the feedback!
This soup is DELICIOUS! 😋 I’m already planning on when I will make it again. This is going in my regular soup rotation 💜
Hi LIZ! Wow! It’s great to read that you are loving this soup! Thank you for the feedback and the rating! Cheers!
I stumbled across this recipe on tik tok and knew it would be delish. Just made it for lunch and it is so good! Very easy to throw together while doing other things in the kitchen. Thank you!
Hi Betsy! Exactly the perfect recipe to allow to slow cook while you’re doing your thing. Thank you for the rating and comment too!
This soup is really good! Like unbelievably good. Super filling and so so creamy! Red pepper flakes on top are a must. I will make this again and again!
Hi Sarah, Happy to read your comment and that you will be making again! Cheers!
Delicious and simple! Excellent call on the olive oil and crushed red on top.
Hi Sara, Thank you so much! I’m very glad you liked the soup and toppings. Olive oil literally goes on everything in Greece lol.
Just made this!! Great dish to make for beginners and the feta really gives it a nice touch! I will continue to experiment with this recipe to add just a tad more flavor to it.
Hi Alicia! Thank you for the feedback and I’m happy you liked the dish!
Quick and easy and delicious!!!!
Hi D! That’s exactly my recipe checklist!!! Glad you enjoyed it!
This was very good. I added lemon zest to it. The orzo soaked up pretty much all of the liquid, so I added a little heavy cream in it. Topped it with red pepper flakes and olive oil as recommended.
Hi Hayley! Glad you enjoyed. If you notice the liquids getting soaked up in a soup, you can add some more in and then cover the pot while it finishes cooking. I love the lemon and heavy cream add ins too!
This was so easy to make and my fiancé said it might be the best soup he’s ever had. It was delicious. We made it vegan with vegetable broth and vegan feta and topped with pesto olive oil. Highly recommend!
Hi Alyssa! Love that you made it vegan and both of you loved it! I have to try it with the pesto – amazing idea! Thank you so much for the feedback!
I made this vegan with veggie broth and some not chicken bullion paste for extra flavor and of course vegan feta! It was so easy and delish!!
It really doesn’t need anything else but if you want to make it into a full meal try adding vegan meatballs & a bunch of homemade croutons 🙂
Hi Mary! MMMM I need to try all of your additions! They sound delicious for the days I got meatless. Thank you!
This is an amazing burst of flavor in a soup! Thanks so much for sharing this recipe!
Forgot to add: my 13 year old daughter made this by herself and it came out perfect!
Hello Dena! I LOVE reading that your young daughter made this ON HER OWN! Made me smile!
I added lemon at the very end, gives it that extra flavor needed. Highly recommend it.
Hi Alexis, yes, its always better with lemon and thank you for the feedback!
Found this recipe on Instagram reels when I was sick with a chest cold. I was skeptical when putting the ingredients together that it would be flavorful – but the garlic and feta really make it shine! Made it with 3/4 cup of rice instead of orzo and it came out perfectly. I read the comments below and also added lemon zest which was a great addition. My husband (who always complains when I try and feed him soup) scraped the bottom of his bowl and got up for seconds. I must say, this is one of the easiest and fastest soups to put together and with such minimal ingredients, this is going to be a staple in my house from now on.
Hi Nancy, I really hope you’re feeling better from your cold! I’m also very glad you found the recipe and you and your hubbie enjoyed it! Thank you for taking the time to comment and rate!
Thank you for sharing easy and tasty recipes 🙂 !
Hi Alicia! Thank you for the feedback! Glad you enjoyed !!
Do you really cook broccoli as 30 + 15 minutes! I think 5 is enough.
Trust me, this recipe is perfection as is.
I added chicken… omg mind blowing good!
Thank you so much for this recipe!!! It’s now a staple in our house! We all have so much love for your soup.
Hi Colleen! I love reading that! It’s one of my favorites too!
Would frozen broccoli work just as well? Would cooking time need to be adjusted?
Hi Sarah, Yes frozen broccoli will work too. Time should be relatively the same – maybe add another 5-10 minutes more.
Such a great soup! Thank you for sharing! How good is this for freezing?
Hi Ryan, Thanks! Yes, you can freeze it; Freeze it flat in a ziploc bag and then thaw overnight in your fridge.
Such a yummy and satisfying soup! The olive oil really does tie it all together!!
Hi Kara, I’m glad you enjoyed this soup! It’s a great recipe to have on the side!
I added shredded chicken for some protein and yum!
Hi Ali! Its amazing with the chicken! Thank you for rating the recipe!
I made this soup on Sunday night & just now eating it, it’s delicious but mine didn’t come out soup-like. It’s like a legit broccoli/Orzo main dish😭😂. I love it just salty it’s not a soup consistency. Forgot to add the red pepper flakes on top but still delicious!! Thank you !!
Hi John’ae! Love your name! Glad you liked the dish in the end even though it thickened up on you! Make sure you keep the simmer low and the pot covered. If the liquid still evaporates, add some more…
Absolutely amazing! I’m not a huge veggie fan but I couldn’t stop eating this soup. I ate it with a side of fresh garlic bread which went very well. (The cookies on this site are out of this world as well, my flatmates make me bake them every month)
Hi Georgina! Happy to read everyone’s enjoying the goodies! Thank you for the review too!!
So simple yet so delicious! Others recommended adding in some lemon zest and juice which turned out perfectly. Kept extra stock on the side to add as it did get rather thick.
Hi Elyse, definitely amazing with the lemon! Thanks for the rating!
Delicious! Added some lemon zest and juice.
I’ve made this soup 6-7 times now over the Australian winter. Anyone who’s had covid has received a bowl and there is so much love for it! An absolute fav.
Hi Jaye in Australia, glad its been on your rotation! Thanks for taking care of your friends and fam!
This is my favorite soup! I have made this about 5+ times! So easy and delicious!!!
Hi Frankie! That’s so awesome! Thanks for the kind rating! Cheers!
Okay dumb question but I don’t have a potato masher..in my country we use handheld mixers to make mashed potatoes. What could I use to mash the broccoli?
Hi Angelina, you can use a large fork!
Going to make this today! Looks fabulous; ThankYou ~
Hi Lisa, hope you enjoyed the soup!
Simply amazing been making weekly since i found the recipe
Hi Rita, Glad you enjoyed the soup! Thanks for the rating too!
Sounds good, but I’m gluten free. What could you use instead of orzo please? maybe quinoa or some rice?
Hi Abi, yes! Totally sub in quinoa or rice for the orzo. One lady shared that she used potato chunks instead of the orzo too! I like that one
I’m GF, too. I find that Banza “rice” is actually more like orzo than rice, so I use it for all recipes calling for orzo. But I did parboil it separately before adding it to this soup because GF everything absorbs more liquid than their regular counterparts.
Do you sauté the garlic first in old be oil? I’m Italian and we always do that. Seems like it would give more flavor to the soup.
Hi Roslynn, I did not saute the garlic here first. Its up to you. The heat of the soup will release the flavors of the ingredients though.Either way,
Adding to my winter repertoire. Delicious and nutritious!
Yay! Glad you liked the soup!
Should I have cooked the Orzo in a separate pot & added orzo once I ladled soup in bowl? It turned out great but was wondering if I should have cooked pasta seperately. Making ur greek salad tomorrow! Thank u for sharing ur recipes! ❤️
Hi Carey, the orzo cooks in one pot with the rest of the soup. No precook necessary. Thank you for trying out my recipes and ofc rating them!
This recipe came across at the perfect time – I saw it on instagram after accidentally acquiring a TON of broccoli (thanks instacart). I ended up making this for dinner tonight and it was fantastic! Very easy, and very flavorful. Definitely adding it to my list of go-tos for this fall & winter.
Thank you for sharing!
Love to read that KJ! Thanks for taking the time to comment and rate the soup too!!
This was so good and hearty. Everytime I took a bite I was hum..mhhm mhhh so good. I know it sounds crazy but it truly is a simple but fulfilling meal.
Hi Bethany! I agree with you sometimes simple with a few ingredients equals something fresh and magical!
I don’t know what I did wrong! The recipe was very straight forward but the soup unfortunately turned out rather flavorless. Any advice?
Hi Abby, I’m so sorry about that! I would definitley recommend tasting and seasoning as you go with salt and pepper and any other seasonings listed in each recipe.
Absolutely delish!!
Hi Stacey! Glad you liked the soup!
Loved this! So rich and creamy. Everything about this is dreamy!!!!
Hi Nancy, I agree, such a simple and yummy little soup! Thank you for trying it!!
This was so delicious! Made it vegan by using vegan feta and vegetable broth. Didn’t have Orzo and used Arborio rice instead. My son, the vegan in the family, couldn’t get enough and we, the non-vegans, helped him scraped the soup pot! The oil on top 👌
I added a shallot and fresh oregano as well. Started out sautéing garlic, shallot and half of my fresh oregano in a little olive oil on low heat then continued with the recipe and added the other half of the fresh oregano with boil process. Turned out amazing!! Thank you, reminded me of a take on feta fries!
Hi Lindsey, I love the addition of those herbs! Thanks for sharing your feedback – so useful for everyone!
Tried this soup for dinner tonight and it was delicious–and super easy. I used vegetable bouillon instead of chicken broth because we’re vegetarian. I did find the soup a little bland, so I added some rosemary and thyme to make it a little more interesting.
Hi Arthur glad you liked it and thanks for sharing your tips with us – will definitely help others! Cheers!
This is SOOOO good
Hi Annie, glad you liked it – its one of my favorites!!
Wow just made this!! So delicious 🤤
HI Cassidy, glad the soup was enjoyed! And thank you for the rating!
This soup is so simple and delicious. We will definitely be making it again soon. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Hi Christina, happy it was enjoyed! Thanks also for the rating!
Made this for meal prep, has really good flavours!
Hi Claire, glad you liked the soup and I appreciate you taking the time to rate it!!
Knocked our socks off. The flavors are complex and satisfy.
Hi Lorraine, SO happy this soup was enjoyed and thanks for taking the time to rate it!
So easy and delicious! Added a little extra lemon juice and some zest then garnished with red pepper and olive oil. Definitely adding to the favorite recipe list!
Hi Kristy, Beautiful! Happy you liked it and thanks for sharing your feedback!
Thank you for this recipe! It’s so simple yet so delicious and satisfying! I made it with rice instead of orzo and topped with olive oil, red pepper flakes, and a squeeze of lemon! Perfection! 👌🏼
Hi Dawn, SO happy you enjoyed this soup – it is on repeat in my house !!! Thank you for trying it!
Loved this! So nice for rainy days and very filling. I’m a student and I don’t have much time or energy to cook these days, but this was such an easy and cheap recipe to make! I have a lot of leftovers, so I will likely have this as dinner for the rest of the week. Thanks for sharing this tasty recipe.
Hi Em, FANTASTIC! I love having this soup as leftovers! Its my favorite! Thanks for the rating too!