Italian Broccoli and Potato Soup with Pasta (No Cream)
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Italian Broccoli and Potato Soup is a simple, flavorful dish from the Sicilian kitchen. This delicious soup from my childhood features broccoli, potatoes, and pasta. Simple ingredients make a comforting soup with tremendous flavor in about 30 minutes.
This Italian Broccoli soup recipe differs from popular creamy soups like broccoli cheese. There is no cream in this Italian soup recipe, but the broccoli and potatoes give it a rich, velvet texture. My Sicilian mother made this often when we were growing up, and it is still one of my favorite cold-day dishes.
Italian Nonna’s are known for making amazing meals from whatever they have available. Which is what is great about soups like a classic Italian Minestrone.
This broccoli soup is the perfect example of a recipe from the ”cucina povera”. Many Sicilian recipes come from when people had to make the best of what they had. The pasta in this recipe, spaghetti broken by hand, reflects this. There is no need for any unique pasta shapes here.
Soups with pasta are a great way to create a hearty, nutritious meal, so they are a staple in Italian homes. I make soups like my mom’s Zucchini Soup or Sicilian Lentil Soup all year. We also love chicken soups like my Chicken Tortellini, Homemade Chicken Pastina, Chicken Rosamarina, and Creamy Chicken Florentine soups because they are filling enough to be your main course.
I have made a slight change to my mom’s Broccoli soup recipe. Originally this soup was made by cooking the ingredients in water. I make mine with chicken broth or stock for added flavor.
Ingredients in Italian Broccoli and Potato Soup
Broccoli: I use about 2 heads of broccoli florets cut into bite-size pieces. Don’t throw away the broccoli stems. Peel and cut them into small pieces and add them to the soup.
Russet Potatoes: I like russet potatoes because they are starchy so they thicken the soup a bit as they cook. You can use any potato that you like.
Onion: Use any white onion you have. Cut it into a medium size dice.
Minced Garlic
Chicken Broth: The broth adds great flavor to the soup.
Parmesan Cheese Rind: This is a real flavor booster! You can leave it out if you don’t have it, but I would highly recommend using it.
Grated Parmesan Cheese: Or Pecorino Romano to serve with your soup.
Olive Oil: You will use it to saute the vegetables and drizzle a little bit on the soup when you serve it.
Thin Spaghetti or Spaghetti: Broken into 1-inch pieces. You can substitute any small pasta shape you like.
Salt and Ground Black Pepper for seasoning
Step By Step Instructions
- In a large pot, saute the onion in the olive oil until it starts to become tender. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute or just until fragrant.
- Stir in the chicken broth and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the broccoli, potatoes, salt, pepper, and the parmesan rind. Cook for 10 minutes or until the broccoli is cooked through and season the soup to taste.
- Stir in the pasta, bring the soup back to a slow boil over medium-low heat, and cook for 10 minutes or until the pasta is al dente.
- Remove the parmesan rind and serve. You can add a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of grated parmesan cheese to the soup if you like.
Tips and Variations
- I like to use low-sodium chicken broth so I can control the salt in my dishes. If you use regular chicken broth, make sure you taste the soup before adding more salt.
- This simple soup can be made vegetarian by substituting vegetable broth. You could also just use water, but you will need to adjust the seasonings.
- You can make this soup creamy by using an immersion blender or food processor to puree the vegetables or
- Add 2 cups of cream to the soup.
Serving Suggestions
Growing up, this Italian Broccoli Soup was a weeknight side dish or starter course. It pairs well with main courses like Garlic and Herb Roast Chicken, Bottom Round Roast Beef, or Garlic Parmesan Pork Chops.
On a busy weeknight, sometimes I make this hearty soup as the main course and serve it with a crispy salad like my version of LaScala Chopped Salad.
Storing and Reheating
This soup can be refrigerated in an airtight container for several days. Reheat it in the microwave for a few minutes or on the stove over medium-low heat. If the pasta has absorbed too much broth, you can add a little water to thin it out.
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Italian Broccoli and Potato Soup Recipe
Italian Broccoli Soup
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Equipment
- 1 Soup Pot
Ingredients
- 2 heads Broccoli Cut flowerets and stem into small pieces
- 2 Russet Potatoes Medium, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 Onion Medium, diced
- 1 tbsp Garlic Minced
- 8 cups Chicken Broth
- 1 Parmesan Cheese Rind
- ½ tsp Salt
- ¼ tsp Black Pepper Ground
- 1 cup Thin Spaghetti Broken by hand into 2-3 inch pieces or any other small pasta shape
Instructions
- In a soup pot, saute the onion in the olive oil until it starts to become tender. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute or just until fragrant.
- Stir in the chicken broth and bring it to a boil. Add the broccoli, potatoes, salt pepper, and the parmesan rind. Cook for 10 minutes or until the broccoli is cooked through.
- Stir in the pasta, bring the soup back to a slow boil, and cook for 10 minutes or until the pasta is tender. Remove the parmesan rind and serve. You can drizzle a little olive oil and sprinkle grated parmesan cheese on the soup if you like.
