Curry & coconut soup with broccoli
The entire vegetable content of this soup is frozen broccoli. That's not a limitation. It's the point.
Half a red onion and a clove of garlic go into a pan with olive oil. Curry powder hits the fat for a minute, just enough to bloom. Then 427 grams of frozen broccoli florets meet vegetable broth and simmer until they fall apart. The immersion blender does the rest.
Coconut milk turns the puree from earthy to warm, and the reserved broccoli confetti on top gives you something to bite into. Fifteen minutes, 14 grams of fiber, and eight ingredients you probably have right now.
The entire vegetable content of this soup is frozen broccoli. That's not a limitation. It's the point.
Half a red onion and a clove of garlic go into a pan with olive oil. Curry powder hits the fat for a minute, just enough to bloom. Then 427 grams of frozen broccoli florets meet vegetable broth and simmer until they fall apart. The immersion blender does the rest.
Coconut milk turns the puree from earthy to warm, and the reserved broccoli confetti on top gives you something to bite into. Fifteen minutes, 14 grams of fiber, and eight ingredients you probably have right now.
Ingredients
- red onion 0.5
- garlic 1 clove
- water 296 ml
- vegetable bouillon 1 cube
- broccoli florets (frozen) 427 g
- olive oil 15 ml
- curry powder 2 g
- coconut milk 90 ml
Method
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Finely chop the onion and crush the garlic.
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Heat the water with the bouillon cube.
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Cut 1 small broccoli floret into fine pieces to make confetti and set aside.
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Heat the oil in a pan and gently sauté the onion and garlic on low heat. Add the remaining broccoli and curry powder and cook for 1 minute. Add the broth and simmer for 6-8 minutes until the broccoli is tender.
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Puree the soup with an immersion blender. Season the soup with coconut milk and if desired, extra curry powder, salt and pepper.
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Serve the curry and coconut meal soup in a bowl and sprinkle the reserved broccoli confetti on top.
Add the curry powder to the hot oil before the broth goes in. That one minute in fat is what unlocks the flavor from the spice blend. Water can't do what fat does here.
When you puree this soup, you're changing more than the texture. Italian researchers found that pureed vegetable meals left the stomach 19% slower than the same ingredients served as solid food with water on the side. Blending prevents your stomach from separating liquids and solids, so the whole meal stays put longer.
Why This Works
Behind this recipe
Is frozen broccoli as nutritious as fresh?
For most nutrients, yes. Frozen broccoli retains its vitamin C, fiber, and minerals through the freezing process. The one exception is sulforaphane, broccoli's most-studied compound. Commercial freezing involves a blanching step that destroys myrosinase, the enzyme your body needs to convert glucosinolates into sulforaphane. Everything else comes through intact.
Read the full evidence reviewDoes blending this soup make it less filling than eating the broccoli whole?
Research suggests the opposite. A study found that a pureed vegetable meal emptied from the stomach 19% slower than the same ingredients served as solid food with a glass of water. Blending creates a thick, uniform mass that prevents your stomach from sorting liquids out first, so the whole meal stays put longer.
Read the full evidence reviewWhy is the protein in this recipe lower than most FitChef meals?
This is a vegetable-forward soup. Broccoli, coconut milk, and spices. Not every meal needs to be a protein powerhouse. If you want to bump it up, try stirring in a tablespoon of cottage cheese or pair the soup with a protein-rich side like grilled chicken or a boiled egg.
