With the holidays approaching, photography projects are taking most of my time. Since I have no intention of leaving this website unintended, between blogging and photography I am in the kitchen cooking or baking all day long.
Lately, it has mostly been about baking because I want to be able to provide you with healthy recipes for the upcoming holidays. However, baking requires a lot of trial and error and is not as easy as cooking.

Currently, I have three apple-pear pies and two different kinds of cookies in the fridge. Unfortunately, they did not turn out the way I hoped they would. They taste good, but I still have to work on the recipe to make it foolproof. As you can imagine, having a recipe that didn’t work is an upsetting thing for a food blogger. However, it is more upsetting to spend all day in the kitchen testing recipes and washing dishes and not having anything to eat for dinner. If you are a home cook, I am pretty sure you can relate to that.
That is why this broccoli and feta soup is a lifesaver. It is from my friend Emilie’s cookbook. I have been making it for almost a year now and it has always been a favorite in our house. What I love about it is that it is super healthy and it only takes 30 minutes to make.
I also love the fact it does not rely on heavy cream or half and half, which is usually the case with most creamy soups. Instead, it gets its creaminess from a Yukan gold potato. After it is garnished with a little bit feta cheese and fresh Italian parsley, it is simply delicious.

About this 30-Minute Broccoli and Feta Soup Recipe:
In the recipe below, I used homemade vegetable stock because I wanted this dish to be vegetarian. However, if you prefer you can certainly swap it with chicken stock as well, which is what Emily did in her original recipe.
At the very end, I sprinkled it with a little bit of sumac, a Mediterranean spice with a tangy and lemony flavor that is mostly used in Middle Eastern cooking. Growing up, my mother would put sumac on roasted vegetables and I always thought it would bring the best out of them. As usual, it did not disappoint in this soup as well.
One thing I would caution you on is to make sure to keep an eye on it after you put the broccoli in the boiling liquid. All these years of cooking, I overcooked broccoli more times than I would like to admit. Once it is in there, it takes less than 10 minutes to cook. If you leave there for too long, it will turn yellow. It would still taste good, but your soup would be more yellow than green.

I personally prefer my soup rustic-style with chunky pieces of broccoli, but if you prefer it to be smooth and silky you would have to blend it longer.
Either way, I can’t imagine an easier soup that is as healthy and delicious as this one. Why not get some broccoli and feta cheese next time you are at the supermarket and give this 30-Minute Broccoli and Feta Soup recipe a try.
Got some leftover broccoli to use up? If so, be sure to check out my Broccoli Cauliflower Salad recipe.
Other Soup Recipes You Might Like
- Roasted Kabocha Squash Soup with Sesame Seeds
- Sweet Potato Soup
- Turkish Red Lentil Soup
- Creamy Cauliflower and Celery Root Soup with Roasted Shiitakes
- French Lentil Soup
30-Minute Broccoli and Feta Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 2 stalks of celery chopped
- 3 cloves of garlic minced
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
- 1 large Yukon Gold Potato peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 4 cups low-sodium vegetable stock plus more as needed
- 6 cups broccoli florets rinsed and drained
- 1/3 cup Italian parsley rinsed and chopped coarsely – plus more as garnish
- 1/3 cup feta cheese crumbled – plus more as garnish
- ½ teaspoon sumac optional
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven (or any large heavy bottom pot would work). Add in the onion and celery. Cook until they are soft, 5-7 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 more seconds.
- Add in the salt, pepper, potatoes, and vegetable stock. Bring it to a boil and let it simmer for 10 minutes or until potatoes are soft.
- Stir in the broccoli florets and cook briefly, 8-10 minutes over low heat.*
- Right before you are ready to puree the soup add in the chopped parsley.
- Using a hand blender, puree the soup in the pot. Alternatively, you can puree it in batches in a blender. I prefer my soup rustic-style with chunks of broccoli in it, but if you prefer yours smooth then puree it until it has a silky texture.
- When ready to serve ladle some into bowls, garnish with feta crumbles and parsley leaves. If you prefer, sprinkle it with a little bit of sumac.
Notes
Nutrition
This recipe is adapted (with minor changes) from Emilie Raffa’s The Clever Cookbook.
4waystoyummy
Very easy, quick, and delicious. I didn’t use the sumac this time because I added some of my lemon Keifer. I added in a pinch of cayenne and smoked paprika!
Aysegul Sanford
I am happy to hear that you liked it. Thanks for coming by.
CHeers!
Sally S.
I love this soup!
I love Emily and her book as well. I was thinking about making it and when I saw you sharing it made me so happy. I made it last night and it was a hit. Nothing left. 🙂
Thanks for sharing. I will definitely make it again.
Aysegul Sanford
Oh yay! So happy to hear that it was a hit.
I love this soup and make it often myself.
Thanks for letting me know Sally.
Cheers!
Heather
Would this soup freeze ok? I tend to think no, but would love if you tell me I’m wrong.
Aysegul Sanford
Hi Heather,
I think it would. I would recommend freezing it without the feta cheese and adding it right before serving. Also, be sure to store it in an airtight container in the freezer.
I hope this helps. Best.
Beeta @ Mon Petit Four
I know how you feel, Aysegul. It is always such a bummer when a recipe doesn’t turn out the way you want. I recently tried out a “one-bowl” apple cake recipe that I found, only to have it end up tasting super egg-y. Such a disappointment when that happens. But it’s great to have foolproof recipes like this soup on hand to comfort you and nourish you when plan A fails! This soup looks so yummy <3
Aysegul Sanford
Yeah.. I guess it is a natural part of what we do. Still, I wish it was happening less often.
Yes, this soup is super yummy, easy to make and failproof. :)) Thanks for stopping by Beeta.
Amanda @ Cookie Named Desire
I completely understand about baking taking time and requiring lots of testing. I am working on a cake that sadly, will likely need to be completely changed. Nothing seems to be going right with it! At least now I have a tasty soup I can make when I am feeling down about my baking woes. I love broccoli and feta, but never had them together in a soup. I really must try it soon!
Aysegul Sanford
YAY! Thanks Amanda. Sorry to hear about your cake. I feel your pain my dear friend. :/
Jennifer Farley
This soup looks incredible. I’m a big fan of broccoli cheddar, and this is a wonderful twist. I know what it’s like to have recipe fails! Nothing more frustrating. This is clearly a winner.
Aysegul Sanford
Thank you Jennifer. 🙂
Chrissann
This sounds AWESOME!! I can’t wait to make it – I’ve never made broccoli soup before. 🙂
Aysegul Sanford
I know you would love this soup. Plus, you can find all the ingredients easily in Supa Value or baby Bucks. 🙂
Aimee | Wallflower Kitchen
I know the feeling, all too well. To have multiple failed attempts at a recipe and all you have to show at the end of the day is a pile of dishes, waiting for you to wash… That really sucks. But when you get something right, it makes it worth while. Really looking forward to seeing your bakes! in the mean time, just looking at this soup is making me feel warmer already…
Aysegul Sanford
Oh I wish I could warm you up with a cup of this delicious soup my friend. Seriously, we need to meet up at some point to talk about failed recipes, holidays, and yummy soups. I need to vent!!! Ha ha ha.. :)))