Broccoli Feta Soup is a cozy combination of tender broccoli, creamy potatoes, small pasta, and salty crumbled feta. Garlic, onions, parsley, and a touch of red chili create layers of savory flavor without making the recipe complicated.
Partially blending the vegetables gives this soup a creamy texture while leaving enough pieces for a satisfying bite. It’s warming, filling, and perfect for an easy family lunch or dinner.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This soup gets its creamy consistency primarily from broccoli and potatoes rather than heavy cream. Blending the cooked vegetables naturally thickens the broth while preserving their fresh, savory flavor.
Feta is the ingredient that makes this broccoli and feta soup particularly distinctive. Its salty, tangy character complements the mild broccoli and potatoes while adding richness.
Small pasta makes every bowl more substantial, and red chili flakes provide gentle warmth. Everything cooks in one pot, making this a practical family-friendly recipe with relatively little cleanup.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes
- 1/2 pound (225g) potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 pound (450g) broccoli, cut into florets
- 6 cups low-sodium vegetable stock or water
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 100g ditalini or another small pasta
- 5 ounces (150g) feta cheese, crumbled, plus extra for serving
- 1 handful fresh parsley, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add the diced onion and cook for approximately 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent.
- Add the chopped garlic and red chili flakes. Cook for another minute, stirring frequently so the garlic doesn’t burn.
- Add the cubed potatoes and broccoli florets to the pot.
- Pour in the vegetable stock, then season with salt and black pepper. Stir everything together.
- Increase the heat and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for approximately 25 minutes, or until the potatoes and broccoli are very tender.
- Remove the pot from the heat. Using an immersion blender, carefully blend the soup until mostly creamy while leaving some pieces of broccoli and potato intact for texture.
- Return the Broccoli Feta Soup to a gentle simmer.
- Stir in the ditalini and cook according to package directions, approximately 10–12 minutes, until al dente. Stir frequently, particularly toward the end, to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom.
- Once the pasta is tender, remove the pot from the heat.
- Stir in the crumbled feta and chopped fresh parsley. Mix gently until the feta begins to soften into the hot soup.
- Taste and adjust the salt, black pepper, or chili flakes as necessary.
- Ladle into bowls and finish with additional crumbled feta, parsley, black pepper, or red chili flakes before serving.
Tips & Tricks
Cut the potatoes into evenly sized cubes so they soften at approximately the same rate. Well-cooked potatoes are important for creating the naturally creamy texture of this broccoli potato soup.
Don’t blend the soup completely smooth unless that’s the texture you prefer. Leaving a few small pieces of broccoli and potato gives every spoonful more substance.
Stir frequently after adding the pasta. As the soup thickens, small pasta shapes can easily settle on the bottom of the pot.
Add the feta after removing the soup from direct heat. This allows it to soften and incorporate without unnecessary boiling.
Ditalini works especially well, but orzo, small shells, elbow macaroni, or another small pasta can be substituted.
If the soup becomes thicker than you’d like, simply stir in a little extra vegetable stock or hot water.
Details
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: Approximately 6 servings
Category: Soup
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: Mediterranean-inspired
Difficulty: Easy
Dietary Notes: Vegetarian and halal-friendly when prepared with halal-suitable vegetable stock, pasta, and feta cheese
Notes
For a smoother creamy broccoli soup, blend the vegetables completely before adding the pasta.
If you prefer a lighter soup, reduce the amount of pasta or leave it out entirely. The potatoes will still provide plenty of body.
Spinach or kale can be added during the final few minutes of cooking for extra greens.
Choose feta made with vegetarian or halal-suitable rennet when strict dietary compliance is required.
Serve with toasted bread, pita, garlic bread, or a simple green salad for a more complete meal.
Nutrition
Approximate nutrition per serving:
Calories: 250–290 kcal
Protein: 9–12g
Carbohydrates: 34–39g
Fat: 9–12g
Nutrition values are estimates and vary according to the feta, vegetable stock, pasta, and serving size.
FAQ
What does Broccoli Feta Soup taste like?
It has a mild, savory broccoli and potato base complemented by salty, tangy feta. Garlic, parsley, black pepper, and chili flakes add aromatic flavor and gentle warmth.
Can I make broccoli feta soup without pasta?
Yes. Simply leave out the ditalini. The blended potatoes will still naturally thicken the soup and create a satisfying consistency.
Can I use frozen broccoli?
Yes. Frozen broccoli can substitute for fresh broccoli. Because it’s already partially softened by freezing, check the vegetables a little earlier during simmering.
What pasta is best for broccoli soup with pasta?
Ditalini is ideal because its small size fits easily onto a spoon. Orzo, small shells, stelline, or another small pasta shape will also work.
Can I make this broccoli soup completely smooth?
Absolutely. Instead of partially blending it, use an immersion blender until the broccoli and potatoes are completely smooth, then add the pasta.
Can Broccoli Feta Soup be made ahead?
Yes, although the pasta will continue absorbing liquid during storage. If preparing it ahead, you can cook the pasta separately and add it to individual portions when serving.
Storage
Allow leftover soup to cool before transferring it to an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 3–4 days.
The pasta will continue absorbing broth while refrigerated, making the soup noticeably thicker. Add a splash of vegetable stock or water when reheating to restore the desired consistency.
Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring regularly until thoroughly hot.
For freezing, the broccoli and potato soup base freezes better without the pasta and feta. Freeze the base for up to 3 months, thaw it in the refrigerator, then add freshly cooked pasta and feta when reheating.
Similar Recipes
EASY Broccoli Feta Soup with Potato and Pasta
Ingredients
- – 1 tablespoon olive oil
- – 1 large onion diced
- – 2 large garlic cloves finely chopped
- – 1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes
- – 1/2 pound 225g potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
- – 1 pound 450g broccoli, cut into florets
- – 6 cups low-sodium vegetable stock or water
- – 1/2 teaspoon salt
- – 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- – 100g ditalini or another small pasta
- – 5 ounces 150g feta cheese, crumbled, plus extra for serving
- – 1 handful fresh parsley roughly chopped
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add the diced onion and cook for approximately 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent.
- Add the chopped garlic and red chili flakes. Cook for another minute, stirring frequently so the garlic doesn’t burn.
- Add the cubed potatoes and broccoli florets to the pot.
- Pour in the vegetable stock, then season with salt and black pepper. Stir everything together.
- Increase the heat and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for approximately 25 minutes, or until the potatoes and broccoli are very tender.
- Remove the pot from the heat. Using an immersion blender, carefully blend the soup until mostly creamy while leaving some pieces of broccoli and potato intact for texture.
- Return the Broccoli Feta Soup to a gentle simmer.
- Stir in the ditalini and cook according to package directions, approximately 10–12 minutes, until al dente. Stir frequently, particularly toward the end, to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom.
- Once the pasta is tender, remove the pot from the heat.
- Stir in the crumbled feta and chopped fresh parsley. Mix gently until the feta begins to soften into the hot soup.
- Taste and adjust the salt, black pepper, or chili flakes as necessary.
- Ladle into bowls and finish with additional crumbled feta, parsley, black pepper, or red chili flakes before serving.
Notes
Conclusion
Broccoli Feta Soup transforms everyday vegetables into a hearty, flavorful meal with very little fuss. Blended broccoli and potatoes create a naturally creamy base, while ditalini adds substance and feta brings a delicious salty, tangy finish.
Serve this vegetarian broccoli soup with extra feta, fresh parsley, and a pinch of chili flakes for a warming meal that’s equally suited to lunch or dinner.