Cream of Brussels Sprouts Soup

By
Molly Watson
Molly Watson
An award-winning food writer and cookbook author, Molly Watson has created more than 1,000 recipes focused on local, seasonal ingredients.
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Updated on 03/24/21
Creamy Brussels sprout soup in a white bowl

The Spruce / Molly Watson

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Total: 30 mins
Servings: 4 servings

Much like its cruciferous cousin, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts turn into a wonderfully rich and creamy soup just by cooking this vegetable with aromatics and whirling it up in a broth. This soup ends up having a much deeper and nuttier flavor than you might expect.

In soup, the Brussels sprouts transform into a thicker, more satisfying texture than you would imagine that these tiny cabbages could possibly contain. (Well, they're not really tiny cabbages, but they are in the same family.) You can add a bit of cream for an even creamier effect, but it is not necessary since this soup holds up on its own without it.

This Brussels sprouts recipe is a lovely first course to a fancy dinner. But it also serves as a satisfying base for a vegetarian dinner with a green salad and some hearty whole-grain bread for a complete meal. If you fall in love with it, or just really relish Brussels sprouts, this recipe doubles or triples with ease.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound Brussels sprouts

  • 1 rib celery

  • 1 large shallot or small leek

  • 1 to 2 tablespoons butter

  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste

  • 3 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Trim off and discard the stem ends of the Brussels sprouts. Roughly chop the sprouts to similar sizes so they cook evenly; they'll get puréed in the end, so this isn't a beauty contest. Set them aside.

  3. Trim and roughly chop the celery; peel and roughly chop the shallot or leek.

  4. Heat the butter in a small pot over medium-high heat. Once it is melted, add the celery and the shallot. Sprinkle with the salt and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are soft, about 3 minutes.

  5. Add the chopped Brussels sprouts and stir to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally until the Brussels sprouts turn a brighter shade of green, about 2 minutes. Add the broth and bring everything just to a boil.

  6. Reduce the heat to maintain a steady simmer, cover partially, and cook until the Brussels sprouts are completely tender about 10 minutes.

  7. Use a hand-held immersion blender to completely purée the soup. You can also do this in a blender, but just be sure to let the soup cool a bit first, work in batches, and put a kitchen towel over the top of the blender in case the heat of the soup makes it splatter. Be sure to purée the soup a bit longer than you may think is necessary; you want the final product to be as smooth as possible.

  8. Stir in cream, if you like.

  9. Serve the soup hot, with a garnish of freshly ground black pepper to taste. Enjoy!

Recipe Variations

  • Keep it chunky: Slice or chop the Brussels sprouts evenly and then omit the step of puréeing the soup.
  • Make it heartier: Add a peeled and chopped potato to the mix, cooking it with the Brussels sprouts, for a thicker, heartier soup. To boost the protein, add a cup of canned white beans.
  • Add garnishes: There are endless possibilities to finish the soup—from freshly chopped herbs to crumbled cooked bacon to a few gratings of Parmesan cheese. It's also delicious with Brussels sprouts leaves that you've roasted at high heat, and then sprinkled on top, to layer the flavor. Try it also with chopped toasted walnuts.

How to Store and Freeze Brussels Sprouts Soup

This soup will keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat it in the microwave or on the stovetop. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months. You may need to add a little water or stock to the soup upon reheating, if it's become more solid in the refrigerator.

If you know you are going to freeze some of it and you are going to add cream to the soup before serving, set some of the soup aside before adding cream. It doesn't handle being frozen and then reheated very well.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
122 Calories
7g Fat
13g Carbs
5g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 122
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 7g 9%
Saturated Fat 4g 19%
Cholesterol 19mg 6%
Sodium 1040mg 45%
Total Carbohydrate 13g 5%
Dietary Fiber 4g 13%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 5g
Vitamin C 73mg 365%
Calcium 67mg 5%
Iron 2mg 11%
Potassium 484mg 10%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)