This light and refreshing broccoli almond soup with mustard seed tadka is a delicious treat for a weekday lunch or a weeknight starter!
You know I'm always down for a super hearty, comforting soup, like this brothy white bean soup or this Mediterranean chickpea soup. But sometimes I'm craving something a little lighter! I love a light, creamy, velvety soup, and this broccoli almond soup 100% fits the bill.
It's honestly simple enough for a mid-week lunch, but you can just as easily serve it for dinner as a starter alongside my black pepper maggi noodles and a cool, refreshing glass of Indian lemonade.
Why You'll Love This
This soup was heavily inspired by Sanjeev Kapoor's broccoli soup recipe. I've seen a few different variations of broccoli almond soup across the Internet, so I was interested in creating my own spin.
Here's why you should try this recipe:
- It requires less than 10 ingredients (including salt, pepper, and water!)
- Thanks to the use of almonds and skyr, the soup is creamy, but not overly rich or heavy.
- A tadka topping of mustard seeds and oil brings this soup to the next level.
Expert Tips
It might seem like a tedious extra step, but blanching and peeling the almonds ensures that they add a creamy and velvety texture to the soup.
How to Peel and Blanch Almonds
To blanch almonds, cook the whole, unpeeled almonds in boiling water for five minutes. Drain the almonds.
How Do I Peel Blanched Almonds?
The easiest way to peel blanched almonds is to place them in between two paper towels and rub together to remove the skins. Keep in mind, freshly blanched almonds will be hot so you can let them cool for a couple minutes if needed until you're able to easily handle them!
Key Ingredients
- Broccoli Florets: Broccoli is the most important ingredient here! It forms the base of the soup and provides lots of vegetal flavor to the dish. Because you’ll be using florets, the broccoli should already be trimmed and separated. However, I recommend examining your broccoli and cutting any larger florets into bite-sized pieces. I also thinly slice any larger stems and saute them with the rest of the aromatics so they're soft enough to puree.
- Almonds: Here, we're using whole almonds that we'll blanch and peel, but you can use blanched almonds too.
- Skyr or Greek Yogurt: I typically use plain skyr for this soup, but any kind of thick yogurt (like Greek yogurt) will work as well. Both low-fat and full-fat options are fine!
- Mustard Seeds: I sizzle some mustard seeds in oil to make a mustard seed tadka. Make sure to use brown or black mustard seeds.
- Salt and Black Pepper: This soup is relatively simple, so salt and black pepper do wonders here to bring out all of the flavors. Be generous with seasoning!
How to Make Broccoli Almond Soup
Step 1: Blanch and peel the almonds - Boil the almonds, then peel and roughly chop them.
Step 2 - Saute the aromatics and broccoli - Saute the onion, garlic, broccoli stems, and chopped almonds. Once the onions are soft, add in the broccoli and saute until it turns a vivid green hue.
Step 3 - Simmer the soup - Add the liquids and simmer the soup, covered, until the broccoli is cooked through.
Step 4 - Make the mustard seed tadka - Heat the oil in a small pan until shimmering. Add the mustard seeds; once they begin to sizzle, remove the pan from the heat.
Step 5 - Blend the soup - Blend everything together! Then stir in the skyr or yogurt off the heat.
Step 6 - Serve - Divide the soup amongst serving bowls and top with the mustard seed tadka.
Make it a Meal
This soup yields 2 generous servings as a main course, but you can also serve it as an appetizer or starter. I love to dip a hearty, seeded cracker or some crusty bread in the soup. It’s also great alongside grilled or roasted fish!
Make-Ahead and Storage Instructions
If you plan to make this soup ahead of time, I recommend adding the tadka and the skyr/yogurt just before serving (yogurt can curdle at high heat). You can puree the soup (without the skyr) and store it in the fridge in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days.
Just before serving, reheat the soup over the stove on medium-low heat until simmering. While it's reheating, make the tadka. Remove the pot from the heat, then stir in the skyr and top with the tadka.
FAQ
Unfortunately, yes! Blanching softens the almonds, and peeling them prevents a gritty texture.
Mustard seeds and broccoli are a really delicious and unique pairing, but I bet cumin seeds would be great here too.
I haven't tried this myself, but you could try adding in a vegan yogurt (or maybe even a couple of tablespoons of almond milk) to add some creaminess.
Yes! I prefer using fresh broccoli because it’s the star of the soup here, but frozen broccoli will work too.
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Happy eating! Love, KarishmaBroccoli Almond Soup
Equipment
- Immersion blender or a stand blender
- A tadka pan, or a very small pot
Ingredients
- 2 ¾ cups water, divided
- ¼ cup Skyr or Greek yogurt
- 10 ounces broccoli florets
- 2 tablespoons whole almonds
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1 small onion, or half a large onion | finely diced
- Salt and black pepper
For the mustard seed tadka:
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil*
- 1 teaspoon brown or black mustard seeds
Instructions
- Do a little prep: Set a small pot with ¾ cups water over medium-high heat and bring to a boil.Remove the skyr from the fridge and place into a small bowl. Let sit at room temperature while you prepare the soup.Cut any larger florets into bite-sized pieces. Separate and thinly slice any bulky stems.2 ¾ cups water, ¼ cup Skyr or Greek yogurt, 10 ounces broccoli florets
- Blanch and peel the almonds: Once the water is boiling, add the almonds and boil for 5 minutes. Drain the almonds, reserving the cooking water.To peel the almonds, place them in between two paper towels and rub together to remove the skin. It should come off quite easily. Roughly chop the peeled almonds and set aside.2 tablespoons whole almonds
- Saute the aromatics: Set a dutch oven or stock pot over medium-low heat and add olive oil. Add the garlic, onion, sliced broccoli stems, and almonds. Saute for 7-8 minutes until the onions are lightly golden and softened. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.Add the broccoli florets and saute on medium heat for 4-5 minutes until the broccoli transforms into a vibrant green color. There should also be some brown bits on the bottom of the pan.2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 3 garlic cloves, 1 small onion, Salt and black pepper
- Simmer the soup: Add the reserved almond water, plus an additional 2 cups of water to the pot. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Season with a generous pinch of salt and black pepper.Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes, covered, until broccoli is soft but still bright green.
- While the broccoli cooks, prepare the tadka (recipe below).
- Blend the soup: Once the broccoli is cooked through, use an immersion blender to blend the soup into a velvety, smooth puree. Whisk 2 tablespoons of the soup into the skyr until combined.Remove the pot from the heat, then whisk the skyr mixture into the soup. Season again with salt and pepper to taste.Note: Make sure to remove the pot from the heat before adding the skyr or it will curdle! A *generous* pinch of salt and black pepper goes far here; they help cut the creaminess of the soup and brings out the vegetal flavors of the soup.
- Serve: To serve, divide the soup amongst serving bowls and drizzle some of the mustard seed tadka over the top.
For the mustard seed tadka:
- In a small tadka pan (or a very small pot), heat oil over medium heat. Add the mustard seeds and cook until they begin to sizzle and pop. Remove from the heat and sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper.1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil*, 1 teaspoon brown or black mustard seeds
