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 white bean soup in parm broth or this smoky red pepper soup with feta. 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.

Almonds and Skyr Provide Creaminess To This Soup

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.

Why You Need To Make This Soup ASAP:

• 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.

Blanch and Peel Your Almonds For Extra Creaminess

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.

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