Is it possible to make fresh, nourishing soup from scratch in 15 minutes? I say yes it is, mainly because I did that very thing just the other day for my lunch. Working from home has some advantages, one of which is not having to meal prep as I can make a fresh lunch for myself and then immediately eat it. It also helps that my “office” often happens to be in the dining room so I have excellent access to the kitchen while I’m also working. But back to soup!

This is a perfect work-day soup that can be substituted with other veggies, fats, and milk substitutes if desired. It also makes exactly 2 nicely-sized bowls so you don’t have to worry about excess leftovers; I’ve had in the recent past a terrible case of “SoupForDays” chilling out in my fridge until I throw out the dregs in horror of not being able to face another bowl. It’s nice to know that this recipe will make a reasonable amount of soup, and I don’t feel bad about making so “little” because it takes so little time to make. Enjoy!

15-minute Cream of Broccoli Soup

Yield: 2 generous servings | Prep: 2 minutes | Cook: 13 minutes

• 1 tbsp/15g/0.5oz butter or oil
• 1/2 bag (about 2 cups) frozen mirepoix (onions, celery, carrots) OR you can substitute with the following:
  • 1/2 yellow or white onion, peeled and diced small
  • 1 stalk celery, diced small
  • 1 carrot, peeled and sliced into thin coins
• 2 smallish (or 1 large) broccoli crowns, cut into small florets
• 1 tsp/2g/0.1oz black pepper
• 3-4 cups/710-950mL/24-32fl.oz veggie or chicken broth or bouillon
• 1/2-1 cups/120-240mL/4-8fl.oz milk (can substitute dairy-free)
• 2 tbsp/29g/1oz sour cream (optional)

1. Melt fat in medium heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Sauté onion, celery and carrot for a few minutes until translucent, stirring frequently. Add broccoli and pepper and sauté for 1 minute longer.
2. Add broth until just covering vegetables. Bring to a boil and let cook for a few minutes until broccoli is crisp-tender. At this point you can partially blend your soup with an immersion blender if you wish, but this is optional (ensure to remove pot from heat while blending).
3. Add milk of choice and place back on lowered heat until heated through. Add sour cream if using and stir until completely combined.
4. Adjust for salt and pepper (depending on whether you used fresh broth or salty bouillon cubes, you may need to add salt at this point).
5. Serve hot with crusty buns, crackers, or extra veggies, and enjoy!