Give Broccoli Soup A Creamy Upgrade With A Splash Of This Ingredient

A steaming bowl of chicken soup is a panacea like no other. However, if you're out of chicken and only have a head of broccoli in the fridge, don't be disheartened. A broccoli soup can also make the grade and be transformed into a creamy bowl of goodness with a splash of half and half. This simple tip is perfect for those moments when you're craving a verdant dish that's packed with a cozy but fresh flavor.

Half and half is simply a combo of equal parts whole milk and cream. It has a lower fat content than heavy cream and a slightly thinner viscosity, but it can be used in the same way to imbue veggie soups with a dreamy consistency and flavor. Unlike milk alone, which thins soups down, or heavy cream, which can give bisques and chowders a cloying character (and even overpower the flavor of the vegetables), half and half sits in the middle. 

In something like a cream of broccoli soup, a small measure of half and half is added to the cooked and blended broccoli at the very end to lend it a creamier texture and velvety mouthfeel (just ¼ cup for six servings). While this may seem like a tiny amount, even a dash brings the broccoli together and produces a soup that's well-emulsified and slightly richer and rounder in taste due to the presence of milk fat, which is an excellent flavor carrier.

If you only have heavy cream on hand, you can simply thin it down with a splash of milk and incorporate it into your soup to achieve the same effect. This technique is used in this broccoli cheddar soup recipe, where equal parts milk and heavy cream are whisked into a classic roux made of butter and flour to produce a simmering liquid for the broccoli. Here, the homemade half and half is used at the start of the recipe so the broccoli can cook inside the dairy and vegetable stock base until softened, which gives the veggies a chance to absorb the richness of the cream. The result is a soup with a savory depth that is far heavier in consistency (especially once the shredded cheddar is stirred in). Moreover, the half and half balances out any bitterness in the veggies, producing a mellower dish that's satisfying and filling overall. That said, if you want a lighter soup where the earthy and vegetal flavor of the broccoli comes to the fore, simply use the veggie stock to cook the brassica and add a smaller amount of half and half at the end. That way you'll still achieve that creamy consistency and yummy balance of flavors.