Roasted Broccoli Soup

I have always wanted to be able to make broccoli soup that comes out savory and flavorful.  I have had it at restaurants, and finally found out that the secret is to roast the broccoli first.  It brings out a lot of flavor in the broccoli.

I found quite a few different recipes, and tried several before I was able to refine the process down to fewer ingredients and simpler steps.  This version is really easy to make and is Gluten Free!

Cut ~2# broccoli into florets.  Discard stumps.

Spread florets on baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray.

Drizzle florets with olive oil, sea salt, garlic powder.

Roast at 425F for 25 minutes, stirring after the first 10.  Florets will be soft and lightly browned.

Toss florets into stock pot with 4c chicken or veggie broth.

Bring to a boil over med-hi heat, then cover and simmer covered for 25 minutes.

Strain out about half of the florets with a slotted spoon.  Puree in blender or chopper, then stir back into the soup.  (This step thickens the soup without adding starches)

Stir in 3 TB lemon juice and 3/4c parmesan cheese.

Veggie Shake & Bake!

This is an easy one to toss on the grill or in the oven as a side dish or a veggie main dish.


Peel large carrots, cut into big pieces.

Small (fingerling) potatoes - cut in half.  I got the kind that has red, yellow, and blue potatoes, but any small potatoes will work.

Large onion - cut into large pieces.

I threw in the broccoli florets just because I had some, but any fairly crunchy vegetable would work.  They should all take about the same amount of time to cook.

If you want to make this into a non-vegetarian main dish, throw in some ham cubes.

Toss all into a plastic bag or container.  Drizzle with olive oil and shake to coat.

Sprinkle in any or all of the following:  rosemary, celery salt, black pepper, garlic powder, cooking wine.

Dump into metal pan or onto foil with the sides folded up.  Grill on low or bake at 375F for 2 hrs.  Stir occasionally.

The point is to roast slowly, which brings out the natural sugars in the veggies and adds a lot of flavor.

Awesome & Easy Roasted Cauliflower

This is a fun and easy way to cook cauliflower, and the testing group loved it! 


It also works with broccoli.  They will come out crispy on the edges, and the slow roasting brings out the sweetness in the veggies.


Cut off all of the florets of either veggie and drop them into a zipper bag.

Drizzle with about 1/4c olive oil, close bag and shake until each piece has a light coating.


Dump in 1/4c breadcrumbs and 1/4c parmesan cheese.

You can use seasoned breadcrumbs, or use plain ones with a little salt & pepper.


Shake bag to coat.


Pour onto greased baking sheet.



Roast @ 300 for 45 minutes.


Serve hot as a side dish or as a snack with ranch dressing for dip.