Gordon Ramsay's 1-Ingredient Broccoli Soup Is My Favorite

I’ve been making it for years, but the flavors are so fresh that it feels like only yesterday when I discovered Gordon Ramsay’s one-ingredient broccoli soup. Yes, you read that right—just one ingredient: broccoli.

I’m still amazed that such a simple ingredient can deliver so much flavor, depth, and texture. With fall approaching and soup season on the horizon, I love preparing this simple, quick soup. I’m a big broccoli fan, so it’s always in my fridge when my soup craving hits.

While many soups require a long list of ingredients to build their depth of flavor, Gordon’s broccoli soup keeps it straightforward without compromising on broccoli’s pure taste. I love the vibrant, green hue and the light, airy texture of the soup. It feels fancy, yet when you see how simple it is to make, you’ll realize you can achieve the same elegance.

The only other things you need are water for cooking and puréeing the broccoli, salt for seasoning it, and a drizzle of olive oil for garnish, and those are probably always on hand in your kitchen. So you can make this soup tonight! 

Since this recipe relies on a single ingredient, using fresh, high-quality broccoli is important. Gordon recommends selecting dark-green broccoli without any flowering florets to achieve rich color in the soup. I also prefer broccoli with a larger trunk, which adds a touch of sweetness to my soup, so if you’re buying pre-cut broccoli florets, you might be missing out. In a pinch, thawed frozen broccoli florets will work in the soup, but fresh broccoli is always best.

How To Make Gordon Ramsay's Easy Broccoli Soup

Start by bringing a pot of salted water to a boil. This ensures that the salt dissolves evenly, seasoning the broccoli perfectly.

While the water heats, hold the base of the broccoli with the florets facing down on your cutting board and cut off small florets close to the bud clusters. Rotate the base for easier access and continue cutting until you’ve removed all the florets, leaving just the trunks. Although Gordon sets the trunks aside, I prefer to use them in the soup, trimming and discarding their bottoms and chopping the remainder into half-inch chunks so they cook at the same rate as the florets.

Add the broccoli florets (and the chopped trunks, if you’re using them) to the boiling water and cover them with a lid. Boil them for three to four minutes or until the florets can be easily pierced. Gordon likes to test doneness with a knife, pushing the blade through the broccoli against the edge of the pot. To avoid scratching my pot, I test my florets with a fork instead, but either method works. Drain the broccoli using a colander set inside another pot or a bowl, saving the broccoli stock. 

In a blender, combine the broccoli with about half its volume in saved stock. According to the chef, cooled stock leads to a grainy soup, so make sure your stock is still piping hot to achieve a silky texture. Pulse a few times so that the stock doesn’t splatter from the momentum of the blade, then blend before the soup thoroughly until it is smooth. Blending incorporates air into the soup, giving it a frothy texture and fuller appearance. Taste the soup and season with additional salt, if needed. Then, pour it straight into bowls, drizzle it with olive oil for a glossy accent, and enjoy.

Though Ramsay is a purist with his soup, I myself have made a few tweaks to it over the years. I’ve swapped the water for chicken stock or another type of stock, a substitution that adds savory flavor without the need for additional salt. I also like to set aside some florets, toss them in olive oil, and broil them until they are slightly charred before blending them in. This gives the soup a deeper, roasted flavor. You can also add garnishes like grated cheese, nuts, or bacon bits. However you enhance it, that delicious broccoli flavor shines in this soup.