Dill Broccoli Soup with Honey Halloumi Croutons

This dill broccoli soup will make you love broccoli. Hearty and satisfying, it is loaded with fresh herbs and citrusy flavors. Garnish with honey halloumi croutons to complete the experience. Even picky eaters love it!

It’s soup season, and I’m always on the lookout for new soup ideas loaded with vegetables. This year, leek and potato soup together with ginger lime carrot soup have been our most made soups in our family. But recently, my 3-year-old has developed a new and surprising obsession around… broccoli! So when I saw her picking her own broccoli at the store and put it in our basket, I accepted right away and decided to make a broccoli soup.

I’ve long been obsessed with lemon roasted cauliflower and always wondered if the same concept could work with broccoli. So I tried and the result was exceptional, adding some very refreshing flavors to the earthy broccoli, while the herbal flavor of the dill ties the soup together. Served with halloumi croutons, this soup is surprising, audacious and absolutely delicious!

Key ingredients of this dill broccoli soup

• Broccoli. You can use both the broccoli florets and the stems for this soup recipe, so there is no waste.
• Potato. The recipe calls for one potato only, to add in thickness together with the broccoli. If you don’t have potatoes, you can skip it.
• Lemon. Roast it together with the broccoli, and do not forget to zest it beforehand to add more lemony flavors to the soup.
• Dill. It’s a key ingredient of the soup, bringing up some refreshing herbal flavors.
• Cream. It is what makes the broccoli soup smooth and creamy.
• Halloumi. This is not for the soup itself but rather used as croutons on top of the soup. It also adds some cheesy flavors that pair very well with broccoli.

Lemon-roasted broccoli + dill

The lemon-roasted broccoli is what makes this broccoli soup unique in flavors, with the addition of fresh dill.

If you’ve never roasted broccoli that way before, there’s nothing easier: simply combine broccoli with olive oil, salt and pepper, then spread out in a single layer onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Add the lemon halves (previously zested, as you need the zest for later) and roast in the oven. About 10 minutes after, stir the broccoli and squeeze the lemons over the broccoli, using paper towel to prevent from burning yourself. Return to the oven and roast until broccoli is tender and slightly golden. It will smell amazing!

How to make halloumi croutons

Broccoli and cheese make a fantastic combo. Instead of using cheese in the soup, we top here the soup with some halloumi croutons that add a chewy bite to the soup and make it also more nourishing.

To make halloumi croutons, simply cube the halloumi into about ½ inch (1,3 cm) bites and sauté then in a frying pan placed over medium-high heat, with just a little bit of oil. If using too much oil, the halloumi will become soggy rather than crispy. At the very end, drizzle just a little bit of honey, then add the remaining lemon zest. It’s ready!

Other topping ideas and serving suggestions

This dill broccoli soup is perfect, simply topped with the honey halloumi croutons. But you can of course play with the toppings, and serve the soup with various toasts or sandwiches. Here are just a few ideas:

• Top with sesame seeds or with this savory granola
• Add some roasted chickpeas on top (see how to roast chickpeas here)
• Add a side of multiseed no-knead bread or homemade crackers
• Serve along with an avocado toast or a homemade sandwich of choice

More vegetable soup ideas:

• Roasted Cauliflower Soup with Sage
• Grandma’s Nourishing Lentil Soup
• Roasted Garlic Butternut Soup
• Thai Sweet Potato Soup
• Curried Red Lentil and Split Pea Soup

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