This broccoli zucchini soup is a creamy green soup made with broccoli, zucchini, potato, white beans, peas and Greek yoghurt. It works well for meal prep because it has vegetables, carbs and protein built in, instead of being a bowl of blended vegetables that leaves you hungry 43 minutes later.
I recently made this again after coming back from overseas when my body was basically begging for vegetables. Green soups can look healthy and they do tick the vegetable box, but they're usually not filling enough for lunch.
Mine is made with added protein from the beans, peas and yogurt, and has enough substance to work as a lunch during a busy week. Plus, I've fixed the dull green problem you sometimes get by adjusting the timing of when to add the veggies.
TL;DR
- Servings: 4
- Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 30 minutes
- Meal prep: Great for meal prep because it includes vegetables from broccoli, zucchini and peas, carbs from potato and protein from white beans and Greek yoghurt. Pair with toast, croutons, rice or extra protein if you want a bigger meal.
- Fridge storage: 4-5 days. Stir before reheating as a small amount of clear liquid may settle on top.
- Freezer storage: 3-6 months.
- Reheating: Reheat gently on the stove for about 5 minutes or in the microwave in 1-minute intervals for 2-4 minutes, stirring regularly.
- Customise: Add basil, chilli, lemon, extra herbs, more white beans, extra potato or a splash of milk to adjust the flavour and texture.
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Why you'll love this recipe
Creamy. By swapping heavy creams with Greek yogurt, I keep the creaminess but make it more meal prep friendly like my creamy gochujang chicken pasta and beef stroganoff without cream.
7 vegetables. Perfect for adding in those extra veg come the winter months, like my chicken minestrone soup.
Winter warmer. Soups are perfect to keep those insides warm during the winter months like my pumpkin soup without stock and red lentil chorizo soup.
Ingredients
Broccoli. Florets and stalks can both be used, so do not waste the stalks; just chop off the woody end, about 1 cm, and cut the rest into small pieces so they soften quickly.
Potato. A starchy potato like Russet, Idaho or Yukon Gold helps thicken the soup naturally and adds carbohydrates, which makes this broccoli vegetable soup more useful as a meal prep option.
Vegetable stock. Vegetable stock keeps the recipe vegetarian, but homemade chicken stock can be used if you prefer more depth of flavour. If using store-bought stock, choose one without too much added salt so you can season the soup properly yourself.
Frozen peas. Peas add sweetness, protein and colour. Add them at the end before blending to help keep the soup greener. Plus, they do not actually need to be cooked.
White beans. Cannellini beans or butter beans work well because they blend smoothly and make the soup creamy without cream.
White wine vinegar. This might feel like a weird addition, but acidity is usually what a flat-tasting soup is missing. A small amount of vinegar lifts the flavour without making the soup taste vinegary.
Seasoning. This is where you are going to add the most amount of flavour. I use a combination of an Italian herb mix, fresh basil, salt, pepper and even a little bit of chilli.
Please check the recipe card for full list of ingredients and quantity. See below for substitutions and variations.
Substitutions and variations
White beans. Cannellini beans, butter beans or great northern beans are the best options because they blend smoothly and keep the soup creamy. Chickpeas can work, but they create a slightly grainier texture and a stronger flavour.
Add a hint of spice. Zak loves a hint of spice so will add in some fresh chillis on top or some chilli oil. You could also add this directly into the mixture.
Vegetable stock. If you are not vegetarian, you can substitute for a different kind of stock like chicken or beef and get a more intense savoury flavour.
Topping options. You can have a heap of different topping options from croutons to yogurt, to fresh chilli to herbs, even a drizzle of balsamic - go nuts (that is what I do - especially with Mum's pumpkin soup).
How to make zucchini broccoli soup
Step 1: Heat olive oil in a large deep pan or soup pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and fragrant. Then, add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Do not let it brown too much or it can taste bitter.
Step 2: Add broccoli, zucchini, potato and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil (approx. 10 minutes), then reduce the heat to a low simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes.,
Step 3: After the 15-20 minutes the broccoli stalks and potato should be soft enough to pierce easily with a fork and the stock should have reduced slightly. If it hasn't, keep on the heat for a further 5-10 minutes and then try again.
Step 4: Turn the heat off and let the soup cool slightly for about 5 minutes. Add white beans, Greek yoghurt, white wine vinegar, Italian herbs, peas, salt and pepper. Taking it off the heat matters because Greek yoghurt can split or curdle if added directly to boiling soup.
Step 5: Use a stick blender to blend until smooth, or leave it slightly textured if you prefer. If the soup is too thick, add extra stock a little at a time until it reaches your preferred consistency. Make sure you taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.
Step 6: Serve with your choice of toppings e.g. yogurt, croutons, chilli oil, fresh herbs etc.
Lauren's Top Tips
Do not overcook the greens. If you want a vibrant green soup, cook the broccoli and zucchini only until tender and add the peas right before blending.
Season after blending. Stock, beans and yoghurt can all affect the saltiness, so blend first and then taste and adjust with more salt, pepper, acidity or additional flavours like your Italian herbs and chilli.
Let the soup cool before adding yoghurt. Adding Greek yoghurt to boiling soup can make it split, so turn off the heat and wait a few minutes first.
Meal prepping zucchini broccoli soup
This broccoli zucchini soup is an easy meal prep option because it has a better balance than most green soups. You get vegetables from broccoli, zucchini and peas, carbohydrates from potato, and protein from white beans and Greek yoghurt. That means it works as a proper lunch, not just a warm drink pretending to be a meal.
It also works well as part of a bigger meal prep. Pair it with toast, sourdough, croutons, rice, roasted potatoes, a cheese toastie or a side of some leftover roast chicken if you want a more filling dinner. I really like serving a soup with a salad (I think I like the combo of having something really hot and something really cold).
Storing
Store the soup in airtight containers in the fridge for 4-5 days.
The soup may slightly split or develop a thin clear layer on top after sitting in the fridge. That is usually just stock separating, so stir it before reheating and it will come back together.
The bright green colour may fade after about day 2. It is still fine to eat if stored correctly; it just will not look as vibrant as it did on day one.
Reheating
To reheat on the stove, add the soup to a saucepan and warm over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Keep the heat gentle because the Greek yoghurt can split if the soup is boiled hard.
To reheat in the microwave, transfer one portion to a microwave-safe bowl or reheat it in a glass meal prep container. Heat on medium power in 1-minute intervals for 2-4 minutes, stirring between each interval so the middle heats properly.
Soup often needs longer in the microwave than you think because it has depth in the bowl or container. Stirring is important so you do not end up with hot edges and a cold middle.
Freezing
Allow the soup to cool at room temperature for no more than 2 hours before freezing. Portion the cooled soup into freezer-safe containers, ziplock bags or souper cubes, leaving a little room because the soup will expand as it freezes.
In the picture, you can see that I have frozen this in two different sizes. I do the 2 cup souper cubes for when I want this to be my whole meal (perhaps with a side of bread or croutons), and then 1 cup souper cubes for when I will pair it with something a little extra like my chicken caesar pasta salad.
Lauren's Meal Prep Tip
Freeze the soup in single portions if you plan to use it for work lunches. A frozen cube or container is much easier to fit into a week than a giant tub of soup you suddenly need to eat four days in a row.
If you want more meal prep information, check out my Meal Prep for Beginners post and my Meal Prep Basics E-Book.
FAQs
Use starchy potato, white beans or both. They blend into the soup and make it creamy without needing heavy cream.
Broccoli, zucchini and peas can lose their bright green colour when overcooked or stored for several days. Add the peas right before blending and avoid simmering the vegetables longer than needed. If the colour really concerns you, try eating it within the first couple of days and freezing the rest asap to hold the colour.
Other soups and stews recipes you'll like
Or, you can have a browse through my Soups and Stews category for more delicious eats.
Recipe
Broccoli Zucchini Soup with White Beans and Peas
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Equipment
- Dutch oven, or large pot (at least 5L)
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 brown onion
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 zucchini
- 1 broccoli, head and stalk
- 2 potatoes, all-rounder, see note 1
- 1 L (4 cups) vegetable stock
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 400 g (14 oz) white beans, approx.1 can
- 1.5 Greek yoghurt
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar , subs note 2
- 2 tablespoon Italian herbs
- 4 basil leaves , or approx.1 tablespoon dried
- salt and pepper , to taste
Instructions
Prepare
- Cut ends off 1 zucchini and roughly chop.Cut woody end off 1 broccoli stalk and roughly chop.Peel and roughly chop 4 garlic cloves, 2 potatoes and 1 brown onion.
- Drain and rinse 400 g (14 oz) white beans
Cook
- Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Add 1 brown onion and cook until fragrant (approx. 2 minutes). Then add 4 garlic cloves and cook for another minute.
- Add zucchini, broccoli, potatoes 1 L (4 cups) vegetable stockBring to a boil then reduce the heat to a low simmer. Cook for at least 15 minutes or until the broccoli stems and potatoes have softened.
- Remove from the heat for at least 5 minutes and then add 1 cup frozen peas, 400 g (14 oz) white beans, 1.5 Greek yoghurt, 1 tbsp white wine vinegar , 2 tbsp Italian herbs , 4 basil leaves , salt and pepper
- Using a stick blender, blend until smooth or desired texture.Note - if eating straight away, you may want to pop it back on low heat for approx. 5 minutes depending how warm you like it.
Wendy
Such a perfect, cozy bowl of gorgeous green power!
athletelunchbox
Thank you so much! I love the green this time of year!
FM
Is there milk or no milk? It’s in the ingredients but not in the recipe?
athletelunchbox
Hi Fiona, apologies, that's an oversight on my part. You add the milk at the same time as the yogurt 🙂