Crispy Broccoli and Sumac Soup

This hearty, easy soup is packed with brain health nutrients. Sumac is a berry that’s dried and pulverized into a powder. Its brick-red hue and lemony ping of tartness pairs well with so many foods. I love how the brightness of the sumac pairs with the earthy potato and broccoli in this soup.

Sumac is also good on hummus, avocado toast, roasted cauliflower, and as part of a homemade za’atar.

Tips:

• Don’t rush the step where you sauté the onions; cooking them for a full 8 minutes adds a nutty sweetness to the soup.
• You can use an air fryer to crisp the broccoli florets instead of the oven if you like. Or, skip the crispy broccoli floret topping entirely if it’s too much trouble. Just add those florets into the soup with the rest of the broccoli and adjust the finished soup with more broth as needed. A sprinkle of pumpkin seeds can stand in for the crunchy element.
• A powerful blender works well to achieve a creamy consistency, but feel free to use a stick blender for a slightly chunkier soup and easier cleanup.
• If you don’t love cooking with turmeric, skip it. It adds a slightly bitter note but the soup is really great without it.
• For a bright green soup, soak the pistachios in water for a few minutes and gently rub off and discard most of the skins before adding them to the soup.

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

1 large head of broccoli (¾ pound total), end trimmed

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling 1 large yellow onion, chopped, about 1½ cups

1¼ teaspoons kosher salt

1 large clove garlic, minced

¼ cup raw pistachios or cashews

1 medium russet potato (about 5 ounces), peeled and diced 4 cups vegetable broth, chicken broth, or water

1 teaspoon ground sumac or sweet paprika, plus more for sprinkling

½ teaspoon ground turmeric

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup fresh lemon juice Flaky salt (optional)

Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 400ºF. Cut 1 cup of the smallest florets from the broccoli head and toss them on a small rimmed baking sheet with 1 tablespoon of the oil and ¼ teaspoon salt. Leave some space between the florets, which encourages them to get extra crispy. Roast for 20 minutes, or until the florets are brown and crispy. Set aside.

Meanwhile, roughly chop the rest of the head into 2-inch pieces, then peel and trim the stem and chop into 2-inch pieces. (You should have about 4 cups total of florets and stem pieces.)

Warm 1 tablespoon of oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent and starting to brown, about 8 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add the broccoli pieces, pistachios, potato, broth, sumac, turmeric, and black pepper to the onions. Increase the heat to medium-high until the soup is gently bubbling. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the broccoli and potoato pieces are easily pierced with a knife.

Transfer the soup to a blender with the lemon juice and puree until smooth, thinning with water as needed to adjust the consistency to your liking.

Serve hot, topped with the crispy broccoli florets, a drizzle of olive oil, a dusting of sumac, and flaky salt, if you like.