Creamy Brussels Sprouts Soup

This creamy Brussels sprout soup is perfect for warming you up, no matter the season! It is a simple recipe form my Czech kitchen that is super easy to whip up and even picky eaters will love it.

The recipe comes from the Czech Republic, a small, hearty country in Central Europe. 

Brussels sprouts are a cool-weather cuisine staple vegetable here, and their season begins in September and lasts until spring. It is an ideal ingredient for winter cooking. In the cold months, Brussels sprouts serve as an excellent source of vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

Czechs call Brussels sprouts růžičková kapusta.

MY TIP: Try Czech sauerkraut soup, aka zelnacka (it tastes fantastic!)

➜ Full list of Ingredients

➜ Instructions with Photos

STEP 1: Rinse the Brussel sprouts and remove any wilted outer leaves. Using a sharp knife, peel the potato and cut it into cubes. Peel and chop the onion finely; also peel and slice the garlic.

STEP 2: In a large pot, boil the water, and salt it properly; about the same as for pasta, so rather more salt. Carefully drop in about a third of the brussels sprouts and cook for 10 minutes. Then drain the water and cover the sprouts with cold water. Later, you will put the heads prepared in this way into the soup.

Quarter the remaining two-thirds of the heads.

STEP 3: Heat the fat in a large saucepan or a soup pot over medium-high heat and saute onion while stirring until lightly golden brown. Add the quartered sprouts, chopped potato, and garlic. Sauté for about 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently.

Kitchen tip: I used my dutch oven for making the soup. It is ideal for preparing dishes that need to be sautéed before cooking to give them a better flavor.

STEP 4: Pour in the broth, and add salt. Bring the soup to a boil, then turn the heat down to a minimum and cover with a lid. Cook for about 15-20 minutes until the sprouts and potatoes are soft.

STEP 5: Remove the pot from the stove, and add dried marjoram. Rub it in between your fingers beforehand (1). Pour in the heavy cream (2). Finally, blend the soup with an immersion blender (3). Do not boil anymore.

STEP 6: Season with wine vinegar, sugar, or salt if needed. Stir well.

STEP 7: Finally, quarter a third of the sprouts you have previously cooked, and add them to the soup. Before serving, let these sprouts warm up in the soup for a while.

➜ Serving

Serve the Brussels sprout soup for lunch before the main course or for dinner. You can throw a handful of bread croutons into the bowl or get a slice of crusty bread with it.

Give the soup an extra boost: You can add crispy fried bacon strips to the soup if you miss the flavor and aroma of meat in your bowl of soup.

If you prepare the soup with vegetable stock and vegetable oil, you will get a great comforting soup that you can have for instance as a perfect vegetarian dinner. 

➜ Storage and Reheating

Storage: Allow the soup to cool to room temperature before storing it in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days.

Freezing: Because it contains dairy, this soup should not be frozen. Reheating the soup after it’s been frozen can cause it to have an unpleasant texture and it may separate.

Reheating: When you get a craving for another batch of soup, reheat it in the microwave or on the stove until everything is heated through.

➜ Useful Tips

• The method of cooking the sprouts in boiling salted water followed by shock cooling is called blanching. The cold water stops the brussels sprouts from boiling and gives them a beautiful green color. The Brussels sprouts will be pleasantly crisp to the bite, not mushy.
• Don't forget to finish the soup with vinegar and sugar. This combo will give the soup delightful tangy flavors. Use freshly squeezed lemon juice instead of wine vinegar.
• The soup is gluten-free by nature. There is no flour or roux in it; the creamy texture is achieved by blending the veggies, which also thickens the soup.

More tasty soups:

• Czech garlic soup – cesnecka
• Goulash soup – gulasovka
• Sauerkraut soup – zelnacka

You will find more inspiration in the Czech soups category.