If you’re looking for a cozy, vegetable-packed soup recipe that’s easy to make and full of flavor, this broccoli and kohlrabi soup deserves a spot on your meal plan. It’s one of those soups that feels nourishing, tastes incredibly smooth, and uses ingredients that are often overlooked in everyday cooking—especially kohlrabi. Many people know broccoli well, but kohlrabi is still a bit of a hidden gem in American kitchens.

In Europe, especially in home gardens, it grows plentifully in spring and early summer, making it a reliable and affordable ingredient. When paired with broccoli, it creates a beautifully green, velvety soup that is comforting on rainy days and cooler summer evenings.

If you’re new to cooking with kohlrabi, this soup is a great place to start—and chances are, it will become a recipe you’ll keep coming back to.

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What Is Kohlrabi and Why You Should Use It More Often

Kohlrabi is one of those vegetables that deserves far more attention than it gets. It belongs to the brassica family—the same group as broccoli, cabbage, kale, and Brussels sprouts—but its flavor is much milder and sweeter. Its crisp texture makes it excellent for salads, slaws, roasting, or stir-fries, yet it also transforms beautifully in soups.

Because it grows well in cooler climates, it’s easy to find at farmers’ markets in spring and early summer. If you’ve ever walked past kohlrabi not knowing what to do with it, this recipe is the perfect first step.

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Where the idea for this soup came from

Some ingredient combinations aren’t immediately obvious, yet they work remarkably well. Broccoli and kohlrabi together in one soup? Honestly, it would never have crossed my mind—until years ago, at a family gathering at my in-laws, I tasted a delicious broccoli–parsnip soup. It was the very first time I had broccoli in a soup, and I was instantly hooked. That soft, full-bodied flavor was completely different from the classic vegetable soups I grew up with.

Later that year, our garden broccoli was about to bolt, and with all the rain, the kohlrabi bulbs just kept getting bigger and bigger. They desperately needed harvesting because once these vegetables grow too large, they quickly lose their tenderness. And that’s how it happened: I harvested everything and made a big pot of soup. Since then, this recipe has become a staple in our home—especially in summers when the weather disappoints and I crave soup for lunch rather than a salad.

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A Perfect Soup for Rainy Days

This soup came to life during one of those summers when it just wouldn’t stop raining. No warm evenings, no outdoor dinners—just gray skies and drizzle. During such stretches, a warm bowl of soup feels extra comforting. While I anxiously watched the tomatoes struggle to ripen, the broccoli and kohlrabi thrived happily. They seem to love moist soil and don’t mind gloomy weather at all.

And honestly, those dreary days are perfect for staying indoors, warming up the kitchen, and enjoying a fragrant pot of soup simmering on the stove. This recipe is made for exactly that kind of moment.

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Why Broccoli and Kohlrabi Work So Well Together

The main reason I combine these vegetables is practical: both are sown early in the season and ready for harvest in spring. The downside is that as summer approaches, they can quickly bolt or grow oversized. Suddenly you must harvest all at once… and soup becomes the ideal solution.

But flavor-wise, the combination is perfect too. Together they create a smooth, green soup that’s mild but satisfying—light enough for lunch, yet filling enough for dinner.

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Ingredients for a Large Pot of Soup (about 3.5 liters / 3.7 quarts)

• 3 onions
• 2 heads of broccoli
• 2 large kohlrabies (or 4 small ones)
• 2 liters vegetable broth (about 8 ½ cups)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Optional: 1 potato for extra creaminess and thickness

Time needed:
Prep: 15 minutes – Cooking: 30 minutes – Total: 45 minutes

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How to Make Broccoli and Kohlrabi Soup – Step by Step

1. Prepare the vegetables

Peel the onions and kohlrabi. Cut everything into coarse chunks. You can include the broccoli stems—they add lots of flavor and blend beautifully smooth.

2. Sauté the vegetables

Sauté the onions, broccoli, and kohlrabi in a large pot with a bit of oil or butter.
I like to let my vegetables brown slightly when making soup. It adds a deeper flavor. On a rainy day, that smell of sautéing vegetables feels especially cosy.

Let everything soften gently until the vegetables begin to cook through.

3. Add the broth

Once the vegetables start to soften, add the vegetable broth. Homemade broth is wonderful, but store-bought bouillon cubes dissolved in water work perfectly too. Sometimes I make broth from garden vegetable scraps, but with five big eaters in the house, convenience often wins.

Bring the soup to a boil and let it simmer for about 20 minutes.

4. Blend and season

Blend the soup with an immersion blender until smooth.
Taste and season with pepper and a little salt.
Note: Bouillon cubes usually contain salt, so always taste before adding more.

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Variations

This soup is delicious as-is, but it’s also very forgiving and easy to customize.

Extra vegetables that go well with this soup

If you have leftover veggies in the fridge, this soup is a great way to use them. Stick to white or green vegetables to keep the color beautiful:

• Potato (adds thickness)
• Leek
• Celery root (use sparingly, strong flavor)
• A handful of spinach at the end for a deep green color

I wouldn’t recommend carrots or tomatoes—they turn the soup orange or red, which is less appealing for this recipe.

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Serving Ideas

Soup can be as simple or luxurious as you want. Keep it light for an easy lunch, or turn it into a cozy bowl of comfort.

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Storing, Freezing, or Canning (Water Bath)

• Fridge: Without milk or cream, this soup keeps for up to 1 week.
• Freezer: Freeze in portions for quick lunches or dinners.
• Canning (Wecken): You can safely can this soup.
  • Process for 120 minutes at 100°C (212°F).
  • Always bring canned soup to a full boil before serving.

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Tips for the Perfect Broccoli–Kohlrabi Soup

• Sautéing is key. It deepens the flavor—even if it adds a few extra minutes.
• Blend thoroughly, especially if you included broccoli stems.
• Watch the ratios. Kohlrabi has a fresh, pronounced flavor; too much can dominate.
• Use fresh vegetables. Broccoli loses quality quickly when it gets old.

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Serving Suggestion: Simple Comfort Food

A warm bowl of this soup with a slice of toast and melted cheese… sometimes that’s all you need.
Or enjoy it as a light lunch with a thick slice of sourdough bread—perfect for a drizzly day indoors.

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