broccoli-tahini-soup

Fall has officially returned, and with it my penchant for soups. This broccoli tahini bisque is almost as easy to make as it is luscious. Yeah, “luscious.” You read that right!

Restaurant Week wasn’t something I’d ever taken note of, probably on account of the fact that I’m not a middle-aged rich suburbanite foodie. So it was purely coincidental that the first time I went to G-Zen, a fancy vegan restaurant in Branford, was during Restaurant Week. Really, it was serendipitous, because G-Zen is expensive, and my partner and I got to try a half dozen of their dishes for the price of one meal. The first thing I tasted was their broccoli tahini bisque, and it completely blew me away. Though I’ve tried a dozen or so of their offerings since, I remain convinced that this soup is one of their best dishes.

As such, I was compelled to either make my own rendition of this soup or embark on a career of robbing banks to support my shamefully expensive soup habit. After some careful deliberation, I chose the former path. Having read a little bit about G-Zen’s philosophy, I knew that my central task would be to keep the preparation simple. The resultant dish is truly a celebration of broccoli. Jesus. This soup!

5.0 from 4 reviews
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Broccoli Tahini Bisque
Author: 
Recipe type: Main
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 2-4 servings
 
Enrobed in silky tahini and rounded out with bold garlicky aroma, this soup is broccoli at its most luxurious.
Ingredients
  • 5 c broccoli (about 2 crowns), broken into florets
  • 1 c spinach, optional
  • 1½ c vegetable stock
  • 2 Tbsp tahini
  • 2 Tbsp raw cashews
  • 1 small garlic clove
  • ½ tsp salt (reduce or eliminate if your stock contains salt)
  • sesame seeds and freshly ground pepper, for serving
Instructions
  1. Steam broccoli until bright green and just tender.
  2. Transfer broccoli to a blender, add remaining ingredients, and blend until completely smooth.
  3. If using a high speed blender, you can continue blending until the soup is hot, or transfer to a medium pot and heat on stove just until it's heated through.
  4. Serve hot, garnished with sesame seeds and freshly ground pepper.
Notes
As you'd expect, you'll want to use the best broccoli you can find. If your broccoli is fresh, you'll be able to easily snap florets off the stalk; they should not be wilted and bendable. You can use both florets and stalks in this soup, but take care to trim off any tough ends (usually toward the base of the stalk).

The spinach is completely optional, but why not sneak a little extra nutrition in?

If you don't have cashews on hand, you can omit them and add an extra tablespoon of tahini.
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