Food and Recipes Dish Soup Broccoli-Spinach Soup with Parmesan Croutons Be the first to rate & review! Fresh broccoli and spinach partner up in this creamy, fresh take on a winter classic soup. To keep the color vibrant, after you blanch the vegetables, cool them down with cold water before adding them to the blender. The parmesan croutons will give your favorite main dish salads an extra boost in taste and texture – make a double batch and keep a container on your kitchen counter. By Southern Living Test Kitchen Southern Living Test Kitchen The Southern Living Test Kitchen has been publishing recipes since 1970, four years after the first issue of Southern Living Magazine appeared on newsstands. The Southern Living Test Kitchen team includes a team of professionals with deep expertise in recipe development, from pastry chefs and grilling experts to nutritionists and dietitians. Together, the team tests and retests, produces, styles, and photographs thousands of recipes each year in the state-of-the-art test kitchen facility located in Birmingham, Alabama. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Published on January 10, 2020 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling; Heather Chadduck Hillegas; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Active Time: 30 mins Total Time: 30 mins Yield: 4 serves Ingredients 2 tablespoons plus 2 3/4 tsp. kosher salt, divided 2 (10-oz.) pkg. fresh broccoli florets, divided (about 8 cups) 1 pound fresh baby spinach (about 16 cups) 2 cups unsalted chicken stock 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves 1/2 cup half-and-half 3/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided 4 ounces French bread, torn into 1-inch pieces 2 ounces Parmesan cheese, shredded (about 1/2 cup) 1/4 cup olive oil, divided 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (from 1 small lemon) Directions Preheat oven to 425°F. Bring 4 quarts water and 2 tablespoons of the salt to a boil in a large pot over high. Set 1 cup of the broccoli aside. Add remaining broccoli to pot, and cook 3 minutes. Add spinach, pushing down to submerge in water. Cook 1 minute or until broccoli is tender and spinach is wilted. Remove 1 cup cooking liquid; set aside. Drain in a colander, discarding remaining cooking liquid. Run cold water over broccoli and spinach, draining well, until cool, 2 to 3 minutes. Process cooked, cooled broccoli and spinach, 1 cup reserved cooking liquid, stock, and parsley in a blender until smooth, 1 minute. Transfer to pot; stir in half-and-half, 2 1/2 teaspoons of the salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper. Toss together bread, Parmesan, and 3 tablespoons of the oil. Place in 1 layer on 1 side of a greased rimmed baking sheet. Toss reserved 1 cup broccoli with remaining 1 tablespoon oil and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Place in a single layer on other side of baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven until broccoli is tender and bread is toasted, 7 to 9 minutes. Gently reheat soup over medium until steaming, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in lemon juice. Ladle soup into bowls, and top with roasted broccoli and croutons. Rate it Print