Dairy-free cream of broccoli soup built on rutabaga, coconut milk, and bone broth

Rutabaga is not an ingredient most of us grew up cooking, and the waxed skin on the ones from the grocery store can make peeling it feel like its own small project. Once it is cut into chunks and simmered, though, it breaks down into something silky enough to pass for cream, and the whole soup comes together in 1 pot with almost no technique required.

Broccoli is rich in vitamin C, tied to the same repair work a body managing Autoimmunity is doing every day, and the coconut milk stirred in at the end gives the soup richness without a trace of dairy. Nothing here is exotic or hard to find, just a vegetable drawer and a can of coconut milk, turned into something that tastes like it asked more of you than it did.

Blend it to whatever texture feels good today, chunky or smooth, top it with diced avocado, and let a bowl this quiet be enough.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon solid cooking fat
• 1 large yellow onion
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large rutabaga (about 3/4 pound), cut into 1-inch chunks
• 3 cups bone broth
• 1 lb broccoli, florets and stems, chopped
• 1 cup mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 1/2 cups coconut milk (about 1 can, additive-free)
• 1 avocado, for garnish

Method

Warm the cooking fat in a large pot over medium heat. Slice the onion and add it, cooking until it softens and turns translucent. Stir in the minced garlic and let it cook for a minute until fragrant.

Add the rutabaga chunks and the bone broth. Bring the pot to a simmer, cover, and let it cook until the rutabaga is starting to turn tender, around 10 minutes. This head start matters, since rutabaga takes longer to soften than the broccoli.

Add the chopped broccoli, the sliced mushrooms, the water, and the sea salt. Return to a simmer, cover again, and cook until everything is fully tender, about 10 to 15 minutes more.

Pour in the coconut milk and stir to combine. Now blend to the texture you like. For a chunky soup, blend only part of it with an immersion blender and leave the rest whole. For a smoother bowl, blend more or all of it. Taste and adjust the salt.

Ladle into bowls and top each with sliced or diced avocado.

Instant Pot variation

Set the Instant Pot to Saute and warm the fat, then soften the onion and garlic as above. Add the rutabaga, bone broth, broccoli, mushrooms, water, and salt. Lock the lid, set to high pressure for 5 minutes, and let the pressure release naturally for a few minutes before a quick release. Stir in the coconut milk, blend to your texture, and garnish with avocado. (Pressure time is a reasonable estimate and untested - verify before relying on it.)

*Adapted from autoimmunewellness.com*