Autumn Recipes: The Ultimate Broccoli & Blue Cheese Soup Recipe

When the temperature drops and comfort food calls, Executive Chef and Ravish Mag columnist Paul Watters delivers exactly what the season demands — bold flavours, silky textures, and recipes that make autumn feel like a warm embrace.

His latest dish, a rich and comforting broccoli and blue cheese soup, brings together earthy vegetables, punchy cheese and a touch of indulgence. Perfect for cosy evenings, slow Sundays, or whenever you need a bowl of something restorative, Paul’s autumn creation is the kind of recipe that turns simple ingredients into something special.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp rapeseed oil
• 1 onion, peeled and chopped
• 2 sticks celery, washed and chopped
• 1 large or 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 litre chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 head of broccoli, roughly cut (including stalks)
• 160g blue cheese, crumbled
• 1 handful frozen peas
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 4 tbsp double cream
• A few picked flat-leaf parsley leaves
• Black pepper, to season

Method

1. Sweat the vegetables:
   Heat the rapeseed oil in a pot or large saucepan. Add the chopped onion and cook over medium heat until soft. (Chef tip: add a splash of water to stop the onions catching.)
2. Add celery, potato and butter:
   Stir in the celery, diced potato and butter. Once the butter has melted, cover with a lid and cook for 5 minutes. Remove the lid afterwards.
3. Add stock and broccoli stalks:
   Pour in the stock along with the broccoli stalks. Simmer for 10–15 minutes until the stalks are soft.
4. Add the broccoli florets:
   Add the remaining broccoli and continue cooking until just tender.
5. Blend the soup:
   Carefully transfer the mixture to a blender and blitz until smooth, or use a hand blender in the pan. Return the soup to the heat.
6. Add the blue cheese:
   Stir in the crumbled blue cheese, allowing a few small lumps to remain for texture.
7. Cook the thyme peas:
   In a small pan, boil the peas in a little water with one sprig of thyme until cooked. Drain.
8. Season and serve:
   Season the soup with black pepper. Ladle into bowls, drizzle with a little double cream, and spoon over the cooked peas. Garnish with a sprig of thyme and picked flat-leaf parsley

About Paul Watters

“I grew up in Belfast, Northern Ireland and have spent 30 years working within the hospitality industry. Cooking has always been my biggest passion, having discovered the love of food and cooking at just 16, there was no other career path for me.”

“I have been incredibly fortunate to have worked in many upscale kitchens including the Savoy in London and Sydney Opera House in Australia. Over the years it has been a pleasure to have had the opportunity to gain irreplaceable knowledge and precious experience whilst travelling the world, discovering different cultures and meeting some colourful culinary characters along the way.”

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