This soup is a tasty alternative to cream of broccoli. You will not even miss the cream. A hand blender is recommended but the soup can be pureed in a conventional blender. If you use a regular blender, allow the mixture to cool before blending and blend it in batches.

Three Large Broccoli Crowns Roughly Chopped
30 Ounces Of Canned Cannellini Beans Drained And Rinsed
Five Minced Garlic Cloves
One Peeled Garlic Clove Cut In Half
A Cup Of Roughly Chopped Red Onion
Two Teaspoons Of Crushed Red Pepper Flakes (Or More If You Like Spicy Food)
¼ Teaspoon Of Black Pepper
A Tablespoon Of Sea Salt Or Salt Substitute (Optional)

Combine the broccoli, the garlic, the red onion, the crushed red pepper flakes, the black pepper, and the salt in a large soup pot. Add enough cold water to just cover the broccoli. Bring the mixture to a boil. When it reaches its boiling point, turn the heat down to medium and simmer partially covered for 10 minutes. Add the cannellini beans. Continue to simmer partially covered for 30 minutes.

Using the hand blender, puree the mixture until you get the consistency that you like. It is perfectly fine to have small chunks of broccoli present in the soup. Taste and add more crushed red pepper flakes, black pepper, and/or salt, to taste. Keep the soup on low heat until you are ready to serve it.

Toast some Italian bread. While the bread is still hot, rub it with a peeled garlic clove (cut side down). Cut the toast into cubes. Use these croutons to garnish your soup.