Name: Vegan Broccoli Cheese Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1/2 cup raw cashews; 1/2 cup nutritional yeast; 4 cups vegetable broth; 4 tablespoons dairy free butter; 1 cup Yellow onion ( - diced small); 1/2 cup All-purpose flour; 4 cups dairy-free milk ( - unsweetened); 4 cups broccoli florets; 2 cups carrots ( - grated); 1/2 teaspoon paprika; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

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This Vegan Broccoli Cheese Soup recipe is comfort food at it's best. Loaded with broccoli and grated carrot for extra flavor.

Centered navy bowl filled with cheese soup and b roccoli.

It's a creamy vegan broccoli soup that is filled with texture. It's not hard to make and you only need about 30 minutes.

Blended vegetable broth, nutritional yeast, and cashews make a thick and cheesy flavor that is stirred into the base.

Unsweetened almond milk makes it creamy too. You can substitute coconut milk or coconut cream if you prefer those dairy free flavors. They are both equally delicious. Just make sure you buy the unsweetened varieties.

Broccoli cheddar soup is extremely popular and I like the addition of 'cashew cheese' instead of store-bought vegan cheese. It really makes the soup creamy and the broccoli florets add to the texture,

Tilted stockpot is full of the finished broccoli cheese soup vegan style.

Table of Contents

Ingredients

Raw cashews make a creamy cheese base.
Nutritional yeast turns the cashews into a cheesy flavor.
Vegetable broth thins out the cheese and the soup.
Dairy-free butter is best for making the roux.
Yellow onion is best for the flavor of this soup.
All-purpose flour thickens the dairy-free butter so the creamy soup can be created,
Unsweetened dairy-free milk adds more creaminess. You can switch out half of this for the thicker canned coconut milk/cream.
Broccoli florets add a delicious and healthy texture.
Carrots add a mildly sweetened texture that balances perfectly with the 'cheesy' flavor.
Paprika, garlic powder, dry mustard, salt, and pepper adds flavor, flavor, and more flavor.

Tilted bowl of soup in front of a full soup pot.

Instructions

Place the raw cashews, nutritional yeast, and 2 cups of vegetable broth in a blender. Blend until smooth.
Melt the dairy-free butter at medium-high heat in a large stockpot and add the diced onion. Sauté until soft and translucent. About 4 to 5 minutes. Stirring frequently.
Add the flour and stir and cook over medium heat for about a minute. This cooks out the raw taste of the flour.

Two photos showing sautéing onion and then stirring in the flour.

Slowly whisk in the dairy free milk and then the remaining vegetable broth. It will thicken as it heats up.
Cook stirring constantly until it thickens and add all of the spices. If it seems too thick you can add a touch more liquid.

Two photos showing thickening the base with dairy free dream and adding spices.

Stir in the broccoli, grated carrot, and the blended 'cashew cheese'.
Continue to cook over medium heat and simmer for about 10 minutes until the broccoli is fork tender.
Serve hot.

Two photos showing adding vegetables to the soup and then the dairy free cheese.

FAQ's

Can you make the whole soup creamy?

Yes! That is often done. After the soup is done let it cool quite a bit and then blend it in a blender until smooth. If it is hot it may 'explode' up out of the top when starting to blend. This probably has to be done in two or three batches. Then reheat.

Can I use the broccoli stems too?

Yes, but this will take a little more time. Pare the stems and chop small. Steam or sauté about 10 minutes until partially cooked. Then they can be added in the soup when the florets are added.

Can I use store-bought vegan cheese?

I really wouldn't. It may not melt and the flavor may not be up to par for a soup. If you have a vegan cheddar cheese that you love then you can try it. An immersion blender will probably make it smooth if it doesn't melt.

Can I freeze this broccoli soup recipe?

Yes, if you didn't use coconut milk as the dairy free milk. Not the one in the can but carton coconut milk. It tends to get grainy when frozen in soups.

Close up of a ladle full of a creamy broccoli cheese soup recipe.

Chefs tips

Dice the onion small so that there aren't any large pieces. You want the onion but not in chunks.
If you'd like to have the complete recipe creamy you can use an immersion blender when everything is done.
You can see the size of the chopped broccoli in the photos. Chop it small like this so it will cook quickly and evenly.

How to store & reheat homemade broccoli soup

Refrigerator any leftovers for up to 3 days.
In the microwave, you can put it in a small bowl and cover it loosely with a paper towel. Heat on high 2 minutes and stir. Continue at 30 second increments until the soup is hot.
If you are heating on the stovetop then pour the soup into a saucepan. Heat over medium high heat stirring occasionally.

Overhead stockpot full of creamy golden soup with vegetables.

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