For an easy and satisfying homemade meal, make this cheesy vegan broccoli soup recipe.
It’s dairy-free yet wonderfully creamy, owing to ingredients like potatoes, carrots, and plant-based milk. It also calls for nutritional yeast and fresh dill, which lend a cheesy flavor to the soup.
Simply cook the ingredients, blend them together, then mix in the broccoli. The result is healthy and satisfying vegan soup that’s perfect for chilly days.
Serve this cheesy vegan broccoli soup with a Vegan BLT Sandwich to make it a meal. For an extra cheesy dish, add a spoonful of Vegan Parmesan Cheese on top.
Table of Contents
Key Ingredients
- Potatoes. Once cooked and pureed, potatoes lend a creamy consistency in this soup.
- Carrots. Aside from adding a natural orange color, carrots offer flavor and nutrients.
- Nutritional yeast. No vegan “cheese” dish is complete without nutritional yeast, aka nooch.
- Dill. The combo of dill and nutritional yeast enhances the cheesy flavor of this soup.
- Broccoli. Of course, cheesy vegan broccoli soup calls for a generous helping of broccoli.
How to Make Cheesy Vegan Broccoli Soup
If you’re new to making soup from scratch, you’ll be glad to know that this recipe is easy to make. Simply cook, blend, and enjoy. Better yet, you can customize the ingredients to suit your taste buds. Here’s how to make it:
1. In a large skillet over medium heat, warm 3 tablespoons of oil or vegan butter. Cook the onions, carrots, and potatoes for 5 to 7 minutes or until the onions are tender. Add the garlic and spices, then cook for another 30 seconds.
2. Add the broth and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are easily pierced with a fork. Let cool for 20 to 30 minutes.
3. While the vegetable mixture is simmering, roast the broccoli florets. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Toss the florets with oil, salt, and pepper, then transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Cook for 20 minutes or until slightly charred.
4. Once the vegetable-broth mixture has cooled, transfer it to a food processor or blender. Puree until combined.
5. Add the non-dairy milk, nutritional yeast, fresh dill, soaked cashews, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and apple cider vinegar.
6. Blend until smooth, adding more milk or broth to thin as needed. Return to the skillet, mix in the roasted broccoli florets, and heat until warmed through.
Recipe Tips, Variations, and Substitutions
- Use coconut cream. For an extra rich and creamy soup, use the solid part of canned coconut milk, aka coconut cream. You can use it in place of the cashews or non-dairy milk.
- Skip the cashews. To make this recipe nut-free, skip the cashews and use coconut cream or more potatoes.
- Avoid overheating. When it’s time to warm the soup, avoid heating it too long. Otherwise, the soup might curdle.
- Blend roasted broccoli. If you’d like small bits of broccoli in your soup, add half of the roasted broccoli to the blended soup and puree for a few seconds.
- Add hot sauce. If you love spicier flavors, add a splash of hot sauce to the soup or drizzle it on top. You could also add crushed red pepper flakes.
Can I store the leftovers?
Yes, you can store leftover soup in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an air-tight container.
Can I freeze Cheesy Vegan Broccoli Soup?
Yes. Freeze the soup in air-tight containers for up to 3 months. We’re big fans of Souper Cubes, which are silicone freezing trays that come with lids.
Serving Suggestions
- Coconut Bacon — This smoky “bacon” makes for the perfect soup topper.
- Vegan BLT Sandwich — For a complete meal, serve this soup with a tasty sandwich.
- Grilled Cheese — Make your meal extra cheesy by pairing the soup with vegan grilled cheese.
- Carrot Bacon — Turn leftover carrots into crispy carrot bacon.
Cheesy Vegan Broccoli Soup
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons garlic minced
- 1 small yellow or white onion diced
- 1 cup carrots chopped
- 1 small Russet potato peeled and cubed
- 1 to 2 teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 ½ cups vegetable broth
- ½ to 1 cup non-dairy milk plain
- ½ cup soaked raw cashews (optional)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice plus more as needed
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar plus more as needed
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard plus more as needed
- 3 to 4 tablespoons fresh dill chopped
- 1 head broccoli florets
- Bread for serving
- Vegan bacon for serving
- Shredded vegan cheese for serving
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium heat, warm 3 tablespoons of oil or vegan butter. Cook the onions, carrots, and potatoes for 5 to 7 minutes or until the onions are tender. Add the garlic and spices, then cook for another 30 seconds.
- Add the broth and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are easily pierced with a fork. Let cool for 20 to 30 minutes.
- While the vegetable mixture is simmering, roast the broccoli florets. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Toss the florets with oil, salt, and pepper, then transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Cook for 20 minutes or until slightly charred.
- Once the vegetable-broth mixture has cooled, transfer it to a food processor or blender. Puree until combined.
- Add the non-dairy milk, nutritional yeast, fresh dill, soaked cashews, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and apple cider vinegar.
- Blend until smooth, adding more milk or broth to thin as needed. Return to the skillet, mix in the roasted broccoli florets, and heat until warmed through
Notes
- To make this recipe nut-free, skip the cashews and use coconut cream or more potatoes.
- When it’s time to warm the soup, avoid heating it for too long. Otherwise, the soup might curdle.
- If you’d like small bits of broccoli in your soup, add half of the roasted broccoli to the blended soup and puree for a few seconds.
- Store leftover soup in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an air-tight container.
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How much nutritional yeast do you use? It’s not listed in the ingredients!!
Hi Kris! 1/4 cup, but you can use a bit more if you’d like. Enjoy!