Description
Creamy vegan broccoli cheddar soup delivers comfort in a bowl with plant-based ingredients. Nutritious cashew cheese and fresh broccoli combine for a hearty, satisfying meal you’ll savor from first spoonful to last.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 cups broccoli florets, chopped
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 large carrot, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 4 cups (950 ml) vegetable broth
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk or oat milk
- 1 cup raw cashews (soaked in hot water for 15 minutes and drained)
- 2 tbsps olive oil or vegan butter
- ⅓ cup nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp turmeric (optional, for color)
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Fresh parsley or chives (optional)
- Vegan shredded cheese (optional)
- Croutons (optional)
Instructions
- Aromatic Foundation: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium temperature. Sauté diced onions, minced garlic, chopped carrots, and sliced celery until translucent and fragrant, approximately 6 minutes.
- Blending Transformation: Transfer softened vegetables to a blender. Combine with pre-soaked cashews, vegetable broth, nutritional yeast, Dijon mustard, smoked paprika, and ground turmeric. Blend until achieving a silky, uniform consistency.
- Creamy Integration: Return the blended mixture to the original pot. Activate medium heat, introducing broccoli florets and unsweetened almond milk. Whisk thoroughly to create a harmonious base.
- Simmering Perfection: Allow the soup to simmer for 11 minutes, maintaining broccoli’s vibrant green color while ensuring tenderness. Use an immersion blender for a smoother texture if desired.
- Flavor Finalization: Season with sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, tailoring the taste to personal preference. Adjust consistency as needed.
- Elegant Presentation: Ladle the velvety soup into serving bowls. Elevate with optional garnishes like chopped parsley, vegan cheese shreds, or crisp homemade croutons.
Notes
- Cashew Soaking Strategy: Pre-soak cashews overnight or use hot water for 30 minutes to ensure maximum creaminess and smoother blending texture.
- Temperature Control: Maintain medium heat during simmering to prevent nutritional yeast from burning and preserve delicate flavors of vegetables.
- Texture Customization: Use immersion blender sparingly if wanting chunky soup, stopping blending when desired consistency is reached to maintain broccoli’s natural texture.
- Nutritional Boost: Experiment with additional nutritional yeast for deeper cheesy flavor or sprinkle hemp seeds for extra protein and nutty undertones.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 260
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg