Satisfy your craving for comfort food with this super creamy and ultra cheesy vegan broccoli cheese soup! Ready in less than one hour, this easy to make, decadent soup is made with all plant-based ingredients and it’s naturally free of dairy, gluten, and oil.
This vegan broccoli cheese soup is super-rich, extra creamy, loaded with broccoli, and it has the best cheesy flavor! It’s everything that you want in a cheesy soup without using any butter, processed cheese, or heavy cream. If you love satisfying, plant-based, comfort food meals that are easy to make and are ready in less than one hour, you should definitely give this delicious vegan broccoli cheddar soup recipe a try!
Step by Step Instructions
In a large pot, saute the diced onion until it’s soft and translucent (Photo 1). Add the potatoes, carrots, raw cashews, garlic, and two cups of water (Photo 2). Bring it to a simmer and then reduce the heat and let it cook until everything is soft and tender (Photo 3).
Add all of the cooked vegetables, dry seasonings, and vegetable broth to a high-speed blender (this is the Vitamix blender that I use) and blend it on high until it’s smooth and creamy (Photo 4 & 5). Pour the cheese sauce back into the pan and bring it to a low simmer (Photo 6). It will continue to thicken as it cooks.
Add the fresh or frozen broccoli florets (Photo 7) and let it cook until the broccoli is tender but not mushy (Photo 8). Garnish with fresh parsley (Photo 9).
What Goes With It?
I usually serve the vegan cheesy broccoli soup with toasted slices of crusty bread to dip (or in a bread bowl) and avocado arugula tomato salad, but you could also serve:
- Roasted Maple Dijon Brussel Sprouts
- Roasted Lemon Garlic Asparagus
- Oil-Free Roasted Radishes
- Roasted Beetroot and Feta Salad
How Long Does It Last In The Refrigerator?
You can store the leftover broccoli cheddar soup in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.
Can I Freeze It?
Yes, you can freeze it. Put the soup in an airtight and freezer-safe container and store it in the freezer for 4-6 months.
How To Reheat It
From the Freezer: Take the soup out of the freezer and let it defrost in the fridge for 24 hours. Then you can reheat the soup in the microwave or on the stovetop.
From the Fridge: You may need to add a little bit of broth or water to the soup if it’s too thick before you warm it up in the microwave or on the stovetop.
Recipe Variations
This vegan broccoli soup is delicious just like this, but you can switch it up with any of the following variations:
- Loaded Baked Potatoes – Serve the vegan broccoli cheddar soup over roasted potatoes for a healthy twist on a classic comfort food meal.
- Cheese Dip: Reduce the recipe ingredients by half, skip the broccoli, and add 1/2 cup of diced tomatoes and 1 minced seeded jalapeno to the cheese sauce to make a zesty cheese dip.
- Make it Low-Carb: Replace the two potatoes with a medium head of cauliflower. The texture won’t be as thick, but the soup will still be super creamy and delicious.
Substitutions & FAQ
- Gluten-Free: This soup is naturally gluten-free, you don’t need to make any substitutions.
- Carrot Substitutes: You can substitute 1 medium sweet potato for the carrots.
- Can I Use Frozen Broccoli? You can use fresh or frozen broccoli florets in this soup. If you use frozen broccoli, use (2) 10 oz packages of small broccoli florets.
- What Type of Potato Should I Use? Russet potatoes are the best potatoes to use for this soup. When the potatoes break down, they make the soup super creamy and thick.
- Can I Make it in the Slow Cooker? Yes, you can. Put all of the soup ingredients (except for the broccoli and parsley) into a large slow cooker and set it to cook on high for 3 hours. After 3 hours, puree the soup in a blender and then stir in the broccoli florets. Let it cook until the broccoli is tender. Garnish with fresh parsley.
Success Tips
- The turmeric powder is for color, not flavor. Using 1/4 tsp of turmeric powder gives the perfect yellow tint to the soup.
- You don’t need to soak the cashews for this recipe because they’ll soften when they’re cooked with the potatoes and carrots.
- Use small, bite-sized broccoli florets so the soup is easier to eat.
- Store the leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days or you can freeze it for a future meal.
Want More Creamy Vegan Soup Recipes?
Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Soup
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Vegan Broccoli Cheese Soup
Equipment
- Blender
- Large Pot or Dutch Oven
Ingredients
- 3-4 tbsp low-sodium vegetable broth (to saute)
- 1 medium onion diced
- 3 medium garlic cloves minced
- 2 medium russet potatoes peeled and cut into cubes
- 4 medium carrots sliced
- 1/2 cup raw cashews
- 2 cups water
- 4 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- 1/2 tsp himalayan pink sea salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper to taste
- 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth (add more if needed)
- 1.5 lbs small broccoli florets (fresh or frozen - about 6 cups)
- 1/4 tsp fresh parsley
Instructions
- In a large dutch oven over medium heat, sauté the diced onion in 3-4 tbsps of low-sodium vegetable broth until it's soft.
- Add the potatoes, carrots, cashews, garlic, and two cups of water to the pot. Bring it to a low simmer and then reduce the heat to medium-low and cover it. Let it cook for 20 minutes or until everything is soft and tender
- Add the vegetable and cashew mixture, 4 tbsp nutritional yeast, 1 tsp paprika, 1/4 tsp turmeric, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, and 4 cups vegetable broth to a high-speed blender and blend it on high until it’s smooth and creamy. You may need to work in batches if the blender cup isn't big enough.
- Pour the puree back into the pan and bring the soup to a low simmer. The soup will continue to thicken as it cooks. Add the small broccoli florets to the soup and let it cook for about 2-3 minutes or until the broccoli is tender. Don't let the broccoli overcook and get mushy.
- Taste the soup and add more salt if necessary. If the soup gets too thick, you can add more vegetable broth to thin it out. Garnish each bowl with fresh parsley.
Notes
- The turmeric powder is for color, not flavor. Using 1/4 tsp of turmeric powder gives the perfect yellow tint to the soup.
- You don't need to soak the cashews for this recipe because they'll soften when they're cooked with the potatoes and carrots.
- Use small, bite-sized broccoli florets so the soup is easier to eat.
- Store the leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days or you can freeze it for a future meal.
Nutrition
*This recipe was originally posted on 5/2/17 but I updated it with new pictures and better recipe instructions on 7/19/20.
