The BEST “Cheesy” Vegan Broccoli Soup Recipe
Jan 14, 2019 • Updated Aug 08, 2023
This page may contain affiliate links, which means I will make a small commission for products purchased through my link.
This dreamy, cheesy, vegan broccoli soup recipe is the ultimate, allergy-friendly comfort food. If you once loved Panera’s famous broccoli cheese soup, this vegan version will satisfy your cravings and fill you up without leaving you feeling sick! Just 10 ingredients and seriously the BEST.
What Makes This Recipe Great
This creamy vegan broccoli soup is the ultimate comfort food! This might be my favorite soup recipe to make when the weather gets colder. Plus, this soup takes just 35 minutes to make and is packed with nutrients.
Think of this thick, cheesy, and comforting vegan broccoli cheese soup as the vegan (and more delicious!) version of the Panera broccoli cheese soup. It is perfect for those with food allergies as it’s dairy-free, gluten-free, refined sugar-free, grain-free, and vegan. I’ve also got options for you if you need this soup to be oil-free and nut free!
This hearty soup is perfect for making when you need to hunker down during chilly weather. I love serving it with a salad or a crusty piece of bread.
Why you’ll love this vegan broccoli cheddar soup!
- This soup might be vegan, but it’s still creamy and indulgent! I asked my cheese-loving, Panera regular friend to give this a taste test, and she gave it two thumbs up!
- You only need 10 ingredients to make this recipe! Plus, I’ve got some swaps and substitutions for you if you don’t have everything on hand.
- Did you know that just 1 cup of broccoli packs almost 3 grams of plant protein? Not only that, it’s rich in fiber, and vitamin C, A, and K!
- It’s packed with all the veggies, but you can get a nutrition boost by adding more broccoli, some spinach, or a dash of turmeric!
Ingredient Notes
To make this vegan broccoli soup, you’ll only need 10 ingredients (plus a few optional spices)!
- Broccoli: you can use fresh or frozen broccoli for this recipe.
- Garlic & Onion: these are key to building flavor here. Use a yellow or sweet onion to get the best color.
- Russet Potato: this potato is perfect for adding to soups as it adds so much creaminess.
- Carrots: this is going to help color the soup and boosts its nutritional value by adding vitamins A and K. You could also throw in some celery if desired.
- Raw cashews: Along with the russet potato, cashews are really going to provide that cream factor! You don’t need to pre-soak the cashews. Instead, you can just boil them alongside the veggies. Nut free? Try sunflower seeds or cooked white beans!
- Vegetable Broth: Using vegetable broth will add another layer of flavor to this soup.
- Nutritional Yeast: You definitely don’t want to skip this ingredient since it is the secret to getting that cheesiness! This is my favorite nutritional yeast. Not only does it give us that cheese flavor, but it also contains a whopping 8-10 grams of protein per 2 tablespoons!
- Miso Paste: I always add miso paste to a cheezy sauce since it adds a deep umami and the glutamate that provides a more savory experience. Even if you don’t like miso, I promise you won’t taste it here. Think of this as another flavor builder!
- Spices: I recommend adding both smoked paprika and ground mustard powder. While this is optional, this is really going to build on that cheesy flavor.
- Garnish: And, of course, salt and black pepper to season and some vegan shredded cheese to garnish, if desired.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Find the complete recipe card below! This soup comes together in just 4 simple steps:
- Sauté onion over medium heat in a large pot with a little vegetable broth or a drizzle of olive oil. Stir consistently, and don’t let the onion brown, you just want them to soften slightly and become fragrant. Add potato, carrot, garlic, and cashews and sauté for another 2-3 minutes, again making sure to stir and avoid browning.
- Next, add vegetable broth and bring to a low boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. Cover, and let cook for about 8-10 minutes, until vegetables are fork tender.
- Transfer all ingredients to a blender and add nutritional yeast, smoked paprika, ground mustard powder, miso paste, and salt and pepper. Blend until smooth and return to the pot.
- Toss in your broccoli florets, and cook for 3-5 minutes on medium heat until broccoli florets are tender. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
- To serve, ladle into a bowl and top with shredded vegan cheese or a nut-based parmesan to top.
Secrets to Success!
- Make it hearty: Sauté your vegetables and aromatics with a few tablespoons of vegan butter. The traditional (dairy-based) broccoli cheese soup starts with butter which adds extra richness and depth. You could also stir in meltable shredded vegan cheese.
- Boost nutrition: Add some extra broccoli to the soup or another green vegetable like spinach! I love adding some turmeric because not only does it give your soup that lovely orange color, but it also has some great health benefits.
- No Blender? If you don’t have a blender, no worries! Use an immersion blender and blend straight into the pot! You definitely don’t want to skip blending, though, as you want a smooth and creamy soup base.
- Add some texture! Finish off your soup with a small handful of croutons or roasted broccoli florets!
Serving Tips
- Serve warm with desired toppings and accompaniments. This soup can be served with a salad and crusty bread for a meal or as an appetizer course. Your choice!
Storage Tips
- This vegan broccoli soup is best enjoyed immediately, but you can also store leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- To freeze, allow the soup to cool, portion it, label and seal it in an airtight container, then store it in the freezer for up to 2-3 months. When ready to enjoy, thaw and reheat over the stovetop or in the microwave.
Recipe FAQs
Nope! The cashews are simmered with the rest of the vegetables in the vegetable broth, so you don’t have to soak the cashews ahead of time. When blended, they make a delicious cashew cream that gives this soup its dairy-free creaminess.
You definitely can, just swap out the cashews for sunflower seeds or cooked white beans.
Make sure to sauté the vegetables and aromatics in a little bit of vegetable broth instead of oil in step 1.
This soup gets its creaminess and cheesiness thanks to potatoes, cashews and nutritional yeast! You can add in a handful of vegan shredded cheese if you wish.
More Vegan Soup Recipes
Creamy Cauliflower Kale & White Bean Soup
If you try this recipe out, tag me on Instagram @veggiekins so I can see your delicious re-creations and feature them! As always, I love when you share your reviews in the comments below, and if you make any fun substitutions, let me know how it worked out below too.
The BEST “Cheesy” Vegan Broccoli Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 large head of broccoli about 4-5 cups florets
- 1/2 large sweet or white onion thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup carrots diced
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 1 medium russet potato about 1 1/4 cup diced chunks
- 1/3 cup raw cashews
- 4-5 cups vegetable broth
- 2/3 cups nutritional yeast
- 1 tbsp white miso paste optional, but highly recommended
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp ground mustard powder optional, but highly recommended
- salt and pepper to taste
- vegan cheese to garnish
Instructions
- Sauté onion over medium heat in a large pot with a little vegetable broth or oil. Stir consistently and don’t let the onion brown, you just want them to soften slightly and become fragrant. Add potato, carrot, garlic and cashews and sauté for another 2-3 minutes, again making sure to stir and avoid browning.
- Next add vegetable broth and bring to a low boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. Cover, and let cook for about 8-10 minutes, until vegetables are fork tender.
- Transfer all ingredients to a blender and add nutritional yeast, smoked paprika, ground mustard powder, miso paste and salt and pepper. Blend until smooth and return to the pot.
- Toss in your broccoli florets, and cook for 3-5 minutes on medium heat until broccoli florets are tender. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
- To serve, top with shredded vegan cheese or a nut based parmesan to top.
Video
Notes
Secrets to Success!
- Make it hearty: Sauté your vegetables and aromatics with a few tablespoons of vegan butter. The traditional (dairy-based) broccoli cheese soup starts with butter which adds extra richness and depth. You could also stir in meltable shredded vegan cheese.
- Boost nutrition: Add some extra broccoli to the soup or another green vegetable like spinach! I love adding some turmeric because not only does it give your soup that lovely orange color, but it also has some great health benefits.
- No Blender? If you don’t have a blender, no worries! Use an immersion blender and blend straight into the pot! You definitely don’t want to skip blending, though, as you want a smooth and creamy soup base.
- Add some texture! Finish off your soup with a small handful of croutons or roasted broccoli florets!
Serving Tips
- Serve warm with desired toppings and accompaniments. This soup can be served with a salad and crusty bread for a meal or as an appetizer course. Your choice!
Storage Tips
- This vegan broccoli soup is best enjoyed immediately, but you can also store leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- To freeze, allow the soup to cool, portion it, label and seal it in an airtight container, then store it in the freezer for up to 2-3 months. When ready to enjoy, thaw and reheat over the stovetop or in the microwave.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This post may contain affiliate links.
8 Comments