My vegan broccoli cheddar soup is a simple but luxurious cream of broccoli soup with a good hit of cheesy flavour thrown in.
The original broccoli soup recipe was posted on June 23, 2017 and republished on December 1, 2023 with a revised recipe, how-to images and new photos.
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The original incarnation of this soup was cooked with spicy jalapeño. This revised recipe is cheesier and creamier without the peppers but, I am going to offer some variations below if you want to keep things spicy.
Why This Recipe Works
Oh, soup. Is there anything better? It's the simplest thing in the world to cook up and almost foolproof. A good soup can get even the busiest person through a hectic week. I've been known to survive on water and 3-ingredient zucchini soup or 5-ingredient pumpkin lentil soup. Making soup is a survival skill.
This vegan broccoli cheddar soup is another quick and simple winner.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Soup base. Onion, carrots and celery begin adding depth to our soup while potato adds creaminess.
Broccoli. Fresh is best although in a pinch you can use frozen broccoli. You will need around 4 cups of frozen broccoli florets.
Cashews. So creamy. We're going to cook them in with the broccoli and create a completely thick and creamy soup. You can omit these and add vegan cream to the blended soup when you add the cheese. It won't be as thick, but it will still be tasty.
Cheddar cheese. My favourite cheese for this vegan broccoli cheddar soup is from Green Vie (not sponsored, I am just a fan). You can use your favourite vegan cheese just make sure it melts well. No-one wants to be picking grated cheese from between their teeth.
Veggie stock. Use your favourite brand.
Nutritional yeast. "Nooch" adds depth to any dish and a cheesier flavour to this soup. Try and get a B12 fortified variety if you can. It makes getting your B12 so much easier.
Dijon mustard. This is optional but it adds acid and a little tang to the soup giving it a nice contrast.
Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1.
Heat oil or butter in a soup pot or a large heavy-bottomed pot over low-medium heat. Add the onions, celery, carrot and potato. Season with salt and pepper and sauté for 7 minutes or until soft.
While this is happily cooking away, prepare your broccoli. Clean up any woody bits from the stem and separate the stem from the florets. Chop it in half lengthways and then slice. Set aside and chop the florets into smallish pieces (don't get too fussy with it) and pop them in a separate bowl. We'll be cooking them at different times.
Step 2.
Now, stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant (around 30 seconds) before adding the nutritional yeast. Give it all a quick stir.
Step 3.
Throw in the chopped broccoli stalks and cashews.
Step 4.
Add stock and bring the heat up to bring the soup to a boil before lowering it again to a simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the stalks and veggies are tender.
Step 5.
Add the broccoli florets, a touch more water and continue cooking for 5-minutes until they are just tender.
Step 6.
Carefully remove from heat and blend in batches.
Step 7.
Transfer the blended soup back into the pot and add Dijon mustard (optional but awesome) and the cheese. On low heat, stir until the cheese is all melty in the soup.
Serve your creamy, cheesy vegan broccoli cheddar soup with crusty croutons and a little dill.
Recipe Variations
Like I said, my original broccoli soup was spicy with jalapeños. I love this incarnation of the soup but you can mix it up to create something new.
Storage
To refrigerate. Pop any leftover soup in airtight containers and refrigerate for up to 3-4 days. Reheat on the stove-top over medium-low heat.
To freeze. Transfer the completely cooled soup in freezer-safe zip bags and freeze flat or in freezer-safe containers. To reheat, thaw completely and then warm on low heat to prevent separating.
FAQs
I mean, it is vegan broccoli and cheddar soup but, if you don't like cheddar you could any good melty variety. Add a touch more nutritional yeast if your cheese isn't cheesy enough for you.
You can. You can add Oatly vegan cream when you add the cheese and stir to combine.
More Slurp-worthy Soups
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Make This Recipe
Vegan Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Equipment
- Blender immersion or stand
Ingredients
For the Soup
- 1 tablespoon vegan butter or olive oil
- 1 medium onion diced (yellow, brown or white)
- 2 celery ribs diced
- 2 medium carrots peeled and diced
- 1 medium potato peeled and diced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- pinch cracked pepper about 5 cracks of the mill
- 3 garlic cloves
- ⅓ tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 600 grams(1.3lbs) broccoli heads
- ½ cup raw cashews
- 4 cups (1L) vegetable stock
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard optional
- 1½ cups vegan cheddar one that melts well, we use Green Vie
Toppings (optional)
- handful dill chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil to drizzle
- 1 cup croutons
Instructions
- Heat a tablespoon of oil in a soup or large pot over low-medium heat and add the onions, celery, carrot and potato. Season with salt and pepper and sauté for 7 minutes or until soft.
- Meanwhile, prepare the broccoli. Trim the woody bases from each stalk (cut about 1cm off) and separate the stalk from the tops of the broccoli. Slice the remaining stalk in half lengthways and then slice them. Chop the florets into small-ish pieces (around 1-inch) but keep them separate. We are going to cook the stalks first and add the florets later. You don't need to get too fussy chopping the florets, just try and get them into similar size pieces for even cooking.
- Stir the garlic into the pot and cook for another 30 seconds (or until fragrant) before adding the nutritional yeast. Give it a good stir and then add the broccoli stalks and cashews.
- Add the stock and increase the heat to bring the soup to a gentle boil. Turn the heat down and simmer for around 20 minutes.
- Add the chopped broccoli florets and the extra water and cook for another 4 -5 minutes or until tender.
- Remove the pot from the heat.
- You can blend your soup in a stand blender or use an immersion (stick) blender in the pot. For the stand blender, carefully add a few cups of the stock and vegetables to your blender (never fill your blender past the maximum fill line! You'll end up with hot soup everywhere) Blend until smooth, then transfer to a heat-proof jug or bowl (a jug is easier if you have one) while you blend the rest of the soup in similar batches. You can use an immersion blender in your soup pot to blend your soup, it just may not be as creamy.
- Transfer the soup back to the pot and over a low heat and add the mustard and cheese. Gently stir the soup until the cheese is melted. Add more if you like, it's up to your personal taste.
- Serve with a sprinkling of dill and crunchy croutons.
Rachel says
There is no spinach in the list of ingredients, so not sure how much was intended. Also, where is the recipe for the cashew cream? Not a clearly written recipe!
Amanda says
Hi Rachel, you are completely right! I have been updating some of my recipe templates and I've published an unfinished draft on this recipe. My apologies. I have finished the draft now. Thanks for pointing it out. Again, sorry about that. A.
midwesternladybaker says
Just made this tonight for my husband and I. It was absolutely delicious. The only change I made was to remove the coriander (which tastes like soap to me) and instead top it with avocado
Amanda says
Oh, thanks for letting me know. I am so glad you guys enjoyed it and the avocado topping sounds perfect!
Catherine says
I haven’t tried the recipe yet but I too cried for Dudley. I will be trying the recipe tonight.
Amanda says
Oh, my goodness yes, Catherine. I loved Dudley like so many others. My husband and I are always on the lookout for land so we can start our own small sanctuary for farmed animals. x
Steve and Gabrielle says
Hi Amanda,
This looks delicious and will definitely be given a try soon.
As for Dudley...your response is universal to all who were touched by him. He does give hope for all the creatures who suffer in our world and we can only wish that his spirit will engender more compassion and care.
Thanks for all your wonderful food creations and touching musings.
Take care
S & G
Amanda says
Thanks so much Gabrielle and Steve. Dudley was indeed an angel sent to teach us and he will be so missed. His death has left me pondering what more I can do to promote and live a kinder life. I guess that is the gift of loving him. Because that beautiful soul lived, thousands have embraced a kinder way to exist. What a stunning legacy. x