Name: Vegan Jalapeno Popper Soup
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 1 tbsp vegan butter or margarine (use water or broth for oil free); 1 yellow or red onion (quartered); 2 cloves garlic (peeled); 1 red bell pepper (quartered); 3-4 jalapenos (halved, seeds removed for less spice); 1 cauliflower (broken into large florets); 1 cup corn (frozen or canned); 4 cups low sodium vegetable broth; 1.5 cups raw cashews; 1 cup low sodium vegetable broth; 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar; 1/4 cup nutritional yeast; 1 tbsp tamari (or soy sauce if not avoiding gluten); 1 teaspoon onion powder; 1 teaspoon smoked paprika; 1/2 teaspoon sea salt (or to taste)

A vegan jalapeno popper soup for a fun and wholesome twist on a classic appetizer. A bowl of veggies, an incredibly delicious vegan cheddar sauce, and spicy jalapenos make a winning combo! It’s wholesome, filling, satisfying, and ready in 35 minutes.

This recipe was originally published in November 2018. It has been updated for content and photos.

Just like my healthy jalapeno popper dip, this jalapeno popper soup is made using a cauliflower base, it’s spicy, and it’s delicious.

And yes, you’re going to love it!

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Why you’ll love this
How to make it
Storage
Substitutions + Variations
Expert Tips
More delicious vegan soup recipes
📖 Recipe

Why you’ll love this

It’s the most wholesome jalapeno popper soup you’ll ever come across, using cauliflower for the bulk of the soup.
Flavoured in a rich and creamy cheese sauce made using cashews, nutritional yeast, and seasoning.
It’s low in calories for a generous portion at around 270 calories a bowl, including 11g of protein!
Do you want something actually spicy? You got it! This soup is the real deal, there’s nothing mild about the spice level here. (That said, feel free to decrease the jalapenos for less spice, if preferred!)
This jalapeno popper soup is hearty, filling, satisfying, and totally delicious!

How to make it

(This is a summary with step by step photos, full recipe measurements and instructions are in the recipe card below.)

Gather the soup ingredients, peel your garlic, quarter your onion and peppers and break the cauliflower into florets.

ingredients to make vegan jalapeno popper soup: cauliflower, red pepper, jalapenos, corn, broth, onion, garlic, butter

To your food processor, add the onion, garlic, red pepper, and jalapenos and process until finely chopped. (photos 1-2)

onion, garlic and peppers being processed in food processor

Melt the butter (if using) in a large pot and add the processed ingredients. Sauté for 5-7 minutes until softened and reduced. (photos 3-4)

sauteing onion, garlic and peppers to make jalapeno popper soup

Meanwhile, process your cauliflower into crumbly, but chunky pieces. Do not over-process. You don’t want to puree the cauliflower, so keep it chunky, and work in batches, as needed. (photos 5-6)

processing cauliflower in food processor

Now add the cauliflower, corn, and broth to your pot and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes. (photos 7-8)

pot of soup with corn, cauliflower, red pepper and jalapeno

While the soup is cooking, gather your vegan cheese sauce ingredients.

ingredients to make vegan cheese sauce: cashews, broth, seasoning, nutritional yeast, vinegar and tamari

Add them all to a high-speed blender and process until smooth. (photos 9-10)

NOTE: If you don’t have a high-speed blender, be sure to soak your cashews in hot water for at least 30 minutes first.

making vegan cheese sauce in blender with cashews and seasoning

When the soup is cooked, turn off the heat and pour in your cheese sauce and mix well. (photos 11-12)

pouring vegan cheese sauce into pot of soup

Serve garnished with extra jalapeno slices, and enjoy.

hand holding white mug filled with jalapeno popper soup

Storage

Store your leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

I haven’t tried freezing this one yet, but I suspect it would freeze well. Freeze in an airtight container, and remember to leave a little room to allow for expansion.

Substitutions + Variations

Adjust the spice level to your preference. We like ours very spicy, but if you want a more subtle spice, use fewer jalapenos, and remove the seeds for an even milder level of spiciness.
Adjust the seasoning. Always season to your taste. Just because a recipe calls for half a teaspoon of salt, feel free to adjust. If you want added smoky flavour, up the smoked paprika as well.
Make it oil free. Omit the butter or margarine and sauté using water or broth instead.
For nut free. You may sub the cashews with sunflower seeds, with similar results. Cashews provide a little more richness, but if you can’t have cashews, sunflower seeds make a good substitution.
For corn free. You may simply omit the corn or replace it with some diced carrots to add some colour and a touch of sweetness.

Expert Tips

Soak the cashews. If you don’t have a high-speed blender like a Vitamix or Blendtec, soak your cashews first. Boil some water in a kettle or on the stovetop and soak the cashews for 30 minutes. Then drain and use. Soaking the cashews makes them soften up and allows a less powerful blender to process them.
Do not over-process the cauliflower. Work in batches if needed to prevent the cauliflower from turning to mush. You want some nice hearty texture here.
Want a smooth soup instead? Don’t bother with your food processor, just roughly chop everything. Cook as directed, and then use an immersion or stick blender to puree your soup before adding in the vegan cheese sauce.

More delicious vegan soup recipes