This creamy vegan broccoli soup is exactly what you need right now!
Flavourful, wholesome, packed with veggies, and the perfect accompaniment to a sandwich, wrap, salad, or even a big ol’ crusty bun. It’s naturally gluten free and can be easily made nut free.
Bonus, it’s also oil free for those of you on a whole food plant based (WFPB) diet.
If you’re a cheese lover, don’t worry! Although this soup is dairy free and vegan, and technically there’s no cheese in it, there is definitely a “cheesy” flavour from using a boatload of nutritional yeast!
Not only does it add a delicious cheesiness, but it really ups the nutrients too!
What goes in to a healthy broccoli potato soup?
Fresh veggies and tons of healthy, nutrient dense ingredients.
In addition to all the veggies and nutritional yeast, I’m using low sodium vegetable broth and cashew milk (or coconut milk for nut free), and of course some seasoning.
See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for the full recipe and instructions!
How to make Broccoli Potato Soup
To a large pot, add your onions and carrots with a tablespoon or two of water and sauté until softened slightly, about 3 minutes. (photo 1)
Next, add all the remaining ingredients, EXCEPT the broccoli. (photos 2-3)
Bring your pot to a boil over high heat, and then reduce to a simmer for about 8 minutes, until potatoes are mostly cooked.
Now add the broccoli florets and simmer an additional 5 minutes. (photos 4-5)
Make sure to add the broccoli only once the potatoes are mostly cooked, or the broccoli will get too soft.
Once the soup is cooked, use a slotted spoon or similar tool to remove about 4 cups of the veggies from the pot. (photo 6)
Feel free to remove more or less, depending on your preferred level of chunkiness. Four cups was perfect for my taste.
Now puree the remaining soup in the pot, using an immersion blender. (photos 7-8)
If you don’t have an immersion blender, carefully transfer the soup to a standard blender. Make sure to do some in small batches, and do not overfill your blender. It’s best to let the soup cool first to prevent burns. Do not walk away from a running blender.
Now you may return the reserved veggies back to the pot.
(If you’re serving picky eaters and need to hide the ingredients, feel free to puree the entire soup instead.)
Stir in your plant milk of choice and then serve. (photos 9-10)
If you’d like, you may also save some of those veggies you removed to garnish each bowl, instead of returning it all to the pot.
Expert Tips
Don’t blend the soup too much. This isn’t a cream of broccoli soup, but a chunky, hearty broccoli potato soup. I like using an immersion blender for this one, because it makes the soup smooth enough, without overdoing it like a blender would.
Make sure to remove a couple of cups worth of the soup before blending so you can add some nice texture back into your soup after blending the batch.
Taste and add more seasoning once blended if needed. I kept the seasoning selection to a minimum on this one to make it picky eater friendly. To amp up the flavour of your broccoli potato soup, add some cumin, paprika (sweet or smoked) or even some cayenne pepper to add a little heat if you’d like.
Substitutions/Variations
I really like Yukon Gold potatoes for this one, but you may also sub for whatever you have on hand, or even a mix of half sweet and half gold potatoes.
White kidney beans are nice and hearty and they won’t darken your soup, but again, use whatever you have on hand. Red kidney beans or navy beans also work well here.
If you don’t have fresh broccoli available, use frozen, or sub for leafy greens like spinach or kale, fresh or frozen.
Use any plant milk you like to sub for the cashew milk. Use soy or coconut for nut free, or whatever you have on hand. You may also sub for the canned kind of coconut milk to add even more richness and creaminess to your broccoli potato soup.
Can I make it in advance?
Absolutely!
I find that most soups taste even better the next day when reheated. The flavours really enhance and heighten over night.
This vegan broccoli soup is no exception!
However, the chunks of veggies will further soften, so if that’s not your thing, then enjoy right away.
Can I freeze broccoli potato soup?
Yes, like most soups, you can definitely freeze this one. In fact, this vegan broccoli soup is meal prep AND freezer friendly.
The chunks of beans and veggies will soften more from freezing and thawing though.
So you may want to add in a few more canned beans or even some frozen broccoli florets while reheating your soup to add some texture back in.
More Chunky Vegan Soup Recipes
- Thai Peanut Chickpea Soup Instant Pot
- Slow Cooker Vegetable Pot Pie Stew
- Instant Pot Vegan Chili (or stove top)
- Vegan Sloppy Joes Instant Pot (Soup or Sandwich!)
- Instant Pot Vegetable Soup with Quinoa
- Vegetable Barley Soup with Beans
If you tried this recipe, please let me know about it in the comments below. I always love hearing from you! Don’t forget to Subscribe to This Healthy Kitchen to be among the first to get my new recipes! You can also FOLLOW ME on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter to see more delicious food and get all the latest updates.
Buon appetito,
Rosa
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 large red onion finely chopped
- 4 large carrots thinly sliced
- 2 lbs yukon gold potatoes peeled & diced
- 19 oz can white kidney beans drained & rinsed
- 1 large broccoli cut into bite size florets, approx 8 cups of small florets
- 6 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
- 1/2 tsp thyme
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 cup unsweetened cashew milk or soy milk, or coconut milk
- sea salt to taste
Instructions
- Add the onion and carrots to a large pot with a tablespoon or two of water. Sauté until slightly softened, about 2 minutes.
- Add the potatoes, beans, broth, nutritional yeast, thyme and garlic powder to the pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer until the potatoes are easily pierced with a fork, about 8 minutes. Then add the broccoli and simmer 5 more minutes.
- Turn off the heat and using a slotted spoon, remove and set aside about 4 cups of the veggies. Then puree the remaining soup in the pot, using an immersion blender. Or you may transfer to a stand blender in batches, using caution when pureeing hot liquids. Return the reserved 4 cups of veggies to the pot, stir in the plant milk and taste for salt. I added 1/2 a teaspoon at this point, but salt to your taste. Then serve and enjoy.
So tasty and filling. Easy to make to.
Thrilled you enjoyed Tina!
I am writing to say I tried your healthy broccoli potato soup and it was wonderful. Thank you for the recipes. Your website is classy.
Thanks very much for the feedback Leona, much appreciated. 🙂
Awesome soup! I made it today but with cauliflower instead of broccoli because I didn’t have any. I also forgot to add the cashew milk but it still turned out amazing.
I think I will be making this often
Yay! Thanks so much Karen. So glad you enjoyed, and cauliflower is a great sub! 🙂
This is a fabulous recipe! Made it today and it got two thumbs up from both myself and my husband (and he is more of a meat and potatoes kind of a guy, so that says a lot!). The only thing I like about summer ending is that it becomes soup season and this one will definitely become a permanent part of my rotation!
Thrilled to hear that Jackie. Thanks so much for the kind review. 🙂
Need to eliminate fat from milk is there any fat free substitute
Hi John, you can omit the milk, as the soup will still be creamy without it. Or use a low fat option like almond milk. Hope you enjoy.
This was so good & easy with ingredients I had on hand! I will definitely be making this again & again!!!
Thanks very much for the feedback Rose, thrilled you enjoyed!
I’m not much of a soup person but I really enjoyed this! If I could give more than 5 stars I would. Delicious!
AW thanks so much Rita. So glad you loved it so much.
Just made this soup and it is delicious but mistakenly added both cartons of veg. broth. 8 cup instead of 6 called for in recipe. The soup is not as thick after I pureed it with some veg. taken out and so I did not add the milk. Would it help to add fresh spinach to this soup? Thank you for your reply.
Hi Catherine, the soup was not as thick since there were two extra cups of broth. You may add spinach if you’d like, but if you try again, use only 6 cups of broth to get a better consistency. Glad you enjoyed anyhow! 🙂
This was delicious! I used red kidney beans instead of white so my broth was darker. Also, I added leftover quinoa to the soup. Yes, I will make this again!!! Thanks for the recipe!
Thanks for sharing your substitutions with us Diane! Glad you enjoyed.
Looks delicious.can’t wait to make it. One question…How thick will the soup be if you don’t purée it?
It will be thinner but more chunky if you don’t puree. You can always see if you like the consistency before pureeing and then puree to your liking. Enjoy.
I dont usually leave reviews, but this soup IS SO DELICIOUS!!!! I cannot believe how simple and yummy it is. Im glad i doubled the recipe and now i have a batch in the freezer for later. Saving this recipe and will make again and again!
Thanks so much for the review Danielle! I’m thrilled you loved the soup, and appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts with us. 🙂
10 STARS!!! So good, my picky eaters loved it too! This is going on a weekly rotation, thank you, thank you!!!
Thank you Suzy! I’m so flattered you all loved it. 🙂
My boyfriend found this recipe (a very meat and potatoes kinda guy)
Made it tonight and it was absolutely delicious and filling! He enjoyed it tons as well. Added a bit of hotsauce and it really made the flavors go really well together. Absolutely delicious!
Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review Meaghan. Much appreciated and thrilled you both enjoyed this recipe!
This is so easy to make and so full of flavour its amazing thank you for sharing
You’re very welcome, thanks for the review. So glad you enjoyed!
This was great! I made a second batch to freeze for a quick meal later on. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
My pleasure Cynthia. So glad you loved the recipe, thanks for the review. 🙂
Delicious, comforting, and so easy to make.
Thanks Jennifer, glad you enjoyed!
We had this for our not so traditional Easter lunch yesterday. I removed 4 cups of the soup and then puréed the rest and served my daughter a portion of the puréed soup (because she doesn’t like to see beans) and then returned the chunks to the pot for ours. All 3 of us loved it! Thank you!
Thank you for the feedback Edith, so glad your family enjoyed the soup.
Also, could I swap the milk for unsweetened almond milk or some other kind of nut milk?
Hi Rosa, I’m sad to report I tried this recipe and the soup does not taste good. I tried your advice to add some more salt and smoked paprika, which helped. The real problem for me is the texture. I regret blending any of the soup. I think it would have been good if not for the blending. I withheld 4 cups of veggies as suggested. I never did add the milk because it was so creamy due to the potatoes. Perhaps adding it would actually thin it a bit, and improve it. Maybe I will try that.
Sorry you didn’t enjoy, but yes, skipping the milk will result in a different texture, and thicker soup. You may use any milk you like to thin it out.
Can I sub the yeast? If so, with what?
Hi Barbara, nutritional yeast is deactivated yeast with a cheesy flavour that is dairy free. You may omit if you want, but there isn’t really a sub for it that will have the same flavour and still be dairy free. If you’re not avoiding dairy, you may sub for Parmesan cheese. Let me know how you like the soup if you get a chance to try it. Enjoy!
I added pumpkin and corn, LOVE this soup!
Those sound like great additions. Thanks for sharing Ron. 🙂
Can you use almond milk instead of coconut milk?
Hi there, yes you may use almond milk. Enjoy!
So good, can’t get enough!
Thanks so much Debra, thrilled to hear it! 🙂
My husband is a willing participant for my non-meat (WFPB/vegan) meals…made this for dinner. The first spoonful he didn’t like it very much then I added a little more salt and by the 2nd and 3rd spoonfuls he was like, hum, this is really good…it was so good he asked to take the leftovers to work the next day for lunch. Said it was even better the 2nd day and when my husband was heating up the soup in the microwave at work his co-worker (a guy) asked what he was heating up because it smelled so good!
Liked the easy prep (not a lot of ingredients and things I usually have on hand) and quick cook time as well…Did not use the plant milk…but increased the vegetable broth by 2 cups and it turned out great. I got the thumbs up from my husband to definitely make this again!
Thanks for the review Marlo. Glad you both enjoyed. I agree that soup often tastes even better the next day.
Aloha Rosa,
I Just made this wonderful veggie soup and will definitely make it again. It’s tasty, fulfilling and healthy, perfect for those who desire a WFPB meal. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Pam
Thanks very much Pam. I’m so happy you enjoyed it. Thank you for taking the time to report back. 🙂
Made it last night for the second time. It’s so good and healthy, I added a little garlic as well. Highly recommended!!
Thrilled you enjoyed Cathy! Thanks for the feedback.
This is so good! So satisfying but light at the same time. I felt as though I didn’t need as much coconut milk, so if you have none, or aren’t a big fan, still delicious without!
Thanks very much for the feedback Maddie. Thrilled you enjoyed this soup. 🙂
Delicious!
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed. 🙂
Absolutely delish – one of our favorite soup recipes, 1st time making forgot to add cashew milk (even sent my hubby to the store to buy specifically for this recipe) and forgot to add it, no one noticed as it was still so creamy and good that now I haven’t bothered adding. Even my hubby who unfortunately is still a meat eater loves and asks for it. Thank you,
Aww thanks so much for the feedback Helen! I’m thrilled you both love the soup so much! 🙂
Made it tonight, and it was incredible. All 4 of us LOVED it! If I could rate this recipe 6 stars, I most certainly would! Thank you!
Thanks so much Karen! I really appreciate the feedback and I’m thrilled you loved it so much. 🙂
Ah-mazing.
Thanks Jacqueline! 🙂
easy to make and really tasty & filling x
Thanks so much for the feedback Julia. Glad you enjoyed. 🙂
Made this last night and it was delicious! Definitely needed more than 1/2 tsp salt for our tastes and I also added around 1/2 cup of vegan sour cream for extra flavor & creaminess. Delicious recipe and easily one of our favorites of the soups I’ve made. Thanks!
Thrilled you enjoyed Jennifer. Thanks very much for taking the time to leave your feedback. Much appreciated. 🙂
Yummy soup for a fall day😋
Thanks so much Andy, glad you liked it! 🙂
This was so good that I didn’t feel the need to add the coconut milk.
Really delicious!!
Thanks Al, so glad you enjoyed. 🙂
Delicious soup. Creamy, savory, satisfying. This recipe is a keeper! Thanks so much.
So glad you enjoyed it Rosemary and thanks for the feedback! 🙂
When do you add the non-dairy milk?
Hi Bari, you’ll add the milk at the end. Just after returning your reserved veggies to the pot. Hope you enjoy! 🙂
Delicious soup
Thanks Maria, glad you enjoyed!
Delicious and so easy to make, I love the beans, I’m always looking for more ways to eat beans, since I rarely eat them. Definitely a printable recipe, thank you!
Thanks for taking the time to leave your feedback Mary. I’m thrilled you enjoyed this recipe. 🙂
That soup looks so yummy. i can’t wait to try it. But what does 2 lbs of potatoes equate to in cups? and do you think i could swap out for sweet potatoes?
thanks.
Thanks Jacquie, it’s approximately 4 cups of diced potatoes. Enjoy!
And sure, you can sub for sweet potatoes if preferred.