Vegan Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Is it just me, or are you totally obsessed with cheesy soups?

It’s been many years since I had a broccoli cheddar soup from Panera but I haven’t forgotten the thick, creamy, deliciousness. Now I’m not going to call this a Panera copycat broccoli cheddar soup, because let’s face it. There’s no actual cheese in here.

BUT!

You will be wowed by it’s amazing cheesy flavour.

How do you make broccoli cheddar soup?

Begin by putting some water to boil, either in a kettle or small pot on the stove. Make sure it’s enough to more than cover your cashews and put them to soak for at least 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare your veggies. Peel and chop all your vegetables and don’t worry about perfectly uniform sized pieces since the soup will be pureed later.

The only exception is the broccoli. Make sure to cut your broccoli into small bite size florets since these will remain whole.

Now, add a tablespoon or two of water into a large sauce pot, followed by the onion, carrots and celery. Sauté until softened, and then add the cauliflower, potatoes, nutritional yeast, broth, and all the seasoning to the pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium low. Cook until vegetables are soft, approx 8-10 minutes.

Meanwhile add your broccoli to a small sauce pot or skillet, cover with water and cook until tender, about 4-6 minutes. Don’t overcook.

How do you make vegan cheddar sauce?

While the soup and broccoli are cooking, prepare your vegan cheddar sauce. Drain your cashews, and gather all the remaining ingredients. Add everything to your blender and process on high until smooth and creamy.

Make sure there are no loose bits of cashews floating around, so process a little longer if needed.

By this point, your soup should be cooked. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth.

Then stir in the broccoli and pour in your cheddar sauce. Mix until combined.

Ladle into bowls and serve. If you want even more added cheesiness, you may sprinkle with some vegan Parmesan cheese. Or add some chili flakes to turn up the heat.

What to serve with broccoli cheddar soup

My favourites include crusty bread or these veggie wraps. Or, since the soup is quite filling and rich, you may want to opt for a fresh salad to balance the richness.

How long does it keep?

The soup will keep refrigerated for 4-5 days. To reheat, use a deeper pot with a lid and heat over medium low. Because the soup is very thick, heating will cause it to bubble and splash. So keep the lid on to keep your kitchen mess free. 🙂

More favourite soup recipes

• Healthy Broccoli Potato Soup
• Vegan Mushroom Soup (Veloute)
• Thai Peanut Chickpea Soup Instant Pot
• Dairy Free Jalapeno Popper Soup
• Vegan Chicken Soup w/ Jackfruit & Potato
• Broccoli Almond Soup
• Or check out this collection of the very best healthy vegan soup recipes!

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

Vegan Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Vegan broccoli cheddar soup is comforting, rich, and utterly delicious. Perfect on a chilly night or any time you're craving cheesy goodness.

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Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American, Canadian

Servings: 6 Servings

Calories: 307.26kcal

Author: Rosa

Equipment

• Immersion Blender
  Immersion Blender
• Blender
  Blender

Ingredients

• 1 red onion finely chopped1 red onion finely chopped
• 1 celery stalk chopped1 celery stalk chopped
• 3 large carrots peeled & chopped3 large carrots peeled & chopped
• 1 head cauliflower broken into large florets1 head cauliflower broken into large florets
• 1 lb yellow potatoes peeled & cut into 1" cubes (approx 3.5 cups cubed)1 lb yellow potatoes peeled & cut into 1" cubes (approx 3.5 cups cubed)
• 1 medium sweet potato peeled & cut into 1" cubes (approx 2.5 cups cubed)1 medium sweet potato peeled & cut into 1" cubes (approx 2.5 cups cubed)
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 4 cups low sodium vegetable broth4 cups low sodium vegetable broth
• 2 tsp paprika2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp basil1/2 tsp basil
• 1 tsp garlic powder1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder1 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp sea salt or more to taste1/2 tsp sea salt or more to taste
• 1 head broccoli cut into bite size florets, approx 4 cups (or you may use frozen)1 head broccoli cut into bite size florets, approx 4 cups (or you may use frozen)

For the Vegan Cheddar Sauce

• 1 cup raw cashews1 cup raw cashews
• 3/4 cup water3/4 cup water
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 2 tbsp white vinegar2 tbsp white vinegar
• 2 tbsp tapioca starch or tapioca flour2 tbsp tapioca starch or tapioca flour
• 1 tbsp white miso paste1 tbsp white miso paste
• 1 tsp prepared mustard1 tsp prepared mustard
• 1/2 tsp onion powder1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp sea salt1/4 tsp sea salt

Instructions

• Boil enough water (in a small pot or kettle) to cover your cashews and soak them in the hot water for 15 minutes or longer.
• Add the onion, celery and carrots to a large pot with a tablespoon or two of water. Sauté over medium heat until softened, approx 5 minutes. Add more water if needed to prevent sticking.
• Then add the cauliflower, both potatoes, nutritional yeast, broth and all the seasoning to the pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium low. Cook until vegetables are soft, approx 8-10 minutes.
• In a separate pot or skillet, cover your broccoli with water and bring to a boil, then lower heat to simmer and cook until fork tender, approx 4-6 minutes. Drain and set aside.
• While the soup and broccoli are cooking, prepare your cheddar sauce. Your cashews should be ready by now, so drain them and add them to your blender, along with all remaining cheddar sauce ingredients. Blend on high until smooth and creamy and set aside.
• Using an immersion blender, puree your pot of soup until smooth and creamy. Then stir in your cooked broccoli and cheddar sauce and mix well. Then ladle into bowls and enjoy!

Notes

Your cashews will swell as they soak, making it easier to blend and resulting in a smoother cheese sauce. Alternatively, you may soak overnight in cold water, but I prefer using the boiling water as a quick soak method.

You may cook your broccoli in a steamer instead, if you have one. Because the soup is quite thick once pureed, the broccoli is best cooked separately.

Use your deepest pot available to make pureeing your soup mess free and avoid splashes when using an immersion blender.

To make this recipe soy free, you may skip the miso paste called for in the cheese sauce and add a pinch more salt instead.

The soup will keep refrigerated for 3-4 days, just reheat and enjoy.

Nutrition

Calories: 307.26kcal | Carbohydrates: 44.44g | Protein: 14.49g | Fat: 11.07g | Saturated Fat: 1.87g | Sodium: 601.78mg | Potassium: 1372.04mg | Fiber: 11.2g | Sugar: 8.92g | Vitamin A: 9128.85IU | Vitamin C: 148.88mg | Calcium: 121.46mg | Iron: 8.46mg

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*Nutritional information is an estimate, calculated using online tools.