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5.0 from 9 votes

Vegan Broccoli Cheese Soup

This easy dairy-free broccoli cheese soup has all of the flavor of cheesy goodness you'd expect, only it's free of saturated fat. Make it in just 30 minutes.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
30 mins
Servings: 8 Servings
Calories: 212 kcal
Course: Main Course , Soup
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 1 cup raw cashews - boiled or soaked See Note Below
  • ½ cup vegan sour cream or plain vegan yogurt - not coconut based
  • ½ cup water
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil You can use 2 tablespoons of broth or water if you don't cook with oil.
  • 4 cups broccoli - chopped into bite size pieces
  • 3 medium carrots - diced
  • 2 celery stalks - diced
  • 1 medium potato - peeled and chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves - peeled and minced
  • 64 ounces vegetable broth
  • ¼ cup nutritional yeast See Note Below
  • salt and pepper to taste
Toppings (Optional)
  • croutons
  • shredded vegan cheddar cheese
  • vegan sour cream
  • Crispy onions

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Soak or boil the cashews until they are soft and puffy (see note below), then drain and rinse and put in the blender.
  2. Make the cream sauce. Add the ½ cup of vegan sour cream, ½ cup water, and ½ teaspoon salt to the blender and blend on a high setting until the cashews break down and become smooth and creamy. Approximately 2 minutes. Scrape the sides and blend once more. There shouldn't be any solid pieces of the nuts in the cream sauce. Set aside
  3. Over medium heat, heat a large stock pot and add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the carrots and celery and cook until the celery begins to soften. Approximately 5 minutes. Stir frequently.
  4. Add the minced garlic and stir. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
  5. Add the potato, broccoli, and the ¼ cup of nutritional yeast to the pot and pour in the 64 ounces (two 32 ounce containers) of vegetable broth. Stir to combine and bring to a boil.
  6. Once the soup is boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the vegetables are fork tender. Approximately 10 to 15 minutes.
  7. Whisk in the cashew cream sauce until fully combined.
  8. Blend the vegetables with an immersion blender until the vegetables are blended into small pieces, or to your desired texture.
  9. Top with any of the suggested toppings.

Notes

  • RECIPE NOTES
  • NUTRITION DISCLAIMER
  • CASHEWS - the cashews need to be soaked in water for at least 4 hours or boiled (preferred method) in water for 10 minutes, or until they're soft and puffy. This will ensure that they break down into a smooth and silky sauce. 
  • If you're making this for someone who has a nut allergy, substitute with the same amount of  raw shelled sunflower seeds or hemp seeds. 
  • VEGAN SOUR CREAM - If you can't find vegan sour cream, substitute with plain vegan yogurt with an almond or soy base.  Do NOT use a coconut base yogurt as it will alter the flavor of the soup. 
  • POTATO - you can use any type of potato. We prefer a Russet potato as they have a lot of starch and create a thicker soup. 
  • If you are making this soup for someone who can't eat potatoes you can substitute with acorn squash, although it will make the flavor of the soup slightly sweet. 
  • You could also omit the potato and whisk 1 tablespoon of corn starch in a ½ cup of water and whisk that into the soup to thicken. Do this 10 minutes before the soup is done and let it simmer to thicken. 
  • NUTRITIONAL YEAST - if you don't enjoy the flavor of nutritional yeast, you can add a 15 ounce package of shredded vegan cheddar cheese to the soup and stir until the shreds are completely melted. 
  • STORAGE - store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Freeze in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator. 

Nutrition Information

Serving 1cup Calories 212kcal (11%) Carbohydrates 23g (8%) Protein 7g (14%) Fat 12g (18%) Saturated Fat 3g (15%) Polyunsaturated Fat 3g Monounsaturated Fat 5g Sodium 259mg (11%) Potassium 492mg (14%) Fiber 4g (16%) Sugar 5g (10%) Vitamin A 4150IU (83%) Vitamin C 48mg (53%) Calcium 44mg (4%) Iron 2mg (11%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 8Servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 212

% Daily Value*

Serving 1cup
Calories 212kcal 11%
Carbohydrates 23g 8%
Protein 7g 14%
Fat 12g 18%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Polyunsaturated Fat 3g 18%
Monounsaturated Fat 5g 25%
Sodium 259mg 11%
Potassium 492mg 10%
Fiber 4g 16%
Sugar 5g 10%
Vitamin A 4150IU 83%
Vitamin C 48mg 53%
Calcium 44mg 4%
Iron 2mg 11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.