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    Home » Recipes » Soups, Salads, & Sandwiches

    Jul 26, 2022 · Modified: Oct 25, 2022 by Liv · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

    Best Vegan Broccoli Cheddar Soup

    Jump to Recipe

    Creamy and comforting Vegan Broccoli Cheddar Soup! This simple soup is decadent, rich, creamy, and packed with vegetables. It comes together in a few simple steps and takes less than 1 hour from start to finish.

    Creamy, vegan broccoli cheddar soup in a shallow bowl topped with vegan cheese and parsley.
    Jump to:
     [show]
    • Main Ingredients
    • Ingredient Notes
    • Cashew Cream:
    • How to Make This Recipe
    • Tips & Tricks
    • Substitutions & Additions
    • Serving Ideas
    • Storage
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • More Soup Recipes You’ll Love
      • If You Make This Recipe:

    This is by far the best vegan broccoli cheddar soup that I've had! Super rich, decadent, flavor-packed and it's made with whole food ingredients. Plus, it's easy to make.

    This plant-based copycat of Panera's broccoli cheddar soup will be a hit with the whole family!

    Serve with homemade croutons or your favorite crusty bread. Perfect for chilly autumn days but can be enjoyed year-round.


    Main Ingredients

    This vegan broccoli cheese soup is made with a base of vegetable broth, cashew cream, and tons of vegetables! It's creamy and satisfying. You'll never guess it's dairy-free.

    • Yellow Onion
    • Shredded Carrots
    • White Potatoes
    • Broccoli
    • Vegetable Broth
    • Vegan Cheese
    • Cashews 
    • Nutritional Yeast

    vegan broccoli cheddar ingredients in a row.

    Ingredient Notes

    • Yellow Onion & Garlic Cloves: Flavor! These ingredients are a staple when it comes to making soups.
    • All-Purpose Flour: Just a touch to help thicken the soup.
    • Shredded Carrots: Shredded is preferred over diced unless you want big chunks of carrots.
    • White Potatoes: Potatoes add a creamy, nice texture. It also helps bulk up the soup and makes it super filling and wonderful. Everything is better with potatoes! Am I wrong?
    • Broccoli: The star of the show! I prefer fresh over frozen.
    • Vegetable Broth: The liquid base of our soup! I used Better than Bouillon vegetable base.
    • Seasonings: I used seasonings such as Paprika, Ground Mustard, Salt, Black Pepper, and Pinch of Cayenne Pepper!
    • Vegan Cheese: Just a bit to get an extra cheesy flavor. You can omit it if you don't have or want it.

    Cashew Cream:

    The creamy base of our dairy-free broccoli cheddar soup is cashews. When blended, cashews become extra creamy and delicious!

    Soak the cashews ahead of time to save time and get this soup on the table in under 40 minutes!

    • Cashews: Cashews are my favorite ingredient to blend into sauces- so creamy and rich in flavor!
    • Water: Water will create a creamy cashew sauce.
    • Nutritional Yeast: Our broccoli cheese soup gets its cheesy flavor from nutritional yeast! The added vegan cheese is simply a bonus- do not omit the nutritional yeast.

    How to Make This Recipe

    This creamy cheesy broccoli soup is easy to whip up and makes for great leftovers!

    Bring a cup of water to a boil. Add the cashews to a heat-safe bowl and pour the hot water over the cashews- allow to soak for 30 minutes.

    To a large pot on medium-high heat, add the olive oil and finely diced onions. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes until onions are soft and translucent. Add in the garlic and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes.

    Sautéed diced onion in a pot.

    Stir in the all-purpose flour until the oil has absorbed the flour.

    Sautéed onion mixed with all purpose flour.

    Stir in the shredded carrots, potatoes, broccoli, vegetable broth, paprika, ground mustard, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.

    Vegetables and broth in a soup pot.

    Blend the soaked cashews with the nutritional yeast and two cups of water- I used just water but you could use 1 cup of water and 1 cup of non-dairy milk. Blend until smooth.

    Add the cashew cream to the soup and stir to combine.

    Soup mixed together in a large pot before cooking.

    Bring the soup to a boil then reduce to a simmer over medium-low for 20 to 25 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked through. Stir in the vegan cheese!

    Cooked soup in a soup pot with shredded vegan cheese on top.

    Divide into serving bowls and top with extra vegan cheese, fresh parsley, and croutons!


    Tips & Tricks

    Prep the vegetables! Preparing ahead and chopping the onions, garlic, potatoes, carrots, and broccoli ahead of time will make the soup-making process go a lot smoother. Highly recommend always prepping and measuring out all your ingredients before cooking.

    Soak the cashews! We want the soup to be extra smooth and creamy. If we don't soak the cashews, we risk the soup being gritty. Soak the cashews ahead of time to save time and get this soup on the table in under 40 minutes!


    Substitutions & Additions

    Make it with frozen broccoli: You can use frozen broccoli in replace fresh broccoli. Just keep in mind the end result will be mushier.

    Make it thinner: Add a splash of vegetable broth or water.

    Make it gluten-free: Simply swap the all-purpose flour with gluten-free all-purpose flour.

    Omit the vegan cheese: Don't have vegan cheese? No worries! The nutritional yeast adds a cheesy flavor so omitting the vegan cheese will not alter the flavor.

    Make it nut-free: The creamy base of this soup is made with cashews and I haven't tested it without. You could try coconut milk but it would be thinner in consistency.


    Shredded cheese mixed in to the pot of soup.

    Serving Ideas

    Top it with something crunchy: Roast broccoli and add to the top or make fresh croutons!

    As a side: Serve with a salad or sandwich!

    As a main: Serve this broccoli cheese soup as a main with a piece of your favorite crusty bread.


    Storage

    Storage: Allow to cool completely and then store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

    Reheating: Simply reheat in the microwave or stovetop until warmed through.

    Freezing: Allow to cool completely and freeze for up to 2 months- allow to thaw before reheating.


    Creamy, vegan broccoli cheddar soup in a shallow bowl topped with vegan cheese and parsley.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Can I use frozen broccoli?

    Yes! Keep in mind that the broccoli will end up mushier and will probably break apart but will still be delicious.

    Can I make this nut-free?

    I haven't personally tried to make this broccoli cheddar soup without cashews but you could try canned coconut milk.

    Which vegan brand of cheddar cheese is best?

    I used Whole Foods Brand Cheddar Shreds but Violife, Follow Your Heart, and Daiya are good options.

    More Soup Recipes You’ll Love

    • Tomato Basil Soup
    • Creamy Vegan Potato Soup
    • Cauliflower Leek Soup
    • Vegan Chicken Noodle Soup with Tofu
    • Easy Vegan Chicken and Dumplings

    If You Make This Recipe:

    I would greatly appreciate it if you share your review in the comments below and leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating. I really appreciate it- it helps me out so much! Don’t forget to add if you made any fun substitutions. Thank you!

    Creamy, vegan broccoli cheddar soup in a shallow bowl topped with vegan cheese and parsley.

    Vegan Broccoli Cheddar Soup

    Creamy and comforting Vegan Broccoli Cheddar Soup! This simple soup is decadent, rich, creamy, and packed with vegetables. It comes together in a few simple steps and takes less than 1 hour from start to finish.
    5 from 6 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 30 minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour
    Servings: 6
    Author: Liv King

    Ingredients
     

    Broccoli Cheese Soup:

    • 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
    • 1 Medium Yellow Onion finely diced
    • 2-3 Garlic Cloves
    • 2 tablespoons All-Purpose Flour
    • 1 cup Shredded Carrots
    • 2 cups White Potatoes diced
    • 4 cups Broccoli
    • 4 cups Vegetable Broth
    • ½ teaspoon Paprika
    • ½ teaspoon Ground Mustard
    • 1 teaspoon Salt more to taste
    • ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
    • Pinch of Cayenne Pepper
    • ¾ cup Vegan Cheddar Cheese more for garnish

    Cashew Cheese Sauce:

    • 1 cup Cashews softened
    • 2 cups Water
    • ½ cup Nutritional Yeast
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Bring a cup of water to a boil. Add the cashews to a heat-safe bowl and pour the hot water over the cashews- allow to soak for 30 minutes.
    • To a large pot on medium-high heat, add the olive oil and finely diced onions. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes until onions are soft and translucent. Add in the garlic and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes.
    • Stir in the all-purpose flour until the oil has absorbed the flour.
    • Stir in the shredded carrots, potatoes, broccoli, vegetable broth, paprika, ground mustard, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.
    • Blend the soaked cashews with the nutritional yeast and the two cups of water. Blend until smooth.
    • Add the cashew cream to the soup and stir to combine.
    • Bring the soup to a boil then reduce to a simmer over medium-low for 20 to 25 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked through.
    • Stir in the vegan cheese- keep a little for the top! Taste and adjust the salt to your preference.
    • Divide into serving bowls and top with extra vegan cheese, fresh parsley, and croutons!

    Notes

    Speed the process up: Soak the cashews ahead of time and this broccoli soup can be done in under 40 minutes!
    Storage: Allow to cool completely and then store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
    Did you make this recipe?Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram!

    More Soups, Salads, & Sandwiches

    • Easy Vegan Chicken and Dumplings
    • Easy Vegan Tomato Basil Soup with Coconut Milk
    • Vegan Reuben Sandwich with Seitan
    • Vegan Seitan Gyros

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