Creamy Vegan Broccoli Cheddar Soup

This creamy vegan broccoli cheddar soup is like a warm blanket for the soul. It's smooth, flavourful and totally dairy-free - you might end up eating it right out of the pot!

Few things are more hearty and comforting than a bowl of creamy broccoli cheese soup. The good news is that you can easily enjoy a rich, cheesy soup even if you're a vegan!

You'd actually have a hard time believing this creamy vegan broccoli cheddar soup is plant-based and completely dairy-free.

Besides being utterly delicious, this dairy free broccoli soup also has a smooth and velvety texture. Even though it's pureed, it still has some texture from the broccoli florets added at the end.

Why you'll love this vegan broccoli cheddar soup

• It's super creamy and delicious while being totally dairy-free.
• It has a simple list of ingredients, and you can have a hot bowl of soup in your hands in under an hour.
• It pairs perfectly with toast, croutons or a couple of slices of vegan garlic bread.

Ingredients and substitutions

Plant-based butter - Using plant-based butter instead of olive oil to saute the veggies sets up an excellent base for an extra creamy soup.

Onion, celery and carrot - These veggies are the base of any good soup - dice them on the smaller side if you want them to cook quicker.

Garlic - Freshly chopped garlic is perfect for this easy vegan broccoli cheese soup. If you don't have any, you can use frozen garlic or a garlic paste instead.

Red chilli flakes - A pinch of red chilli flakes gives this vegan broccoli and cheese soup a bit of a kick, but you can skip them if you're not a fan.

Broccoli - You'll need about 450 g (1 lb) fresh broccoli florets with their stems for this soup. You can also use frozen broccoli here - just add them to the pot straight from frozen.

Potatoes - You can substitute sweet potatoes here for a healthier soup.

Nutritional yeast - This is optional, but I like to add it because it gives the soup an even cheesier flavour.

Plant-based milk - I used cashew milk, but any plant-based milk is good here.

Vegan cheddar -My favourite vegan cheddar is the one from Violife, and that's what I used in this broccoli soup.

How to make vegan broccoli cheese soup

Place a large pot or Dutch oven on the stove over medium heat. Melt the plant-based butter and saute the onion for 5 minutes until softened.

Add the carrot, celery, garlic and red chilli flakes and continue to cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Next, add the broccoli (reserve about 1 cup for later), potatoes and water to the pot. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover the pot with a lid and simmer for 20 minutes. Turn the heat down to low.

Stir in the nutritional yeast and plant-based milk, then turn off the heat. Use a hand blender to puree the soup until smooth and creamy.

Turn the heat back on, add the remaining broccoli and simmer for 1-2 minutes. Stir in the vegan cheddar until melted completely.

Season to taste and serve immediately, topped with some extra vegan cheddar and red chilli flakes if you like.

Leftovers and storage

• Leftovers will keep well in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
• Reheat the broccoli soup on the stovetop or in the microwave. To reheat in the microwave, cover the container with a microwave-safe lid and heat on high for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through.
• You can freeze the soup for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container. Thaw the soup in the fridge overnight before reheating.

Recipe notes and tips

• Vegan cheddar doesn't melt very quickly but keep stirring over low heat and you'll get there.
• If you don't want the soup to be too smooth, only pulse it a couple of times with a hand-hand blender.
• Add 1-2 tablespoons of plain flour to the base to make the soup extra thick.

If you liked this vegan broccoli cheddar soup, you might also like some of my other easy vegan soup recipes:

• Vegan Avgolemono Soup (Greek Lemon Orzo Soup)
• Creamy Oyster Mushroom Soup
• Easy Vegan Potato Soup
• Easy Pinto Bean Soup
• Easy Three Bean Soup

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