Vegan Broccoli Cheddar Soup
This Vegan Broccoli Cheddar Soup is super comforting and decadent, and it’s way BETTER than Panera and it’s not even close!
Panera was one of those places that I begrudgingly used to go to on my lunch break when I was a working stiff. Y’know, it’s edible, it gets the job done. But I was never like “HELL YEAH, we’re going to PANERA for LUNCH!”
Now if the soup there was as good as this, then yes, I might’ve played air guitar and high fived everybody on my way to eat lunch, but that was not the case. Not only is this Broccoli Cheddar soup way better, it’s also super easy to put together (maybe not as easy as ordering from Panera, but you’ll be a lot happier whilst cooking it!)
This soup is perfect for Fall and Winter, and it begs to be scooped up with some crusty bread.
INGREDIENTS FOR Vegan Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- The Broccoli – Feel free to use any Broccoli you like! I typically just use an entire bag like the one below so I don’t have to bother with trimming it. I do suggest breaking up the bigger pieces into bite sized chunks though.
- Cheddar – I used Daiya Cheddar Shreds in this, but use whatever vegan cheese you like.
- Broth / Plant Milk / Seasonings – Aside from that we are using some unsweetened plant milk (I like using Ripple) and some pantry staple seasonings.
- Veggies – I’m using a traditional medley of carrots, celery and shallots (onions work too) and garlic, but you could totally throw whatever you like in there.
- Vegan Heavy Cream – To make the soup extra decadent we’ll be making a quick Cashew Cream or Tofu Cream. You can also use any vegan heavy cream you like as well. In fact, you should be able to use some full fat coconut milk instead of cashew cream too. I’ve never personally used it, but I’ve seen others use it for this soup with success.
how to make Vegan Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Prepare the Cashew Cream or Tofu Cream and set aside.
Next cook down the celery and onions.
Add more vegan butter and some minced garlic.
Whisk in the flour. I recommend doing this a tablespoon or so at time and whisking in, and then adding in more flour once it’s combined. Repeat this process until all the flour is whisked in.
Next whisk in the broth, plant milk and vegan heavy cream.
Stir in the Vegan Worcestershire, Nutritional Yeast and Mushroom Seasoning or Miso Paste.
Next add in the carrots and broccoli, stir to distribute, then bring to a simmer.
Once veggies are cooked to your liking, add in the vegan cheddar shreds and whisk to melt.
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Storage
Store in the fridge and enjoy within 3 – 5 days. Reheat on the stovetop or microwave. You may need to add a bit of broth or plant milk if it thickens up in the fridge.
If you made and enjoyed this recipe, please leave a rating & review! It really helps out the blog and it makes my day, thank you!
Older Video here
(I’ve updated the recipe since filming this)
Vegan Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Ingredients
- 5 Tbsp Vegan Butter (divided)
- 1 cup Chopped Celery
- 1 cup Chopped Shallots or Onion
- 4 – 5 cloves Garlic (Minced)
- 5 Tbsp Flour
- 4 – 5 cups Vegan Chicken Broth (or Veggie Broth)
- 1 cup Plant Milk (Unsweetened)
- 3/4 cup Cashew Cream** (or Tofu Cream)
- 1 – 2 Tbsp Vegan Worcestershire
- 4 – 6 Tbsp Nutritional Yeast
- 1 Tbsp Mushroom Seasoning (I used Imperial Taste Brand) (or 1 tsp Miso Paste)
- 1 cup Grated Carrots
- 4 cups Broccoli Florets (broken up into bite size pieces)
- 8 oz Shredded Vegan Cheddar Cheese (or more Nutritional Yeast to taste)
- Salt & Pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Prepare the Cashew Cream or Tofu Cream.
- Next melt 1 Tbsp vegan butter in a dutch oven or large pot over medium heat and then add in the celery and shallots / onion. Stir to get them all nice and coated and cook down for about 8 minutes or until they begin to soften a bit.
- Add 4 Tbsp of vegan butter and stir to melt. Stir around and cook for 1 minute making sure to not burn the garlic!
- Then whisk in the flour. I recommend doing this a tablespoon or so at time and whisking in, and then adding in more flour once it’s combined. Repeat this process until all the flour is whisked in.
- Next do the same with the vegan chicken or veggie broth, add about a 1/2 cup or so and whisk to combine, then add in more until it’s also whisked in. Repeat this with 1 cup of unsweetened plant milk and 3/4 cup of the cashew or tofu cream. Stir in the Vegan Worcestershire, Nutitional Yeast and Mushroom Seasoning or Miso Paste.
- Next add in the carrots and broccoli, stir to distribute, then bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 10 – 15 minutes, depending on how soft or crunchy you like your veggies. I would say check every 5 minutes or so.
- Once veggies are cooked to your liking, add in the vegan cheddar shreds and whisk to melt. Once melted, taste and adjust for seasoning, add in more plant milk or broth if the soup is too thick, and serve immediately!
This soup rocks. We’ve made it three times. The most recent time, we actually used this soup as the FILLING for a POT PIE (poured the finished soup into store-bought frozen pie crusts, baked at 425 F for 35 minutes) and it was amazing.
Awesome, I gotta try out that pie filling idea!! Thank you!
Wow! You totally nailed it! And I’m totally making that pie. 🙂
Glad you liked it!!
I had some ideas for soup and used this recipe for guidance. I followed the instructions/measurements for roux/broth/milk and making the cashew cream, as well as the order of operations. I grated one bag of fresh broccoli florets (and one pound of brussels sprouts because I had to use them up) because I didn’t want any large pieces whatsoever, using the next-to-smallest size holes. For seasonings, I did use the nutritional yeast and mushroom powder, and I also added dill, paprika, asafetida and dry mustard. I only had sliced cheez and measured with my heart, which was 15 slices. At the very end I added some lemon juice to taste, maybe 3-4 tablespoons, then blended about 2/3 of the soup for a mostly smooth texture. Amazing!
Awesome, so glad it worked out and your changes sound excellent!
Made this tonight following your recipe exactly and it was 10/10. Another win from your recipe collection!
Heck yes, glad to hear it, I need to make this soon, thank you!
Best broccoli cheddar vegan dupe I’ve made. Really happy because I had a broccoli cheddar soup sized hole in my heart before this, but envious no longer! I used heavy cream instead of cashew/tofu cream but probably could be fine with just more plant milk 😍
Awesome, always love to hear this kind of comment, thank you I appreciate it!