What is it about Broccoli and Cheese that makes them taste so darn good together?  Anyone remember that yummy Broccoli Cheddar Soup from Panera Bread?  So thick and creamy?  Well, I'm happy to say I made a copycat recipe for Vegan Broccoli Cheddar Soup the other night - and it is PERFECT!
It's thick, and creamy, and cheesy, and loaded with a ton of broccoli........just like the real thing.
Of course, there's not really any cheese in it..... Â Instead, I use a medley of vegetables and spices to give it that yummy Cheddar Cheese flavor. And although the original soup was probably never labeled as a healthy soup, I can guarantee you this one is!
Cauliflower
Yukon Gold Potatoes
Celery
Shredded Carrots
Onion
Garlic
Broccoli
Sounds more like Vegetable Soup, doesn't it? Â But I guarantee you when you blend all those yummy vegetables together and add in some spices, it turns into the yummiest Vegan Cheddar Broccoli Soup you've ever had.
In fact, my wife declared this her new favorite recipe!
Vegan Broccoli Cheddar Soup
To make this soup you'll need a cutting board, one soup pot, and either a blender or an immersion blender. Â I have to say, my wife spoiled me this year on my birthday by buying me an immersion blender - and it did the trick perfectly!
Start by cleaning and chopping a medium head of Cauliflower. Â Break apart the florets and discard the thick core. Â Add the Cauliflower pieces to your soup pot with 4 cups of Low Sodium Vegetable Broth.
Add ¼ of a roughly chopped onion, 3 stalks of chopped celery, 1 chopped Yukon Gold Potato, and about 1 cup of shredded carrot.
Bring that to a boil and cook for 15-20 min or until the veggies are nice and soft.
You can use your blender, just make sure to do it in small batches and be aware of the pressure that usually builds up while blending hot soups. Â
Be Careful!
The other option is to use an immersion blender. Â This is simply a blender on a stick that you immerse right into your pot. Â It sure makes blending hot soups easy and I can't recommend one enough.
The following link is for the Kitchen Aid Immersion Blender I received on my birthday. Â Keep in mind this is an affiliate link - so I will make a small commission if you buy one.
Once your soup is completely blended (some small chunks of carrot or celery are fine), let's start adding our milk and seasoning. Â Add the Almond Milk, Nutritional Yeast, Garlic Powder, Salt, Pepper, Lemon Juice, Apple Cider Vinegar, and Thyme and stir well to mix.
You can make minor adjustments as necessary for your own individual taste. Â Once you get it just right - add in a 10oz bag of Frozen Broccoli Florets and cover. Â Let it simmer on low heat for 5-10 min until the broccoli is heated through.
Serve with a thick slice of your favorite crusty bread and enjoy!
Vegan Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 0 Servings 1x
- Category: Main
- Cuisine: American
Description
This Vegan Broccoli Cheddar Soup is perfect for those chilly Fall afternoons. A true comfort food favorite with all the original flavor but only a fraction of the calories and fat.
Ingredients
- 1 med Cauliflower ((about 1 ½ cups))
- 4 cups Low Sodium Vegetable Broth
- 10 oz Frozen Broccoli
- 1 cup Carrot ((shredded))
- 1 med Yukon Gold Potato
- 3 stalks Celery
- ¼ Onion
- ½ cup Unsweetened Almond Milk
- ½ cup Nutritional Yeast
- 2 Tbs Lemon Juice
- 1 ½ Tbs Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- ¾ tsp Salt
- ¼ tsp Ground Pepper
- ¼ tsp Thyme
Instructions
- Chop all vegetables (except broccoli) and add to soup pot.
- Add 4 cups of Vegetable Broth and bring to a boil.
- Cook until vegetables are soft and then carefully blend soup using blender or immersion blender.
- Stir in milk and all seasonings and mix well.
- Adjust any seasonings as necessary and then add frozen broccoli
- Simmer on low heat for 5-10 min until broccoli is heated through
- Serve with your favorite bread or side dish
Jess Ann
Yum! This turned out great and is so easy!!
Kris
I just made a variation on this soup and thought I’d share. Instead of broccoli I used half of a large head of cauliflower chopped in the soup as indicated in the recipe and the other half broken into small florets which I simmer/steamed in a small pot while assembling the rest of the soup. Oh also I had forgotten to add the celery at first so that also went in with the florets instead of being blended. It was so pretty and delicious. All my picky eaters loved it and so nice that it’s GF and vegan!
Carleen
I made this for lunch today, and I highly recommend it. This will be a regular of mine. Thanks Chuck!
Susan Haines
That is really good soup!! Like i said before, you can't go wrong with Brand New Vegan recipes!!
Dana
Just made this vegan cheddar broccoli soup in my IP. Looovvvveeee it!!!!
I didn't measure anything, eyeballed it all: Used 3 smallish medium sized yukon gold potatoes, 1 medium sweet yellow onion, 3 stalks celery (about 16" long each), and 3/4 cups baby carrots, I had no cauliflower so left it out. Put it all in my 3 qt IP and poured enough veggie broth in to cover by about 1/2". Cooked on high pressure for 3 minutes, then used immersion blender to blend all. It tasted really good at this point. I threw in a bunch of nooch, fresh ground black pepper, turmeric, garlic powder and thyme and blended again. Tasted really good. Then I added a couple of splashes of lemon juice...it didn't taste quite as good but was still yummy. I had some homemade cashew butter, about 2 Tbl. I added about 3/4 cup of water to the jar and stirred well then added that to the instant pot. Next I added 2 large handfuls of broccoli florets I tore into medium sized pieces. I pushed them all under the nice creamy thick liquid and cooked on high pressure for 3 minutes. Once cooked, I did an immediate manual release & tasted it. Didn't taste quite the same, needed salt. I added about 3/4 of a tsp of fine grain pink himalaylan sea salt. Next time I'll buy cauliflower, leave out the lemon juice, acv and cashew milk.
Olivia C.
A great way to get veggies in! I'm dairy-free, for the most part, so I was seeking a convincing broccoli cheddar soup. This isn't quite creamy enough for me—I can go without the overt cheesiness, but the creaminess is really what I was seeking. I might use some sort of vegan creamer or half-and-half instead of almond milk the next go 'round. Perhaps more potatoes too... I was heavy-handed with the nutritional yeast & salt, which I think was a good move. Overall, a good recipe I'd take another stab at!
JPCali
I have to admit that I was skeptical, but this is absolutely delicious! Will definitely be making this again!
Teresa
Made this and it was surprisingly good! I used all fresh vegetables though, not frozen. I added the juice of a whole lemon, 2 tbsps of ACV, 1 very large russet potato and extra nutritional yeast as I blended the soup. I served with a drizzle of sriracha sauce and toasted sourdough bread. My kids and grandkids LOVE it and it has been added to our regular meal plan. Thank you, thank you, thank you for sharing!
Teresa
P.S. I also added a 12oz bag of shredded carrots that I bought at the store.
Cary M
I made this for my coworkers birthday tomorrow. However as I always do, I tweaked it. My co workers aren’t vegan but I am. I skipped the yeast and vinegar however. I used 4 med potatoes. I also added 2.5 cups of Violife Vegan Cheddar shreds and used fresh garlic & used extra creamy oat milk instead of soy. You can’t tell it’s vegan which will be good for a couple of my skeptical co workers.
Jingles
I used two large carrots and I think it was too much, strong carrot taste, not a lot of cheesey taste even after adding extra N.Y. and some daiya cheddar cheese slices. BUT it is still yummy and healthy veggie soup flavor!! Thanks for the recipe!! It was also easy to make!! I used a food processor instead if chopping things and used a regular blender- mine might also be a little more chunky but I like the chunks! Lots of love is the main ingredient of course heehee!!
anyway, easy on the carrots my friends
mine is also a nice barf color instead of yellow. the chunkiness of it makes it even more applealing whahaha
Neil Ketting
Made this today was delicious, even my 3 year old granddaughter loved it.
Darla Ellis
I finally tried this soup and boy am I happy I stumbled across this recipe! I steamed fresh broccoli in place of the frozen your recipe calls for and it tastes fantastic. I had 2 bowls of this soup and no worries about how many calories I ate. I didn't even add the almond milk because the cauliflower made it so creamy I didn't miss milk in the flavor or texture. This is going to be a regular recipe in my house from now on!
Kendra
so good I’ve made it twice this week! First time i followed the recipe pretty closely (oat milk instead of almond milk because that’s what we had & fresh broccoli steamed), 2nd time i added a small sweet potato we had, subbed the ACV for lemon juice, oat milk & fresh steamed broccoli. Next time I made it i think I’ll do some sort of loaded baked potato spin on it with chunks of potato, bacon bits & a dollop of sour cream.
Shaeveon
Hello, this looks and sounds amazing! I was just wondering if you knew how many calories are in this?
Michelle
This recipe is fantastic! I appreciate how veggie-dense it is! I added diced lightlife tofu pups for some protein and homage to old school mac and cheese with hot dogs vibe! It added an amazing smokey/spicy flavor as well! And I also added diced red bell pepper at the end for an additional pop of color. This soup has the cheesy flavor naturally with the nutritional yeast and other seasonings, soooo good!! Hearty, nutritious, and satisfying!
Barbara Wroten
I finally got around to making this soup and it is SO good! My only sub was fresh brocolli instead of frozen. Yummy! I think I'll do as another poster suggested and use my (meager) leftover soup to make a brocolli rice casserole. The recipe makes a lot, maybe 8 servings.
Jen
Modified this a bit and this soup is NO JOKE. Thank you so much!!
Katrina
I'm so excited to try this but I wanted to comment on your question to why broccoli and cheese are so good together. My answer is its nostalgic. Because the only way our moms could get us to eat broccoli as young kids is with cheese on top lol!!
C indy
I used half the lemon juice and ACV. I'Ve never liked frozen broccoli so I added steamed fresh broccoli. My non-vegan husband loved it!
Adele
I didn't have cauliflower or celery so I used an extra potatoe and a little more carrot. I used the 2 tbsp of lemon and the recommended Cav. Next time I'll cut back on the Cav and lemon. It was good and there certainly will be a next time!
Allison Bognar
Has anyone tried making this without the nutritional yeast? Wondering how it would work without that ingredient as I am not a fan. Thanks.
Lucia
You did such a great job with this recipe! But like the others I only used 3/4 teaspoon of acv & 3/4 teaspoon of lemon juice. And because I didn't have any cauliflower I used a half a cup of soaked cashews for creaminess & 1 can of drained chick peas for protein. My whole family loved it! I made beer bread and it came out wonderful together
CruznV
2019 Challenge.... How about an Instant Pot Version.?
LC
I made it in the Instant Pot - just put all ingredients into the pot (i used fresh broccoli instead of frozen) and set for 15 min high pressure then natural release (I let it natural release about 20 min then got impatient and quick released the rest). Then blend it up, that's it! Delicious.
Cathy
My family loves this recipe. I put the broccoli in with the other veggies and blend it in so there are no chunks of broccoli. Really satisfies our cravings for Panera broccoli cheddar soup. Thanks for this great no oil vegan recipe!
Elle
This came out a little sour tasting to me so I doubled the nutritional yeast and that helped. Perhaps it was the lemon I used? My son and husband didn’t care for it but it grew on me the more I ate it. I’m on my 3rd bowl now! I will probably try the recipe again and add the lemon little by little.
Kristen
I stumbled upon this recipe in my efforts to satiate a major broccoli cheddar soup craving...without feeling insanely guilty afterward. Hands down, far and away COMPLETELY hit the spot! I did amend it a bit to utilize on-hand ingredients: I was low on veggie broth so subbed half ckn broth to get my 4 full cups. Also added 1/3 c. Soaked cashews as I cooked the veggies, so I could get the full creaminess/thickness. I was hoping for (but obviously it also upped fat content). The two of us polished this off in 2 days flat, and been craving ever since. About to make it again! Thanks for sharing your awesome recipe!!
Stephanie
So good - especially the next day, after the flavours have had a chance to meld. Thanks for sharing!
Maine mom
Wow! Our family is transitioning toward more vegan meals. This was my first time using a substantial amount of nutritional yeast in a recipe. I have at least one very particular eater who is skeptical of unfamiliar textures or flavors. This soup was awesome and everyone in the family liked it. I added the cider vinegar at 1/2 teaspoon at a time until it had the right amount of tang (like a sharp cheddar.) I didn't have lemon juice and the flavor didn't seem to be missing anything but I'll try it with the lemon the next time. With some warm bread, this was a super delicious vegan meal!
Patti
Just made this soup and I’m delighted. It’s delicious.
Karen Valladares
How many servings would you say this recipe makes?
Chuck Underwood
At least 4 - probably more like 6. Depends on your serving size.
amy
delicious soup! I felt I could taste the ACV a little to much though - so next time (and there will be a next time) I will try halving the recommended amount. Love most all your recipes! Keep up the great work!
Mary
This was awful. Nothing like Bread Co soup. ?
Jodi
Rude.
BRENDA SMITH
It won’t be because we’re not using milk-based cheese.
raffinataonline
OK, so...I'm on my second bowl. This was a great addition to the vegan recipe repertoire. I added a small amount of vinegar and lemon juice to brighten it up a little and used a red potato. It worked out just great. Thank you!
Karen
I made this and I think it is too acidic. I followed the directions exactly. Is there a way to fix it?
Chuck Underwood
Not sure what to tell you...maybe add some sugar to curb the acidity...... next time maybe use less lemon juice or vinegar...
V Smith
Should I use flakes or powder nutritional yeast? Thanks.
Chuck Underwood
I always use flaked nutritional yeast.
Jul
How much does this make? It looks delicious!
Queen Ido
Wow wow wow!! This was amaaazing!! Thank you! <3
K Evans
Excellent! We've been using this recipe for years now. It's a staple at our house!
Elizabeth Staeheli
Oh my! It's raining today and I'm going to make this for dinner! And that immersion blender looks AWESOME! It does so much more than just blend. Thanks for recommending it; I'm a kitchen tool addict.
Pamela D
Very good! I used a little less vinegar and a little more salt. Delicious - adding to my rotation!
Polly
I've made this soup twice and both times it was delicious ?!
Today I took about 1/2 of the soup and made broccoli - cheese rice casserole. I added 4 cups of cooked rice, sautéed onions, bell peppers, and celery (the trinity) to 3 cups (not sure if that's exact ) of the soup. I also added about 1/2 garlic powder and 1/4 cup nutritional yeast. I mixed it well in a Pyrex dish, covered it and microwaved it on 30% for 45 minutes. It was so good. Not quite as gooey and rich as my mother's made with velveeta. But I can eat 2nd or 3rd s and not worry about Keeling over from all the fat and chemicals!
Susan
Sounds wonderful! Thanks for the idea!
Carol Jean kieffaber
Polly, this is a great idea. Thank you !
Mark
rookie cook...why the yeast?
julieblack77
The yeast is not what one typically thinks of if you are thinking of the type that is used in bread making. It's deactivated & used as a food product in recipes or as a condiment. For many, it has a cheesy, nut type flavor & used as a cheese substitute in vegan recipes. I really like it & always have some on hand.
BRENDA SMITH
Nutritional yeast ads to the cheese flavor.
Cathy
I think the "real thing" is THIS recipe 🙂
Pat Harris
Making this for lunch today. Thanks for the recipe!
Linda
This is so healthy. Not ony has broccoli but cauliflower too. I will try this today.