Vegan Broccoli Cheddar Soup
This vegan broccoli cheddar soup is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser! A rich, smooth, silky cheese broth and tender broccoli florets make for a delicious and hearty soup recipe—and it comes together in minutes!
You may have thought that broccoli cheddar soup was off the menu when you decided to go vegan, but think again! This plant-based version of the classic soup is just as mouthwatering and satisfying, without any animal products. Plus, it’s so easy to make that you can whip up a batch and enjoy it in no time!
This vegan version of broccoli cheddar soup has all the creamy, cheesy goodness you love, and it’s made with simple swaps to achieve that texture and flavour without creating an overly-complicated recipe.
As with my Creamy Pumpkin Soup and Easy Roasted Carrot Ginger Soup, this vegan broccoli cheddar soup is perfect for a quick weeknight dinner or a cozy lunch on a chilly day. Add some crusty bread on the side, grab a spoon, and dig in!
Why You’ll Love This Vegan Broccoli Cheddar Soup Recipe
Here’s what makes this vegan broccoli cheddar soup a standout:
- Classic comfort food flavour. If you’ve been missing cheesy, creamy, super indulgent broccoli cheddar soup, this plant-based version will satisfying your craving. It has all the flavour of the original—you won’t believe it’s vegan!
- Creamy texture. The cashews give this soup its creamy consistency without any dairy. Plus, they add some extra protein and healthy fats to make the recipe more filling and satisfying.
- Quick and easy. Some soups need a long, slow simmer to develop their flavour, but not this one! This is a soup recipe you can make for a weeknight meal.
- Kid-friendly option. If you have picky eaters at home, this vegan broccoli cheddar soup is a great way to get them to eat their veggies without any complaints.
Notes on Ingredients
Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
- Olive oil
- Onion, garlic, and carrots – A trio that adds depth of flavour to this soup.
- Vegetable broth – Use store-bought or homemade vegetable broth.
- Raw cashews – These are the secret ingredient that gives this soup its creamy texture.
- Paprika – You can use smoked paprika for a smoky flavour, but regular paprika is just fine too.
- Salt and black pepper
- Broccoli – I recommend using fresh broccoli, but frozen works if you’re in a time crunch.
- Vegan cheddar cheese
Does Vegan Cheddar Cheese Melt?
These days, most vegan cheese options are pretty impressive, with a realistic flavour and meltable texture. That said, your best bet when looking for a plant-based cheddar that melts is to use cheese shreds, rather than buying a block. While some blocks of cheese will melt, others are made for vegan cheese boards and snacking—shreds, in contrast, are formulated to melt.
How to Make Vegan Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Here’s how easy it is to make this creamy vegan broccoli cheddar soup.
- Cook the vegetables. Heat the oil in a large pot set over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until it’s translucent and slightly browned.
- Simmer. Stir in the carrots, vegetable broth, cashews, paprika, salt, and black pepper. Cook for about 15 minutes, or until the carrots are tender.
- Puree. Turn off the heat. Blend the soup until it’s smooth and creamy.
- Add the broccoli and cheese. Pour the blended soup back into the pot. Stir in the broccoli and vegan cheddar. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes, or until the cheese melts and the broccoli is tender.
- Finish. Garnish the soup with additional broccoli florets, vegan cheddar, and black pepper, if desired.
Tips for Success
Follow these additional pointers for perfect vegan broccoli cheddar soup.
- Soak the cashews, if needed. If you don’t have a high-powered blender, soaking the cashews will help them blend into a smooth, creamy consistency. Place them in a bowl of water at least 2 hours before you start cooking.
- Cut the broccoli into even sizes. This will ensure that the florets cook evenly in the soup and result in a more uniform texture.
- Use an immersion blender for easy blending. If you have an immersion blender, you can blend the soup directly in the pot, saving yourself from having to transfer hot soup into a blender.
Variations
You can easily swap cauliflower for broccoli in this recipe, or even use a mixture of both. Want to add some extra protein? Toss in some chickpeas, white beans, or cubed tofu before blending the soup for an added protein boost. Note that you may need to adjust the seasonings a bit if you do this.
Serving Suggestions
Pair this vegan broccoli cheddar soup with crusty bread to soak up the cheesy broth, or serve it with Roasted Garlic Bread. For extra cheesy flavour, garnish the soup with Vegan Parmesan Cheese or nutritional yeast.
How to Store Leftovers
You can store any leftovers of this vegan broccoli cheddar soup in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. To reheat, simply warm it up on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Can I Freeze This Recipe?
Yes, you can! Transfer the vegan broccoli cheddar soup to a freezer-safe container or zip-top freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, thaw it overnight in the fridge and then heat it according to the instructions above.
More Vegan Soup Recipes
- Loaded Potato Soup
- Vegetable Minestrone Soup
- Creamy Vegan Mushroom Wild Rice Soup
- Easy Lentil Soup (Vegan & Spiced)
- White Bean and Kale Soup (Vegan, Slow Cooker)
Enjoy friends! If you make this vegan broccoli cheddar soup, please snap a photo and tag #jessicainthekitchen on Instagram! We’d also love it if you would leave a comment below, and give the recipe a rating! Thanks so much!
Vegan Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, 13 grams
- 1 small onion, chopped (110 grams)
- 2 cloves of garlic, sliced
- 2 carrots, peeled and chopped (195 grams)
- 4 cups vegetable broth, 960 ml
- ⅓ cup raw cashews, 53 grams
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 large head of broccoli, about 3 cups florets (weight of broccoli head 450 grams)
- 2 cups vegan cheddar cheese, grated (180 grams)
Instructions
- In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and garlic and sauté for about 3-4 minutes until it becomes translucent and slightly browned.
- Add chopped carrots, vegetable broth, cashews, paprika, salt, and black pepper to the sautéed onions. Stir everything together and cook for about 15 minutes until the carrots are tender.
- Turn off the heat. Using a blender, blend the soup until it’s smooth and creamy.
- Pour the blended soup back into the pot. Add broccoli florets and the vegan cheddar cheese to the soup. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat. Simmer for about 10 minutes until the broccoli is cooked and cheese is melted..
- Garnish soup with additional broccoli florets, vegan cheddar and sprinkle with black pepper if desired.
Notes
Disclaimer: Although jessicainthekitchen.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Jessicainthekitchen.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.
This soup is absolutely one of my favorites!!! I have made it multiple times! I usually do half broccoli and half cauliflower and it’s yummy!
Sooo happy to hear this Sue and that you’ve enjoyed so many times!! ☺️☺️