Vegan Broccoli Soup

This Vegan Broccoli Soup is a soul-warming side dish that everyone will slurp up before they even touch the main course! It’s easy to make with fresh garlic, potatoes, celery, carrots and more. Gluten-free, dairy-free, paleo and Whole30 compliant.

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A Super Cozy Vegan Broccoli Soup Recipe

At our house, we’re all big fans of vegetable soup. This creamy vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free and Whole30 broccoli soup has to be one of our top favorites! Whether it’s a cold winter night or someone is feeling under the weather, they always seem to hit the spot like nothing else.

With its surprisingly on-point broccoli cheddar flavor, you’ll be surprised it’s a vegan dish! It’s wonderfully smooth and creamy with tender chunks of roasted broccoli on top to give it a nice variation in texture. It’s loaded with additional veggies that provide plenty of vitamins, minerals and other essential nutrients. Plus, it’s really easy to throw together.

What You’ll Need

It’s time to go through our lovely ingredient lineup for this recipe. Gather the following items before you start making your soup.

• Avocado Oil: Or olive oil.
• Yellow Onion: Diced.
• Carrots: Peeled and chopped or shredded.
• Celery Ribs: Chopped.
• Garlic: Freshly minced.
• Yukon Gold Potato: Peeled and cubed into half-inch pieces.
• Vegetable Broth: You can use another kind of broth if you’re not vegan.
• Raw Cashews: Soaked in hot water for at least 30 minutes and drained.
• Apple Cider Vinegar: This ultra-healthy vinegar adds a touch of tang.
• Nutritional Yeast: To give your soup some extra savoriness.
• Fresh Dill: Combined with the nutritional yeast, this adds a sharp cheddar flavor to your soup. Don’t leave it out!
• Coconut Aminos: For that rich umami goodness.
• Broccoli Florets: You’ll need some for the soup and some for the topping.
• Fresh Parsley: Chopped, to garnish the soup.

Optional Gluten-free Homemade Croutons

• Gluten-free Bread: cut into cubes
• Avocado oil: Or olive oil.
• Garlic powder: For flavor.

How to Make Vegan Broccoli Soup

Even though this soup has a few steps, they’re all fairly easy to make with a little bit of patience. Here’s how to make it happen:

1. Prep for Roasting: Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Make the Soup Base:

   Sauté Onion: Heat the oil in a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add in the onion and cook until it’s fragrant and translucent.

3. Add Veggies & Garlic: Add in the carrots, celery, garlic, potatoes and half of the broccoli florets. Sauté for another 5 minutes.
4. Add Vegetable Stock: Pour in 3 cups of vegetable stock. Bring the soup to a boil, then cover the pot and reduce it to a gentle simmer. Cook for 10 minutes, or until all of the vegetables are soft and tender. Allow the soup to cool slightly.
5. 
   

   Make the optional Roasted Broccoli and Crouton topping:

   Season Remaining Broccoli: Place the remaining half cup of broccoli florets and optional bread cubes (if using) onto the baking sheet. Drizzle with oil and season, then toss until  coated.

6. Roast & Set Aside: Roast until the broccoli is tender and browned around the edges and the optional bread cubes are crispy, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove it from the oven and set it aside to use later for the topping.

7. Make the Cashew Cream Base:

   Blend Cashews, Yeast, Dill, Coconut Aminos & Soup: Once the soup is cool, add the drained cashews to a high-speed blender along with the nutritional yeast, dill and coconut aminos. Working in batches as necessary, add the slightly cooled soup. Blend on high speed until it’s smooth and creamy.

8. Add Roasted Broccoli & Simmer: Transfer the blended soup back to the same pot and add the remaining broccoli. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 8-10 minutes, or until the broccoli is softened to your liking.
9. Remove From Heat & Add Vinegar: Remove your soup from the heat and stir in the apple cider vinegar. Taste the soup and season with more salt and pepper.
10. Garnish & Serve: Garnish with fresh chopped parsley. Transfer to bowls and serve warm with roasted broccoli, and gluten-free toasted croutons along with some chopped fresh parsley.

Tips for Success

Take a minute to read over the tips and tricks below. They will help you make some flawless broccoli soup!

• Cool the Soup Before Blending it: You don’t need to cool your soup all the way to room temperature before you blend it up with the cashews, yeast and coconut aminos, but it definitely shouldn’t be hot. Once you finish roasting the broccoli, it should be good to go.
• Blend it in Batches: In order to get that smooth and creamy texture with ease, it’s a good idea to blend your soup in batches. This is especially important if you have a smaller blender.
• Thin it Out if Needed: If the soup seems too thick, mix in some more vegetable stock before you remove it from the heat and stir in the vinegar. Add half a cup at a time until you’re happy with the consistency.
• Season to Taste: Go ahead and give your soup a taste before garnishing and serving it. At this point, you can add more salt, pepper, or any other seasoning you think it needs.

Variation Ideas

You’re totally welcome to make changes to this recipe as you see fit. I even have a few ideas you can experiment with.

• Add Vegan Cheddar: If you really want to highlight the cheesy flavor of this soup, stir in some shredded vegan cheddar when you add the apple cider vinegar. Yum!
• Use Cauliflower Instead of Broccoli: Broccoli and cauliflower are very similar, and this soup tastes amazing with either one! You could even use a combination of both.
• Make it Spicy: Looking for something with a little extra heat? Try stirring in your favorite hot sauce.
• Leave in Some Chunks: I like to blend this soup until its completely smooth, but that doesn’t mean you have to do the same! Feel free to make it a little chunkier if preferred.

Serving and Topping Suggestions

Any main course is pretty much guaranteed to go great with this soup. Try one of the following pairings for a truly unforgettable meal!

• Serve with Vegan Tacos: Nobody can ever say no to homemade tacos. Made with crispy roasted tofu, cauliflower, red peppers, plus any other fillings you’re craving, these easy Veggie Tacos are a treat every time.
• Pair with Stuffed Peppers: Loaded with an amazing meatless filling made of mushrooms, cauliflower rice, sun-dried tomatoes and more, these Vegan Stuffed Peppers are all kinds of delicious. We love enjoying them alongside this creamy soup.
• Serve with Fajita Bowls: Your go-to Chipotle order has got nothing on these hearty Homemade Fajita Bowls. They’re easy to customize with all of your favorite vegan fixings!
• Gluten-free bread or Rustic Sourdough
• Chopped fresh herbs
• Freshly cracked black pepper
• Lemon

Storing and Reheating Broccoli Soup

This soup should be refrigerated in an airtight container. Enjoy it within 4 days for the best results. Reheat individual servings in the microwave – larger portions can be warmed up over a low-heat stove.

Can I Freeze This?

Yes, you can freeze this soup for up to 2 months if desired. Simply pour the soup into a freezer-safe container, leaving 1-2 inches of extra room. This free space allows the liquid to expand while it freezes without damaging the container. Thaw frozen soup in the fridge before reheating it.

More Comforting Soup Recipes

Searching for more satisfying vegan soups to try? Look no further, my friend!

• Veggie Noodle Soup
• Stuffed Pepper Soup
• Vegan Broccoli Cheddar Soup
• Vegan Zuppa Toscana

5 from 2 votes

Print

Vegan Broccoli Soup

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

45 mins

Total Time

1 hr

 

This Vegan Broccoli Soup is a soul-warming side dish that everyone will slurp up before they even touch the main course! It's easy to make with fresh garlic, potatoes, celery, carrots and more. Gluten-free, dairy-free, paleo and Whole30 compliant.

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: vegan soup, vegan vegetable soup, vegetarian soup

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 197 kcal

Author: Kelly

Ingredients

For the soup base

• 2 tbsp avocado oil or olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion diced
• 2 small carrots peeled and chopped
• 2 celery ribs chopped
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 1 medium Yukon gold potato peeled and cubed into 1/2 inch pieces
• 6 cups broccoli florets , or 1 lb broccoli head, chopped into florets, divided
• 4-5 cups vegetable broth

For the cashew cream base

• 1/2 cup raw cashews soaked in hot water for at least 30 minutes and drained
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 2 tbsp fresh dill
• 2 tbsp coconut aminos

For the optional croutons

• 1 cup cubed gluten-free crusty bread, buns or soft pretzels
• 2/3 tbsp avocado oil or olive oil
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

For the Soup Base

1. Heat the oil in a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat. When simmering, add in the onion and cook until fragrant and translucent, about 5 minutes.

   

2. Add in the carrots, celery, garlic, potatoes and 3 cups of the broccoli florets. Sauté for another 5 minutes before pouring in 3 cups of vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, then cover the pot and reduce to a gentle simmer.

   Cook for 10 minutes, or until all the vegetables are soft and tender. Allow the soup to cool slightly.

   

For the optional Roasted Broccoli and Homemade Croutons

1. Meanwhile, place 1/2 cup of the broccoli florets and the gluten-free bread cubes (if using) on the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and garlic powder salt then toss until coated. Roast until the bread is crispy and the broccoli is tender and browned around the edges, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside for topping.

   

For the Cashew Cream Base

1. Once the soup is cool, add the drained cashews to a high speed blender along with the nutritional yeast, dill and coconut aminos. Working in batches as necessary, add the slightly cooled soup. Blend on high speed until smooth and creamy.

   

2. Transfer the blended soup back to the same pot and add the remaining 2 1/2 cups of broccoli. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 8-10 minutes, or until the broccoli has softened or cooked to your liking. If the soup seems too thick, add more vegetable stock, 1/2 cup at a time. Remove from the heat.

   

3. Stir in the apple cider vinegar. Taste and season with more salt and black pepper as needed. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley. Transfer to bowls and serve warm with toasted bread croutons (if using) and roasted broccoli along with some chopped fresh parsley. 

   

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

• To Store: Refrigerate soup in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
• To Reheat: Reheat individual servings in the microwave. Warm up larger portions over a low-heat stove.
• To Freeze: Pour soup into a freezer-safe container, leaving 1-2 inches of space to allow the liquid to expand while it freezes. Thaw frozen soup in the fridge before reheating.

Nutrition Facts

Vegan Broccoli Soup

Amount Per Serving (1 serving)

Calories 197 Calories from Fat 90

% Daily Value*

Fat 10g15%

Carbohydrates 23g8%

Fiber 5g20%

Sugar 5g6%

Protein 7g14%

* Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy using the WPRM recipe calculator. It is best to make your own calculations to ensure accuracy. We expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Photography by: Casey Colodny / The Mindful Hapa