This Vegan Broccoli Cheese Soup has quickly become a blog favorite! It tastes just like “regular” Broccoli Cheese Soup … without the dairy! It’s like a dream come true!
I am beyond excited to share this Dreamy Dairy-Free Broccoli-Cheese Soup with you guys! As someone that is allergic to dairy, I crave a creamy and delicious bowl of broccoli cheese soup when the weather turns cool …. and FINALLY I have created the most amazing dairy-free broccoli cheese soup I have ever tasted. I mean, it tastes the same as “regular” broccoli cheese soup but is completely dairy free and vegan!
Looking for More Dairy-Free Soups?
Table of Contents
If you love them as much as we do, you definitely need to try our Dairy Free Clam Chowder!
What You Will Need
- olive oil – just a drizzle in the soup pot to help sauté the fresh veggies.
- shallots – these add a wonderful, mild onion flavor.
- fresh celery – this fresh vegetable adds the best flavor to this vegan soup recipe.
- broccoli florets – an essential ingredient when making a broccoli cheese soup.
- broth – we used vegetable broth to keep it vegan but you could also use chicken broth.
- cashews – just soak in water overnight to soften them in order to get a creamy texture.
- almond milk – keep it dairy-free by using any type of plant-based milk!
- nutritional yeast – this gives the soup a great “cheesy” flavor without adding any cheese.
- kosher salt – a simple seasoning that is always a must in any homemade soup recipe!
How To Make Dairy Free Broccoli Cheese Soup
The first steps to making this easy recipe are to bring a large pot to a medium high heat and add some olive oil. Sauté the shallots for 1-2 minutes, then add the celery, and move around for another couple minutes. Now add the broccoli and broth. Bring to a simmer for 5 minutes. While that simmers, add the soaked cashews, almond milk, and nutritional yeast to a blender. Blend on high until smooth. Add to the pot, along with the salt, give it a good stir, and bring back to a simmer to thicken.
Best Ways To Serve Dairy Free Broccoli Cheese Soup
There is simply nothing better than a warm, cozy bowl of soup! We love to serve a comforting soup with a slice of crusty bread or breadstick for dunking. Of course, you can also enjoy with some saltine crackers too!
Storage
Leftover soup can be kept in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
Recipe FAQs
- What is nutritional yeast? It is a deactivated yeast that has a strong nutty, cheesy flavor and is really good source of B-complex vitamins! It is a very common cheese replacement for those who are dairy-free/vegan. It is also Whole30 compliant!
- Can I use frozen broccoli in broccoli cheese soup? Yes, you can, but we highly recommend sticking with fresh broccoli. Frozen broccoli tends to get a little watery.
Made this recipe and loved it?! We would love it if you would take a minute and leave a star rating and review – it is also helpful if you made any substitutions or changes to the recipe to share that as well. THANK YOU!
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Other Dairy-Free Recipes You Might Like
Dairy-Free Broccoli Cheese Soup Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American
Description
An incredibly creamy, yet Dairy-Free Broccoli Cheese Soup recipe that is so good that nobody will believe it is dairy-free and vegan!
Ingredients
- 1–2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon shallots, minced
- 1/4 cup celery, very finely chopped
- 4 1/2 cups fresh broccoli, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 cups vegetable broth (if Whole30 check the ingredients)
- 1 1/2 cups raw cashews (soak overnight in water)
- 1 1/4 cups unsweetened almond milk
- 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (more to taste)
Instructions
- Sauté: Bring a large dutch oven to a medium-high heat and add olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Add shallots, move around, and let reduce for approximately 1-2 minutes. Add celery and continue cooking for 2-3 minutes (add more olive oil, if you need to).
- Simmer: Now add broccoli and vegetable broth. Bring to a simmer for about 5 minutes.
- Blend: While the broccoli simmers, add soaked and drained cashews, almond milk, nutritional yeast and salt to a blender. Blend on high until smooth and creamy (use spatula to scrape down sides several times); approximately 4 minutes.
- Combine: After the broth simmered for about 5 minutes, add the cashew sauce and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer and continue stirring – soup will thicken after a couple of minutes. Taste and add additional salt, as desired. (I added another 1/2 teaspoon).
- Serve: Ladle into individual bowls and enjoy!
Notes
- Soak Cashews: Don’t forget to soak cashews overnight in a small bowl of water (I just leave mine out on the counter), but if you forget, you can always let them soak in boiling water for at least an hour and you should be fine! Drain before adding to the blender.
- Storage: leftover soup can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6oz
- Calories: 274
- Sugar: 3.7 g
- Sodium: 468.6 mg
- Fat: 19.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 19.1 g
- Protein: 10.2 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Amanda says
This recipe has become a staple for me! Usually make it 3-4 times a month. So creamy and delicious you don’t even miss the real cheese!
Erin says
So happy to hear that, Amanda! 🙂 Thank you so much for your feedback!
Elizabeth Morgan says
Hey Erin,
My husband and I have always loved broccoli cheese soup, but have never found a recipe we’ve liked. We about gave up until I found yours. We’ve made it many times since and completely love it!
Erin says
Hi Elizabeth! So happy to hear you enjoyed it – and thank you so much for taking the time to leave feedback! I really appreciate it!
Gabriella says
This looks amazing, but I do not like cashews. Do you think using almonds instead would work or another nut?
Erin says
Hi Gabriella – sorry I have only ever made this with cashews (which you can’t taste). Cashews have the ability to get nice and creamy, which is harder to do with a lot of other nuts. Sorry!
Juli says
Hi Gabrielle!
I made it with chickpeas and it worked out delicious! Try that!
Caitlin Kerrigan says
I had some frozen broccoli stalks that I needed to use up and immediately thought of this recipe. I’ve never tried using cashews or nutritional yeast to make a savory cheese like sauce and was so pleased with how it turned out. This soup was super tasty, easy, and with minimal ingredients. Thank you Erin! ☺️
Erin says
Yay!!! That is so awesome to hear, Caitlin!! One of my favorite recipes of all-time :). thanks for taking the time to leave your feedback -I really appreciate it!
Paisley says
My husband decided to join me in eating more whole plant based foods, so I made this for his first meal and he absolutely loves it!
Erin says
Yay! So glad to hear that, Paisley! Thank you for taking the time to leave your feedback -I really appreciate it!
Kristen Lascola says
This is my new favorite vegan soup! I’m telling all of my vegan friends about it! I added a little smoked paprika and a aprikling of seasoning salt. So good! Thank you so much for this over the top deleicious recipe! I want to eat if for every single meal!
Erin says
Hi Kristen! I am so glad you enjoyed it – this is honestly one of my favorite recipes of all-time 🙂 Thank you so much for taking the time to leave your feedback! I really appreciate it!
Dani says
This is so amazing! Thank you!
Erin says
Hi Dani! I am so glad you enjoyed it – definitely one of my favorite recipes! Thank you for taking the time to provide feedback – I really appreciate it!
Cassie says
So delicious!!! Definitely 2 thumbs up!
Erin says
So glad you enjoyed it, Cassie! Thank you for taking the time to leave your feedback, I greatly appreciate it!
Marietta says
Loved this recipe!! I used Oat milk instead of almond and only used 1/2 cup nutritional yeast. Then, after reading the comments, I took some of the combined soup and broccoli, put it back in the blender, blended for a minute or less, and added it back to the soup with a little garlic powder. It turned out great!!! I’ll be making this again!
Erin says
Yay!! Love hearing that! So glad you enjoyed it! And thank you for taking the time to leave your feedback, I really appreciate it!
Hope says
This turned out so well! I can’t believe how thick and creamy it got. I did end up watering it down a touch just for preference. Thanks for this great “go to” recipe!
Erin says
Hi Hope! So glad you liked it! And yes, adding a little extra vegetable broth to control the consistency is such a good idea! Thank you for taking the time to leave your feedback, I really appreciate it!
Vanessa Osborne says
When you say soak the cashews in boiling water if you forgot to soak them overnight, do you mean while boiling in water for an hour or do you mean to boil the water and then drop the cashews in and remove from heat and let sit for an hour?
Erin says
Hey Vanessa! I mean the second option you mention – boil some water and then pour over your cashews and let them soak for an hour. Then drain and use per the recipe! Thanks for your question!!
LR says
What can be substituted if a person cannot have nuts?
JOBRINA says
Does this freeze well?
Mary G. says
Do you have a nutritional breakdown for this recipe? It sounds fantastic, I’m craving everything right now. My husband and I are on day 12 of whole 30, and we really want something that feels decadent.
Jessica says
This soup is clearly witchcraft. It’s the only explanation. I have made SO many different cheddar (real cheese/dairy) broccoli soups in my life. They are usually just okay. But none of them have really satisfied my craving for my favorite soup. We recently started eating more plant based meals and I stumbled across this witchery on Pinterest while looking for quick easy vegan meals. I followed this recipe (or dare I say spell?) and was happy with how quick and easy it really was. But what blew my mind was how thick, creamy, and delicious this was!!! My whole family agreed that it’s the best “cheddar” broccoli soup I’ve ever made. I will be casting this spell regularly!!!
Erin says
Yay!!! So glad you loved it so much! It truly is one of my favorite recipes!!! And thank you so much for taking the time to leave feedback – I means so much to me! Thanks, Jessica!
Kelly says
Added a little pepper, a dash of smoked paprika and a splash of liquid smoke. 👌