Vegan Broccoli Cheddar Soup
A classic favorite, broccoli cheese soup was one dish I missed after going dairy-free, so I worked hard to come up with this deliciously satisfying vegan broccoli cheddar soup version that is loaded with flavor by the spoonful.
I make a lot of soups, and this cheddar vegan broccoli soup is my husband’s absolute favorite! No one you serve this to will ever guess that this amazing soup is dairy-free and much lower in fat than the traditional version. It’s so rich and creamy that only you will ever know that it’s actually healthy. If you love serving and eating healthy soup, our creamy butternut squash soup is dairy-free and delicious as well!
We have a lot of vegan broccoli recipes on this website that will impress friends and family like our healthy broccoli salad that is dairy-free.
Reasons you will love this soup
- Rich and Creamy Flavor – This vegan broccoli cheese soup offers a deliciously creamy texture and cheesy taste without dairy, making it a comforting and indulgent choice for plant-based eaters.
- Nutrient-Packed – Packed with nutrient-dense broccoli and fortified with plant-based cheese, this soup is loaded with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, supporting a healthy diet.
- Versatile and Satisfying – The soup can be enjoyed on its own or paired with crusty bread, crackers, or a side salad, making it a versatile and filling option for any meal.
Ingredients you will need
- Broccoli- Used in vegan broccoli cheddar soup for its vibrant flavor, nutritional benefits, and texture. It adds a fresh, slightly bitter taste that complements the cheesy elements of the soup.
- Veggies- Carrots, onions, and garlic are used in this soup to enhance its flavor and depth. Onions and garlic add a savory, aromatic base that complements the creamy, cheesy components of the soup, while carrots contribute a subtle sweetness and additional nutrition.
- Vegetable Broth- Provides a savory, umami-rich base that enhances the overall flavor of the soup. It adds depth and complexity without overpowering the other ingredients. We have an easy veggie stock recipe to make your own from vegetable scraps.
- Cheese Sauce- Using my homemade vegan cheese sauce to make this soup enhances the flavor and texture, providing a rich, creamy, and cheesy taste without dairy. It allows you to control the ingredients and customize the sauce to your taste preferences, ensuring a smooth, satisfying consistency.
Tips & Suggestions
- Cheese sauce- Since we use this dairy-free cheddar cheese sauce in so many other recipes, I like to make double batches to keep it on hand. It even freezes well. After defrosting, I place it back into my blender to make it smooth again before adding it to recipes like this soup.
- Serving suggestion- Though this soup is usually served in a bowl at my house when we have guests, I love to put it in a bread bowl because it’s such a beautiful table display.
How to make vegan broccoli cheddar soup
The recipe card at the bottom of the page has the full list of ingredients with measurements and instructions.
STEP #1: To make this soup, the first thing you will need to do is make the cheese sauce which takes about 20 minutes. It is as simple as boiling a pot of potatoes, onions, and carrots, adding them to a blender with spices, and blending until smooth.
I have a Vitamix blender, so it can whip this cheese sauce up in just about 1-minute. Set this sauce to the side until it’s time to add it to the soup. The great thing is that this cheese can be used with so many other meals.
STEP #2: Next, it’s time to start on the soup recipe by dicing up all of the veggies–onions, garlic, broccoli, and carrots.
In a large stockpot, saute onions and garlic in approximately 3 tablespoons of water. Cook until slightly browned which should take about 5 minutes. Add additional water, one tablespoon at a time, if needed to keep the pan from becoming dry.
STEP #3: Add 2-1/2 cups water, broccoli florets, and carrots. Cover and cook on medium heat for approximately 10-15 minutes, until slightly tender, but still bright green. Don’t overcook to mush.
STEP #4: Remove from heat and put half of the veggies in a blender with the cheese sauce (leave the other 1/2 in your pot, but not on heat), plus 1/2 cup of reserved veggie broth from the cheese sauce). Blend for just a minute or less.
STEP #5: Pour the blender mixture into the pot with the other 1/2 of the cooked broccoli and veggies. Add almond milk, 1/2 cup water, Dijon mustard, chili powder, salt, and pepper.
Place it back on the heat and allow it to cook for approximately 10 minutes on low heat.
STEP #6: Remove and allow it to cool for about 10 minutes. Serve this soup in a bowl or hollowed-out crusty bread.
*Originally posted September 2015.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can use frozen broccoli in vegan broccoli cheddar soup. Just be sure to thaw and drain it properly before adding it to the soup to avoid excess moisture.
Absolutely! You can add other vegetables such as carrots, celery, or potatoes to the soup for extra flavor and nutrition. Just be sure to adjust the cooking time to ensure all vegetables are tender.
Store leftover vegan broccoli cheddar soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. It freezes well too.
To reheat, gently warm the soup on the stovetop or in the microwave, stirring occasionally to ensure even heating. If the soup thickens too much upon reheating, you can add a splash of vegetable broth or plant-based milk to reach your desired consistency.
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Vegan Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Ingredients
Soup Ingredients
- 4 cups broccoli florets (fresh or frozen)
- 1/2 cup carrot diced
- 3/4 cup onion sliced
- 2 cloves garlic diced
- 1/2 cup broth from veggies (this will come from making cheese sauce)
- 1 cup almond milk plain
- 3 cups water
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper (or to taste)
- 2 cups Creamy Vegan Cheese Sauce (recipe below)
Creamy Vegan Cheese Sauce
- 1 cup potatoes peeled and diced
- 1/4 cup carrots diced
- 1/4 cup onions diced
- 1 cup broth from veggies
- 1/2 cup raw cashews unsoaked, (or 1/2 cup white beans, cooked)
- 4 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 pinch paprika
- 1 pinch cayenne optional
Instructions
Vegan Creamy Cheese Sauce
- In a medium pot, boil potatoes, carrots, and onion in a pot with enough water to cover well and allow to cook until veggies are tender, approximately 15 minutes. Cooking time will vary based on how small the veggies are diced.
- When veggies are tender, drain them and place them in a blender. NOTE: reserve the broth, and add 1 cup of it to the blender. Add all the remaining ingredients, and blend until smooth. Reserve the rest of the broth from veggies to use in soup.
- This 'cheese' sauce is excellent and can be stored in the refrigerator (when not making this soup recipe) and used for many things. It makes approximately 2-3 cups.
- Including a baked potato topping, over steamed broccoli, salsa for nachos, and so many more options!
- For now, just leave the cheese sauce in your blender. You will be adding soup ingredients shortly.
Vegan Cheddar Broccoli Soup
- In a large stockpot, saute onions and garlic in approximately 3 tablespoons of water. Cook until slightly browned which should take about 5 minutes. Add additional water, one tablespoon at a time, if needed to keep the pan from becoming dry.
- Add 2-1/2 cups water, broccoli florets, and carrots. Cover and cook on medium heat for approximately 10 minutes, until slightly tender, but still bright green. Don't overcook to mush.
- Remove from heat and put half of the veggies in a blender with the cheese sauce (leave the other 1/2 in your pot, but not on heat), plus 1/2 cup of reserved veggie broth from cheese sauce). Blend for just a minute or less.
- Pour the blender mixture into the pot with the other half of the cooked broccoli and veggies. Add almond milk, 1/2 cup water, Dijon mustard, chili powder, salt, and pepper.
- Place it back on the heat and allow it to cook for approximately 10 minutes on low heat.
- Remove and allow it to cool for about 10 minutes. Serve this soup in a bowl or hollowed-out crusty bread.
Video
Notes
- Cheese sauce- Since we use this dairy-free cheddar cheese sauce in so many other recipes, I like to make double batches to keep it on hand. It even freezes well. After defrosting, I place it back into my blender to make it smooth again before adding it to recipes like this soup.
- Broccoli- You can use frozen broccoli in vegan broccoli cheddar soup. Just be sure to thaw and drain it properly before adding it to the soup to avoid excess moisture.
- Serving suggestion- Though this soup is usually served in a bowl at my house when we have guests, I love to put it in a bread bowl because it's such a beautiful table display.
- Storage- Store leftover vegan broccoli cheddar soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. It freezes well too.
- Reheating- To reheat, gently warm the soup on the stovetop or in the microwave, stirring occasionally to ensure even heating. If the soup thickens too much upon reheating, you can add a splash of vegetable broth or plant-based milk to reach your desired consistency.
Nutrition
Disclaimer
To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
About Terri Edwards
Hi guys! I am the content creator behind EatPlant-Based and a licensed Food for Life instructor with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. I am passionate about sharing healthy recipes and tips to empower others to get healthy. I’m so glad you’re here! Read More…
***********This needs 10 Stars! My husband abSEWlutely loves this! I’ve made a huge crock pot and served this soup in the Sugar Bush, feeding everyone working. It is SEW versatile and I usually toss in any veggies that need to be used.
Thank you for your hard work and the Inspirations!
Rosebud
LOVE THIS! Thank you for the great feedback. You just made my day!
this deserves a five-star even though it’s a little time-consuming with both recipes. it’s interesting that you say to add two cups of the cheese sauce, and when I made it it only made two cups. I can’t wait to make it again!
What kind of potatoes do we use?
Maria- I have used many different types of potoatoes. Most of the time it is Russetts around here.
I just made this and have to admit that it took A LOT of self control to not stop the process after making the cheese sauce and just sit on the kitchen floor with my blender and a spoon. So delicious. My soup turned out a little watery as well so I may decrease the amount of water I add to the broccoli step. I’ll be making this again and again!!!!
Thanks so much!
This was a very flavorful and hearty soup
broccoli cheese soup. Rich and satisfying while being healthy. This is a keeper. Thank you so much for the WFPB recipe, Terri!
Lisa- This is one of my favorite soups! I’m so glad that you loved it too. Thank you for the positive feedback.
An amazing soup which paired great with plant based soda bread. It was a great way to use up the extra ‘cheese’ sauce from the Vegan Lasagna with Spinach & Mushrooms (also delicious)
Thanks for sharing!!!
I made this for dinner last night. Also having it for lunch today. I honestly have to say this is the best broccoli cheese soup I have made or ate. We had it with a warm piece of naan flatbread. For sure a 5 star winner!!
Made this yesterday, and it was outstanding! I’ve tried a few that were good, but this one is officially my favorite. Thank you!
Made this tonight without the nutritional yeast bc I was out of it and sooooo delicious anyways. I have had several Whole Food plant based broccoli soups and this is my fave! Excited to enjoy this for lunches this week.
This recipe is so amazing!! I made this tonight I think next time I will double the cheese sauce in the soup it needed alittle more creaminess. Great recipe. Meat eaters loved it too 😊
Was I supposed to drain the remainder of broccoli, carrots, and onions before I added the cheese sauce. Once I added the almond milk and half cup of water it is really watery.
Hi Polly- No need to drain the veggies. It shouldn’t be runny, but you can always add a little cornstarch or arrowroot powder to thicken up any soup or sauce.
Flavor is fantastic and will make this again, but be mindful of how much broth I’m adding back to the soup. I’m so happy to have found your site and recipes. Everything looks so delicious.
Hi Joyce- I am so happy that you found my site too! And, that you liked the recipe. Thanks so much!