Contrary to what you may think, going dairy free doesn’t mean creamy soups are thing of the past. They are, in fact, just as easy to make and you won’t even be able to tell the difference.
I’d even so far as to say this soup is as good as Panera’s broccoli cheese soup. It’s creamy, savory and just as indulgent as you remember.
More creamy soup recipes: sweet potato soup / asparagus soup / autumn squash soup / baked potato soup
How to make vegan broccoli cheese soup:
To make this soup dairy free, I started building flavor from the beginning with onion and garlic. Then I used a combination of vegetable broth, almond milk and canned coconut milk for the liquid.
I used canned coconut milk because it’s as thick as heavy cream, but I always like to balance out the sweetness with another dairy free milk, like almond.
To give the soup the right color and flavory, I added 1/4 cup nutritional yeast and a little ground mustard, turmeric and paprika. And, of course, you’ll need salt.
Then I thickened it all up with a slurry of flour and the rest of my almond milk. I also added a pinch of nutmeg at the end, but you definitely don’t need it.
As for the broccoli, chop it as small or large as you want. I think it mimics restaurant quality if you let the broccoli cook way-down, so I cut mine fairly small.
You can top you soup with some vegan cheese shreds, or you can go for some homemade croutons. They get nice a soft in the soup and add a really good amount of flavor. Or, you can just stand at the stove and eat from the pot, no garnish necessary. It’s up to you.
Tips for making the creamiest vegan broccoli soup:
- Using a combination of broth, almond (or any alternative milk) and coconut milk gives you a creamy consistency.
- Turmeric, paprika and nutritional yeast contribute to a cheesy, cheddar-like color. You can skip one or the other, but don’t leave out all three.
- Don’t skimp on the salt. Cheese is naturally salty, so when you’re missing it, you’re missing out on that saltiness. Don’t be afraid to add enough salt to make it taste right.
More vegan soup recipes:
- Beer cheese soup
- Vegan cauliflower soup
- Vegan cream of mushroom
- Potage aux legumes
- Vegan tomato soup
More vegan recipes you’ll love:
- Vegan queso
- Almond cheese
- Vegan mac and cheese
- Vegan vodka sauce
- Irish soda bread
- Dairy free cheesecake
Vegan Broccoli Cheese Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced (1/2 tablespoon minced)
- 6 cups roughly chopped broccoli florets
- 1 14.5- ounce can vegetable broth
- 2 1/2 cups almond milk, divided
- 1 1/3 cups canned coconut milk
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 2 teaspoons coarse salt
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Pinch of nutmeg, optional
Instructions
- In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil to medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic. Sauté, stirring frequently, until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add broccoli, broth, 2 cups of almond milk and coconut milk. Increase heat to high and bring to a low boil.
- Continue to boil soup until broccoli has softened, stirring occasionally.
- Reduce heat to medium.
- Add nutritional yeast, salt, mustard, turmeric and paprika. Stir to combine.
- In a small bowl, whisk together flour and remaining almond milk until smooth. Add to soup.
- Add nutmeg, and continue to simmer soup over medium until desired thickness is reached.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
Loved it! Hubby liked it too! I saved this recipe to make it again. Thank you for sharing!
Wow! I am shocked and ecstatic! I have been suffering from GERD and learned i have a dairy intolerance and was so bummed out at the thought of no longer being able to enjoy many meals i have loved (such as broc & Cheddar soup) thank you for this amazing recipe! And for introducing me to nutritional yeast as well 🙂 i was wondering if you had information on the nutritional facts for this recipe? I didn’t see it posted
This was excellent, Melissa!
I started dairy free within the last month. Before that, I was low carb and eating lots of cheese. So I wasn’t sure what was going to happen when I tried this recipe. But we were missing our low-carb broccoli cheese soup. Very grateful that you had this recipe on your website
The only changes I was making is using cashew milk (which is a little thicker), 6 cups of frozen broccoli that I cut up, and I didn’t add the extra milk plus flour/cornstarch at the end. We added a little bit of Follow Your Heart cheese on top.
I cooked it till the broccoli was very soft because I had intended to use my immersion blender. But I couldn’t find it!
It was absolutely terrific. Very surprising to me, and I intend to look at the rest of the recipes on your website.
With much gratitude,
Judy, and Larry
Do you have nutritional information for the soup?
Is one can of coconut milk equal to 1 1/3 c? I have all ingredients but only one can, didn’t want to start this soup if I was short on the coconut milk. Thanks. I’m looking to use this as a Lent recipe since there is no meat and it’s DF!!
1 can of coconut milk should be about 1 3/4 cup of coconut milk (depends on your can though).
Hi! How many calories per cup?
Ate this tonight. Seriously, exactly the flavor of broccoli cheese soup you want. This is going into the favs. Thanks!
Will this work for cauliflower as well?
Yes! You could totally use cauliflower!
Hello, just wondering if you have any nutritional info for this soup? Calories, carbs, etc.
It is awesome!
Thanks,
Alex
I just updated the nutrition facts on the post for you!
Just made this soup mixed with broccoli and cauliflower. If anyone is looking for a dairy free alternative, this is a good recipe to follow. It’s very important to read instructions and suggestions all the way through. Since no cheese is added you will need more salt or herbs to bring out the flavor.