Creamy Cheesy Vegan Broccoli Soup: Your Ultimate Guide to a Comforting Plant-Based Delight

Indulge in the ultimate comfort food with this incredibly creamy and flavorful Cheesy Vegan Broccoli Soup. Perfect for a crisp autumn evening or any time you crave a warming, hearty, and satisfying meal, this plant-based delight offers all the rich taste and velvety texture you love, without any dairy.

Packed with nutritious vegetables, and boasting an irresistible ‘cheesy’ tang, this soup is surprisingly easy to make. Serve it piping hot with a generous slice of crusty bread, and prepare for a truly wholesome and filling experience that will nourish your body and soul.

Before embarking on my vegan journey, broccoli cheese soup held a special place in my heart as one of my absolute favorite comfort foods. The rich, creamy texture combined with the savory notes of cheese and the earthy goodness of broccoli was simply irresistible. However, when I transitioned to a plant-based diet, recreating that beloved classic presented a unique challenge.

Many commercially available vegan cheeses, while improving rapidly, haven’t quite captured the nuanced flavor and melting qualities I sought for a soup of this caliber. Simple swaps often fell short, leaving me longing for that authentic cheesy depth. This led me on a mission to develop a vegan broccoli cheese soup that truly delivered on flavor and texture, without relying heavily on processed vegan cheese products.

Fortunately, the culinary world gifted us with nutritional yeast! This magical ingredient, often referred to as “nooch,” is a game-changer for anyone seeking to infuse a savory, umami-rich, and undeniably cheese-like flavor into plant-based dishes. When combined with a few other carefully selected ingredients, it transforms ordinary vegetable stock into a luxurious, cheesy base that rivals its dairy counterpart. The result? A cheesy vegan broccoli soup that I now enjoy just as much, if not more, than the original. It’s a testament to how creative plant-based cooking can be, offering healthier alternatives without compromising on taste or satisfaction. This recipe is not just a replacement; it’s a delicious evolution.

Unlocking the Flavor: Key Ingredients for Your Cheesy Vegan Broccoli Soup

Crafting a truly exceptional vegan broccoli cheddar soup requires a thoughtful selection of ingredients, each playing a vital role in achieving that perfect balance of creaminess, flavor, and nutrition. Here’s a detailed look at what you’ll need to create this comforting plant-based masterpiece:

• Broccoli: The star of the show, of course! For this recipe, I recommend using a large head of broccoli, stem and all. Don’t discard the stem; it’s packed with flavor and nutrients. When properly prepped (peeled and diced), it adds body and substance to the soup, ensuring no part of this versatile vegetable goes to waste. Using both florets and stalk maximizes flavor and minimizes waste.
• Leek, Onion, and Garlic: These aromatic vegetables form the essential flavor base, or soffritto, of the soup. Sautéing them gently until soft and translucent builds a foundational layer of savory sweetness that enhances every other ingredient. This trio creates a robust, aromatic backdrop that is crucial for a deeply satisfying soup.
• Potato: A secret weapon for achieving incredible body and creaminess without any dairy. As the potato simmers and breaks down, its starches naturally thicken the soup, providing a luxurious, velvety texture that’s incredibly satisfying. It acts as a natural emulsifier and thickener, ensuring your creamy vegan soup is rich and smooth.
• Vegan Butter and Olive Oil: I use a combination of these fats for frying the vegetables. Vegan butter imparts a rich, buttery depth that mimics traditional dairy cooking, while olive oil adds a fruity note and ensures the vegetables cook evenly without burning. This blend creates the best possible starting flavor for your soup, adding richness and a subtle warmth.
• Vegetable Stock: The liquid foundation of your soup. Opt for a good quality vegetable bouillon for the best depth of flavor. A rich, savory stock will greatly enhance the overall taste, providing a robust base upon which all other flavors can build. My personal favorite is Marigold, known for its excellent flavor profile.
• Nutritional Yeast, Lemon Juice, Mustard, and Bay Leaf: This quartet is absolutely essential for creating that distinctive ‘cheesy’ flavor in the absence of actual cheese.
  • Nutritional Yeast: The MVP of vegan cheese flavor. Its umami-rich, savory profile provides the primary “cheesy” notes.
  • Lemon Juice: A splash of fresh lemon juice brightens the flavors, adds a crucial tanginess that mimics the acidity found in cheese, and balances the richness.
  • Wholegrain Mustard: Contributes a subtle, piquant depth and a hint of sharpness that rounds out the savory profile, enhancing the cheesy illusion.
  • Bay Leaf: While subtle, a bay leaf adds an earthy, aromatic complexity that deepens the overall flavor of the broth, making it more sophisticated and satisfying.

  This combination creates a remarkably authentic plant-based cheesy flavor.

• Vegan Cream: To achieve that luxurious, silky finish, you’ll need a good quality vegan cream. You can use any shop-bought vegan cream, such as soy-based (like Alpro single cream, which I often use) or oat-based varieties. Alternatively, if you prefer a whole-food option, homemade cashew cream works wonderfully, adding an extra layer of richness. While coconut cream is an option, be aware that it may impart a noticeable coconut flavor, which isn’t ideal for a classic broccoli cheese profile, so it wouldn’t be my first choice in this instance.
• Baby Spinach: Adding a generous handful of baby spinach just before blending serves two purposes: it helps to maintain a vibrant, bright green color in the finished soup (which broccoli alone can sometimes lose during cooking), and it boosts the nutritional content with extra vitamins and minerals. It’s an effortless way to sneak in more greens!

Crafting Your Cheesy Vegan Broccoli Soup: A Step-by-Step Guide

(For precise measurements and detailed instructions, please refer to the comprehensive recipe card located at the bottom of this page.)

1. Prepare Your Vegetables: Begin by carefully chopping your broccoli. Separate the stalk from the florets. Peel and dice the broccoli stalk into small pieces, as it takes longer to cook. Cut the broccoli head into small, bite-sized florets. Next, peel and finely chop your brown onion, slice the leek, and peel and crush the garlic cloves. Finally, peel and dice the potato into small, uniform pieces to ensure even cooking.
2. Sauté the Aromatics: In a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, heat the vegan butter and olive oil over a low to medium-low heat. Once the fats are melted and shimmering, add the chopped onion, sliced leek, and crushed garlic. Cook gently, stirring frequently, for 10-15 minutes. The goal here is to soften the vegetables without browning them, allowing their natural sweetness to emerge and form a fragrant, flavorful base for your healthy vegan soup.



3. Simmer the Base: Pour in the vegetable stock, then add the diced potato, the chopped broccoli stalk, the bay leaf, and the wholegrain mustard. Stir everything together to combine. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat, cover the pot, and let it cook for 15-20 minutes. This simmering time allows the potatoes and broccoli stalk to become tender and the flavors to meld beautifully. You’ll know they’re ready when a fork easily pierces the largest pieces.



4. Add Broccoli Florets: Once the potato and broccoli stalk are tender, add the reserved broccoli florets to the pot. Cook for approximately 5 minutes more, or until the florets are just tender-crisp and have turned a vibrant green. Be careful not to overcook them, as this can dull their color and texture. If necessary, you can add a splash more stock at this stage, just enough to barely cover the florets, but avoid adding too much, or your soup might become too thin.



5. Blend for Creaminess: Carefully transfer the hot soup mixture to a high-speed blender. Add the vegan cream, nutritional yeast (starting with 6 tablespoons, you can add more later), 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice, a generous handful of baby spinach, and a substantial seasoning of salt and freshly ground black pepper. If your blender is not large enough to accommodate all the soup, blend it in batches to avoid overfilling and potential spills.



6. Achieve the Perfect Consistency and Seasoning: Blend until the soup is perfectly smooth and creamy. Once blended, taste the soup and adjust the seasoning as needed. This is your chance to fine-tune the flavors: add more lemon juice for brightness, more salt and pepper for overall enhancement, or additional nutritional yeast for an extra boost of cheesy flavor. Continue blending briefly after each addition to ensure everything is well incorporated.

Top Tips for the Best Cheesy Vegan Broccoli Soup

Achieving the perfect creamy cheesy vegan broccoli soup is all about attention to detail. Follow these expert tips to ensure your soup is a resounding success every time:

• Follow the Recipe Closely: While cooking often encourages creativity, for the best results with this particular recipe, it’s highly recommended to follow the instructions exactly as written, especially on your first attempt. Every ingredient has been carefully chosen for a reason, and omitting or drastically changing any component may result in an inferior flavor or texture. This specific combination is what creates the unique ‘cheesy’ and creamy profile.
• Season Generously and Taste as You Go: Don’t underestimate the power of proper seasoning. A bit of salt and freshly ground black pepper can make an enormous difference, transforming a bland soup into a vibrant, flavorful dish. Start with the recommended amounts, but always taste and adjust at the end. Consider adding a pinch more salt to enhance all the other flavors, and a touch more pepper for a gentle warmth. Remember, you can always add more, but you can’t take it away.
• Timing is Key for Broccoli: Resist the urge to add all the broccoli to the soup at the very beginning. The chopped broccoli stalk, being denser, requires a longer cooking time alongside the potatoes to become tender. However, the delicate broccoli florets cook much more quickly. Adding them in the final 5 minutes of simmering ensures they retain their vibrant green color and a pleasant, tender-crisp texture, preventing them from becoming mushy or overcooked. This staggered addition is crucial for the soup’s texture and appearance.
• Achieving Ultimate Smoothness: For an incredibly silky and luxurious soup, ensure you blend it thoroughly in a high-speed blender. If you don’t have a powerful blender, you might need to blend for a little longer, or even pass the soup through a fine-mesh sieve after blending (though this is rarely necessary if you have a decent blender). Blending in batches can also help achieve a smoother consistency and prevent overheating your blender.
• Customize Your ‘Cheesy’ Flavor: The amount of nutritional yeast and lemon juice can be adjusted to your personal preference. If you desire a stronger ‘cheesy’ flavor, add an extra tablespoon or two of nutritional yeast during the final blending stage. For more tang and brightness, a bit more lemon juice will do the trick. Taste, adjust, and taste again until it’s just right for you.
• Serve with the Right Companions: This comfort food vegan soup is magnificent on its own, but truly shines when paired with perfect accompaniments. Crusty bread for dipping is a classic choice, but consider serving it with toasted croutons, a sprinkle of fresh herbs (like chives or parsley), or even a swirl of extra vegan cream for an elegant finish. A side salad can also add a refreshing contrast.

Storage and Reheating Made Easy

This cheesy vegan broccoli soup is fantastic for meal prepping, as it stores and reheats beautifully, making it a convenient option for quick weeknight meals or comforting lunches.

• Refrigeration: To store, allow the soup to cool completely to room temperature. Transfer it to an airtight container and place it in the fridge. It will keep fresh and delicious for up to four days.
• Freezing: This soup is also freezer-friendly! Once cooled, pour the soup into a freezer-proof container or heavy-duty freezer bags, leaving a little headspace for expansion. It can be frozen for up to three months.
• Reheating: When ready to enjoy, if frozen, allow the soup to defrost in the fridge overnight. Reheat gently in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until it is piping hot. Alternatively, you can reheat individual portions in the microwave, stirring halfway through. If the soup appears too thick after reheating, you can thin it out with a splash of vegetable stock or water until it reaches your desired consistency.

More Delicious Vegan Soup Recipes to Explore

If you’ve fallen in love with this plant-based soup, you’re in for a treat! The world of vegan soups is incredibly diverse and flavorful. Here are some more of my favorite recipes that are sure to warm you from the inside out and expand your plant-based culinary repertoire:

• Creamy White Bean Soup: A rich and hearty soup, perfect for a protein boost.
• Creamy Vegetable Chickpea Soup: Wholesome and packed with garden goodness.
• Spinach, Lentil and Butter Bean Soup: A robust and fiber-rich option.
• Vegan Corn Chowder: Sweet, creamy, and wonderfully comforting.
• Spiced Carrot and Pumpkin Soup: An autumnal delight with a touch of warming spice.
• Quick Black-Eyed Bean Soup: Fast, easy, and full of southern-inspired flavors.
• Vegan Sausage Stew with Lentils and Farro: A heartier stew that makes a complete meal.
• Vegetable and Pearl Barley Stew with Herby Dumplings: A truly wholesome and satisfying stew with a rustic touch.

If you’ve had the pleasure of trying this cheesy vegan broccoli soup recipe, I’d love to hear about your experience! Please rate it, leave a comment below, or share your creation on Instagram by tagging @domestic_gothess and using the hashtag #domesticgothess. Your feedback is truly appreciated!

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