Dairy Free Broccoli Soup
Creamy, cheesy and perfectly decadent, this dairy free broccoli soup is secretly healthy! Packed with plenty of fresh veggies and dreamy cashew cream, it’s easy comfort food at its finest. And it tastes even better the next day, making it fantastic for both lunch and dinner. Gluten free, grain free and vegan.
With soup season upon us, it’s time to chat about this dairy free broccoli soup.
Because I don’t know about you, but I firmly believe there’s nothing better than a cozy, velvety, steaming bowl of soup on a cool autumn (or winter) day.
Which brings us to this recipe.
Creamy and cheesy, um, without the actual cheese, today’s version is one you can feel good about enjoying.
Packed with tons of broccoli and veggies, a delightful cashew heavy cream and plenty of flavor, it’s dinnertime goodness at its best.
And when served with some crusty bread for dunking? I’m SO here for it. ♡
How To Make
So, let’s talk about how this simple soup goes down:
Make cashew heavy cream. First up, we’ll process some raw cashews, almond milk and seasonings in a blender until nice and smooth.
Soften veggies. Next, we’ll saute an onion and two carrots in a stockpot, then stir in a bit of garlic and tomato paste until fragrant.
Add flavorings and simmer. Plenty of broth, some broccoli, potatoes and spices all get added to the pot, and then we’ll let it simmer until everything is tender.
Stir in cashew mixture. Finally, we’ll stir in the cashew heavy cream, then add additional salt and pepper as needed to really make the flavors pop.
Topping Ideas
Now, you can enjoy this dreamy soup just as is OR jazz it up with some toppings. Here’s a few ideas to get you started:
- dairy free croutons
- cooked bacon (if not vegan / vegetarian)
- sliced green onion
- fresh chopped parsley or chives
- shredded dairy free cheddar cheese
Tips & Tricks
- If you forget to soak your cashews overnight, use the following quick soak method instead. Add the cashews to a heatproof bowl, then cover with boiling water. Let soak for 30 minutes to 1 hour, then proceed with the recipe.
- I HIGHLY recommend using a high speed blender as the cashews will blend up so smooth and creamy. You can certainly try using a regular one, just keep in mind the mixture will take longer to smooth out and won’t have quite as perfect of a consistency (I’ve found cashew based sauces can be a bit grainy with a regular blender).
- Be sure to cut the potatoes into the listed ½ inch chunks. This allows them to cook in the allotted time.
- And finally, don’t hesitate to add more salt to the finished soup. Regular cheese adds quite a bit of saltiness to the classic version of this dish, so add more salt as needed to really make the flavors pop.
How To Store
Fridge: Let the soup cool to room temperature then transfer to an airtight container. It will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Additionally, it’s worth mentioning that this is one of those dishes where the flavor gets even better as it sits.
The “cheesy” goodness really comes out and it feels closer to the classic dish once everything has had some time to get all groovy together.
Additional Dairy Free Soup Recipes:
- Dairy Free Tomato Soup
- Dairy Free Corn Chowder
- Dairy Free Zuppa Toscana
- Dairy Free White Chicken Chili
- Mexican Minestrone Soup
- Dairy Free Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
- Dairy Free Pumpkin Soup
Did you make this recipe? Rate and review it down below! I’d love to hear from you.
Dairy Free Broccoli Soup
Creamy, cheesy and perfectly decadent, this dairy free broccoli soup is secretly healthy! Packed with plenty of fresh veggies and dreamy cashew cream, it’s easy comfort food at its finest. And it tastes even better the next day.
Ingredients
For the cashews:
- ¾ cup raw cashews, soaked overnight*
- 1 cup unsweetened plain almond milk
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- ⅓ cup nutritional yeast
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
For the soup base:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 medium-large carrots, chopped (peeled if desired)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth**
- 6 cups bite-sized broccoli florets
- 1 ½ cups cubed yukon potato (½ inch chunks)
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
For the cashews:
- Drain and rinse the cashews, then add to a high-speed blender along with the almond milk, lemon juice, dijon, nutritional yeast and nutmeg.
- Blend on high until completely smooth and creamy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Set aside.
For the soup base:
- Add the olive oil to a large stockpot or dutch oven set over medium heat. When hot, add in the onion and carrots and cook for about 5 minutes, until softened. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
- Stir in the broth, broccoli, potatoes, thyme, parsley, turmeric, salt and pepper, then bring to a low boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the potatoes are tender. Remove from the heat, then stir in the cashew mixture.
- Taste and season with additional salt / pepper as needed to make the flavors pop - I usually add about ½ teaspoon more salt. {You can also puree a portion or all of the soup if you want a smoother texture - i.e. more like cream of broccoli soup. Just be careful when blending as there will be hot steam.}
- Serve as desired!
Notes
*Add the cashews to a small bowl and cover with water. Allow to soak at room temperature for at least 8 hours or overnight. If you forget, a quick soak method is included in the tips & tricks section in the post above.
**If you’re not trying to keep this vegan / vegetarian - you can also use low-sodium chicken broth or bone broth (bone broth is our favorite here for the extra flavor and protein!).
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 5 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 320Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 571mgCarbohydrates: 43gFiber: 12gSugar: 9gProtein: 15g
Nutrition data shown is an estimate provided by an online calculator and is for informational purposes only. It should not be considered a substitute for a medical professional’s advice.
Hi, I enjoyed your blog. I can across it today. I’m currently making the coconut buttermilk for the biscuits. I’m excited to try them. I recently had to go dairy free because of Gastro problems. One of my favorite soups is broccoli cheese. I see on this recipe you suggested a diary free cheese is there a brand you could recommend? Thanks any tips would be great.
Hey Desiree! So glad you’re here 🙂 My personal favorite brand of dairy free cheese is Violife – especially for shredded (it’s the only one I like the taste of!).
Delicious! We don’t normally eat dairy free but my husband recently found out he can’t have dairy anymore due to a gallbladder problem. This soup was one of the first recipes I made and it was delicious!
So happy to hear you guys enjoyed this Nicole! Thanks so much for taking the time to let me know 🙂
Sounds and looks really great with cashew cream!
Thanks Angie!