Vegan Broccoli Soup

You'd never guess that this creamy vegan broccoli soup is totally dairy-free! It's made of a rich, savory blend of potatoes, veggies, and herbs.

vegan broccoli soup

Drumroll, please! This vegan broccoli soup recipe is super creamy, comforting, and brimming with cheesy flavor. I started working on it after I posted a photo of this gorgeous pile of broccoli on Instagram with a call out for broccoli recipe requests. Overwhelmingly, people asked for a healthy/vegan broccoli cheese soup. Jack loves cheesy broccoli soup (and most cheesy things, to be honest), so we were both excited to take on the challenge. I’m happy to report that the results do not disappoint!

This vegan broccoli soup recipe is not to be confused with cream of broccoli soup. I have a super delicious, very green, Creamy Broccoli Soup on page 55 of my first cookbook. It’s made with leeks, coconut milk, broccoli, lemon, and spinach. It’s light, healthy, and tastes similar to a soup my mom made for me while I was growing up.

This recipe – vegan broccoli cheddar soup – is thicker, richer, and more cheese-like. I think you’re going to love it.

Vegan Broccoli Soup Recipe Ingredients

Vegan Broccoli Soup Recipe Ingredients

Tasting this vegan broccoli soup, you’d never guess that it’s made without cheese or cream. Its creamy texture and rich taste come from these plant-based ingredients:

  • Broccoli, of course! I get tons of requests for recipes that use a whole bunch of broccoli, so here, I do – stalk and all! I blend the stalk into the soup’s creamy base and pulse in the florets for texture. If you’re looking for more whole-vegetable recipes, try making a broccoli salad or cauliflower rice next. Waste not, want not!
  • Cashews and potatoes – This combination is a great one for giving vegan recipes a gooey cheesy texture. Like in my vegan cheese recipe, it makes this soup rich and creamy.
  • Carrots – For cheesy color.
  • Celery, onion, and garlic – They add savory depth of flavor.
  • Apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, and lemon juice – For tang.
  • Fresh dill – It’s the secret ingredient that ties this soup together! It helps give it a delicious cheesy flavor without an ounce of cheese.

Find the complete recipe with measurements below.

Onions, carrots, celery, potatoes, broccoli, and garlic in a Dutch oven

To make this recipe, start by sautéing the onion, carrots, celery, and broccoli stems until they soften. Stir in the potatoes and garlic. Then, add the broth and simmer!

Meanwhile, steam all but 1 cup of the broccoli florets until they’re tender, but still bright green.

Vegan Broccoli soup in a blender

When the potatoes are soft, transfer the soup to a blender along with the cashews, vinegar, and mustard, and blend until smooth. Add the broccoli florets that you’ve steamed, as well as the lemon juice and dill. Pulse until the florets are incorporated, but still chunky. Enjoy!

Broccoli and bread on baking sheets

Vegan Broccoli Soup Recipe Tips

  • Top it with something crunchy. Whenever I’m making creamy soup, I love to top it with crunchy garnishes for textural contrast. While the soup simmers, roast the last of the broccoli florets and make a batch of quick homemade croutons. These crispy toppings will take your vegan broccoli soup to a whole new level!
  • Don’t blend the broccoli too much. You don’t want this soup to become a smooth puree; it should have some texture. Blend the potatoes, celery, onions, broccoli stalk, and carrots until they’re completely smooth, but just pulse in the steamed florets. They add lovely green flecks and texture to the soup.
  • Don’t skip the dill! Even if dill isn’t your thing, I urge you to try it in this recipe. It’s essential for mimicking the rich, complex flavor of sharp cheddar cheese. If you want to skip it, I recommend blending in a few tablespoons of nutritional yeast to make the soup taste more cheesy.

vegan broccoli soup in a pot

More Favorite Soup Recipes

If you love this vegan broccoli soup, try one of these delicious soup recipes next:

And for more tasty vegan recipes, check out this post!

broccoli soup

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Vegan Broccoli Soup

rate this recipe:
4.97 from 282 votes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Serves 4
This creamy vegan broccoli soup recipe is our favorite healthy comfort food! Don't skip the dill - it's essential for rounding out this soup's savory, cheesy flavor.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, more for drizzling
  • 1 small yellow onion, diced
  • ½ cup chopped celery
  • cup chopped carrots
  • 1 lb. broccoli, stems diced, florets chopped
  • 1 small yukon gold potato, diced (1 cup)
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 3 cups cubed bread, for croutons
  • ½ cup raw cashews
  • teaspoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • ¼ cup fresh dill
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F and line 2 small baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, carrots, broccoli stems, salt, and pepper and sauté until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the potatoes and garlic and stir, then add the broth and simmer for 20 minutes until the potatoes are soft. Let cool slightly.
  • Set aside 1 cup of the broccoli florets to roast as a topping for the soup. Place the remaining florets in a steamer basket, and set over a pot with 1-inch of water. Bring the water to a simmer, cover, and let steam 5 minutes, until the broccoli is tender.
  • Meanwhile, place the reserved broccoli florets and the bread cubes on the baking sheets. Toss with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt and roast until the bread is crispy and the broccoli is tender and browned around the edges, 10 to 15 minutes.
  • Transfer the soup to the blender and add the cashews, apple cider vinegar, and mustard, and blend until creamy. Work in batches, if necessary. Add the steamed broccoli florets, dill, and lemon juice, and pulse until the broccoli is incorporated but still chunky. The soup should be thick; if it's too thick, add 1/2 cup water to thin to your desired consistency.
  • Season to taste and serve the soup in bowls with the roasted broccoli and croutons on top.

Notes

Note: many readers have had enjoyed blending a few tablespoons of nutritional yeast into the soup for an extra "cheese-like" flavor. You can find it at Whole Foods or other health food stores. If you can't find it, no worries, it's delicious without it too!

This post contains affiliate links.

374 comments

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Rate this recipe (after making it)




  1. Amy
    02.08.2024

    5 stars
    DELICIOUS. Loved the chunky and smooth. I added a tablespoon of nutritional yeast but I don’t think it needed it because the vinegar, mustard, lemon was perfect!

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      02.09.2024

      Hi Amy, I’m so glad you loved the soup!

  2. June
    02.03.2024

    5 stars
    I made the soup today and it is delicious. I think it is the best broccoli soup I have ever eaten, I have eaten many broccoli soups.

  3. dee
    01.23.2024

    5 stars
    so good! I love that this recipe is all whole foods but still tastes indulgent. I was surprised that it actually tastes a little like cheese in the perfect way. I added two roasted red peppers which made the color more orangey and gave it a nice smoky flavor. I’m definitely keeping this in my meal prep rotation 🙂 thank you!

  4. Susan
    01.22.2024

    5 stars
    This a great recipe that allows for flexible options. Delicious!

  5. TJ
    01.20.2024

    5 stars
    I made this soup with a few changes to fit my diet and what I had on hand. I sautéed the veggies using water instead of oil. I didn’t have any fresh dill or cashews on hand so I used a tablespoon of dry dill and omitted the cashews but added the nutritional yeast. It tasted pretty good!

  6. Laura
    01.14.2024

    5 stars
    This was excellent. I used 12 oz broccoli bc that is what I had on hand., using all in the soup and skipped broccoli on top. Instead I diced up potatoes and roasted them for the topping with some green onions. Fresh dill wasn’t available so I used 4 teaspoons of dried instead. So good, I plan to make again!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      01.15.2024

      Yum! I’m so glad you enjoyed it.

  7. Carole
    01.14.2024

    Any recommendations for a substitute to the cashews? I can’t use them due to allergies.
    Thanks!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      01.15.2024

      Hi Carole, you could leave them out of this recipe.

  8. Michael
    01.14.2024

    5 stars
    What a tasty surprise this soup turned out to be. I made this last night. My husband and I love this delicious soup. He raved about it all night. It is creamy but without heavy dairy. It is very tasty and filling. The roasted broccoli on top is yummy. I did cheat and used store bought croutons but other than that I followed the recipe as is. This is a keeper for our household!! ❤️

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      01.15.2024

      I’m so glad it was such a hit!

  9. Melanie from melaniepatterson.com
    01.07.2024

    5 stars
    Okay I didn’t know I could make something. this good. Thank you!! Brilliant mix of flavors. I came back in after walking the dog and the aroma was as if I made broccoli cheddar soup. So impressive.

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      01.09.2024

      Hi Melanie, I’m so glad you loved it!

A food blog with fresh, zesty recipes.
Photograph of Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews in their kitchen

Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.

We love to eat, travel, cook, and eat some more! We create & photograph vegetarian recipes from our home in Chicago, while our shiba pups eat the kale stems that fall on the kitchen floor.