This restaurant-worthy Vegan Broccoli Cheddar Soup is easy to make on the stove and in the Instant Pot! Made with simple ingredients, vegan cheese, and cashew cream, every bite is creamy and packed with flavor. Naturally gluten free!
Craving a bowl of comfort food for dinner tonight? Turn to this easy Vegan Broccoli Cheddar Soup! It’s a simple one-pot recipe made with broccoli, vegan cheese shreds, cashew cream, and a few other savory ingredients. It’s a restaurant-worthy meal you can have ready in just 30 minutes!
Just like my Vegan Chicken Noodle Soup, this broccoli cheddar soup can be made both on the stove and in the Instant Pot. No matter the method you use, you still end up with a cheesy, creamy, and comforting soup. It’s perfect for busy weeknights, meal prep, or when you’re craving a big bowl of deliciousness.
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Vegan broccoli cheese soup ingredients
- Broccoli - You can use fresh or frozen broccoli florets.
- Vegan cheddar cheese - The vegan cheese shreds melt in the soup and give it its signature sharp cheddar flavor.
- Vegan chicken broth - I make this using no chicken bouillon mixed with water. If you don’t have bouillon, you can use regular vegetable broth instead.
- Onion, carrots, and garlic - A must to give the soup a delicious baseline of flavor.
- Mustard - A little yellow mustard adds a nice tang to each bite.
- Hot sauce - You can leave this out if you want but the layer of heat really helps to break up the creaminess.
- Cashew cream - Blending soaked cashews with water and vinegar creates a deliciously creamy sauce that mimics heavy cream. It also helps thicken the soup.
How to make vegan broccoli cheddar soup
This easy broccoli soup comes together quickly in one pot and makes enough to feed the whole family. The flavors are savory, cheesey, and creamy all while remaining vegan! Here’s how it’s done:
- Saute the vegetables: Saute the onions and carrots in a large soup pot with oil or vegan butter. Once they’re soft, add the garlic.
- Add the other ingredients: Add all of the ingredients except for the cheese and cashew cream to the pot. Cover with a lid and let the soup simmer until the broccoli is tender.
- Make the cashew cream: Blend the cashews, water, and vinegar until smooth.
- Puree the soup and add the cheese: Ladle some or all the soup into a blender (work in batches if needed) and blend until smooth (an immersion blender or Nutribullet work too). Once it’s all blended, stir the cashew cream and vegan cheese into the soup until the cheese melts.
- Serve and enjoy: Ladle the soup into bowls and top with more shredded cheese, salt, and black pepper. Serve and enjoy! For full ingredients and instructions see printable recipe card below.
Instant Pot instructions
- Saute the onions and carrots in the Instant Pot on Saute mode.
- Stir in the rest of the ingredients (except for the cheese and cashew cream).
- Turn off Saute mode. Seal the lid closed and set the valve to “sealing” position. Pressure cook on High Pressure for 3 minutes.
- Make the cashew cream while you wait.
- Turn the valve to “Venting” to quick release the pressure. Remove the lid when the pin drops and puree some or all the soup in a blender or using an immersion blender.
- Stir the cashew cream and vegan cheese into the soup until the shreds melt. Season with salt and pepper, then serve!
Tips for success
- The soup will thicken as it cools. If it’s too thick, stir in a splash of broth until it thins out.
- For nut free soup, use vegan cream cheese or vegan cream instead of cashew cream. Coconut milk may also work but I haven’t tested it.
- If you’d like to keep some texture in the soup like I sometimes do, don’t puree the soup until it’s completely smooth. Instead, pulse it once or twice so some broccoli florets remain intact.
- Top each bowl with extra vegan cheese shreds, fresh parsley or dill, vegan parmesan cheese, homemade croutons, roasted broccoli, or pumpkin seeds.
- Serve buttered dinner rolls or crusty bread on the side to soak up every last drop!
Frequently asked questions
They should, but it will depend on the brand you use. My favorite are Daiya cheddar cheese shreds, but Follow Your Heart, Violife, and Myoko’s are all great options that melt very well.
The leftover soup will last in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
Yes! To freeze vegan broccoli cheese soup, let the batch cool before transferring it to an airtight container or sealed bag. It freezes well for up to 3 months.
More easy vegan soup recipes
Enjoy everyone! Happy Day! Please feel free to comment below and give this recipe a rating. Your feedback is greatly appreciated!
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PrintVegan Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 6 Servings 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This restaurant-worthy Vegan Broccoli Cheddar Soup is easy to make on the stove and in the Instant Pot! Made with simple ingredients, vegan cheese, and cashew cream, every bite is creamy and packed with flavor. Naturally gluten free!
Ingredients
Broccoli soup:
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter or oil
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1 medium yellow onion, diced
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2 large carrots, grated (approx 2 cups)
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3 cloves garlic, chopped
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1 lb broccoli florets (about 5 cups), cut into bite size pieces (peel and chop stems too)
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5 cups vegan chicken broth (water + 1.5 tablespoons no chicken bouillon)
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1 and ½ teaspoons yellow mustard
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1 teaspoon hot sauce
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1 teaspoon granulated garlic (powder)
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¾ teaspoon salt
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¼ teaspoon celery salt
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1- 200g bag vegan cheddar cheese threads (2 cups or so)
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cashew cream (recipe below)
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Salt and cracked black pepper to taste
Cashew cream:
-
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¾ cups raw cashews
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½ cup water
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1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
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Instructions
Stovetop:
- Melt butter or oil in a soup pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Saute the onions and carrots for 5 minutes with a pinch of salt and pepper. Add in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about a minute.
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Add in the rest of ingredients -except vegan cheddar cheese and cashew cream- Bring to a boil on high heat. Cover and reduce to a simmer for 20 minutes until broccoli is tender.
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Cashew cream: While soup is simmering, blend cream ingredients in nutribullet or high speed blender until smooth
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Take the soup pot off the heat. Remove 3 big ladles of soup (around 3 to 4 cups) puree and return to the pot. Stir in the cashew cream and vegan cheese until the cheese is all melty. The soup will thicken more as it cools. (If you want it thicker- puree more soup. Too thick- add a splash of veggie broth). Season with salt and cracked black pepper.
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Ladle into bowls, serve and enjoy with bread or buttered rolls. For step by step photos, FAQ, tips and more see above post
Instant Pot:
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Set your 6 Quart Instant pot to ‘saute’ , add the vegan butter or oil, onions, carrots and pinch of salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes.
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When done add the rest of the ingredients -except vegan cheddar cheese and cashew cream- and str.
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Close and lock the lid and set the valve to ‘sealing’ position. Press the pressure cook button and set for 3 minutes. Make sure it’s at high pressure.
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Cashew cream: While soup is cooking, blend cream ingredients in nutribullet or high speed blender until smooth
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When time is up, turn the valve to ‘venting’ - for a quick release. Be careful it will be hot. Once the pin has dropped, remove the lid. Remove 3 big ladles of soup (around 3 to 4 cups) puree and return to the inner pot. Stir in the cashew cream and vegan cheese until the cheese is all melty. The soup will thicken more as it cools. (If you want it thicker- puree more soup. Too thick- add a splash of veggie broth). Season with salt and cracked black pepper.
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Ladle into bowls, serve and enjoy with bread or buttered rolls. For step by step photos, FAQ, tips and more see above post
Notes
- For nut free soup: stir in some vegan cream cheese or half & half. Have not tested with coconut milk.
- Store and freeze: Keep soup in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Freezes well.
- I'm partial to daiya cheddar cheese for this broccoli soup but use your favorite; follow heart, violife, miyoko’s, etc..
Inspired by Cafe Delight’s Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- Prep Time: 15 Minutes
- Cook Time: 25 Minutes
- Category: Soups, Gluten free
- Method: Stovetop or Instant Pot
- Cuisine: American, Canadian
Julia
I added both broccoli and cauliflower to the soup. We loved it so much. Next time I might toss in some cabbage too. Love my veggies. This was right up my alley a total thumbs up for me 👍
Verna
Sounds wonderful! I am so happy you enjoyed the soup, thanks for your feedback really helpful 🙂
Jenniffer
Kids loved this soup so much and they don't even like broccoli! I used vegetable broth, vegan cheese violife foods and topped with homemade croutons and pumpkin seeds. Your tip on how to freeze is so helpful. Thank you for posting this lovely vegan recipe!
Verna
So glad you all enjoyed the soup Jennifer, thanks so much for your wonderful feedback!
Tom
O this soup was amazing! That's it. Over and out!
Verna
Awesome!
Rita
This is our son’s most favourite soup ever ! Thank you
Verna
You are so welcome glad he loves the broccoli soup!
Joana
This was such an easy soup to make, and turned out so delicious! You wouldn’t realize it was 100% vegan. Instructions were simple, doubled the recipe so we could have some extra. 🙂
Thank you!
Verna
You are so welcome!! I am so happy you all enjoyed it and thank you so much for your wonderful feedback Joana! 🙂