For those of you who avoid dairy, do you ever get cravings for the cheesy foods you used to eat regularly? One of the dairy dishes that I find myself reminiscing over is broccoli cheddar soup. I know it’s random, but I can’t help it! The warm and decadent combination of blended broccoli and cheese makes my mouth water whenever it comes to mind. That’s why I decided to create a vegan version! This “Cheesy” Broccoli Soup will hit the same spot as your favorite dairy-based version. But don’t worry; it contains none of the heavy cream, saturated fat, or other unhealthy additives found in a traditional broccoli cheddar soup.
4-6 Servings
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion diced
4-6 garlic cloves, chopped
2 Poblano peppers, diced
7 cups broccoli florets
4 cups vegetable broth, low sodium
1 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3/4 cup raw cashews
2-3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
2 large handfuls baby spinach
Fresh lime juice and cilantro, to taste
Directions:
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and poblanos, stirring occasionally until the onions are golden.
Add the broccoli, vegetable broth, water, coriander, oregano, salt and pepper. The liquid should just cover the veggies. Bring to a boil, cover, and then turn down head to low and simmer gently until broccoli is tender (10-12 minutes). Turn heat off.
Place one up of the broccoli and broth into a blender, and add cashews and nutritional yeast. Blend carefully until smooth. Add one more cup of broth and broccoli and blend again.
Add the spinach to the blender, and puree until incorporated and smooth.
Pour the blended mixture into the broccoli soup pot, and heat gently until it reaches just a simmer. Add salt and pepper to taste, and serve in bowls with a sprinkle of fresh cilantro and lime if desired. Enjoy!
