Last winter I watched a friend pay $14 for a tiny cup of broccoli cheese soup at a cafe, and I thought about how that same money could buy three heads of broccoli and a bag of cashews. That is the thing about comfort food: the restaurant version feels like a splurge, but the homemade version is basically a savings account you can eat. This vegan broccoli cheese soup is my answer to that overpriced cup, and it comes together in one pot with ingredients you probably already have in your pantry.
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The trick here is not chasing a fake cheese flavor, it is building body. Cashews give you the richness, a Yukon gold potato gives you the silky thickness, and nutritional yeast gives you that savory, cheesy tang that makes people ask what brand of cheese you used. Think of it like diversifying a portfolio: no single ingredient carries the whole flavor, but together they cover every base.
I make this on Sunday afternoons and eat it for lunch all week, and it has never once separated or turned grainy on me. If you have ever had a vegan cheese sauce go chalky, this method will fix that for good.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
About the Ingredients
1 cup (140g) raw cashews, soaked in hot water 20 minutes
Soaking softens them so they blend into a truly smooth cream. If you are nut-free, substitute 1 cup (240ml) full-fat oat milk plus 2 tablespoons tapioca starch.
1 large (about 300g) Yukon gold potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
Yukon golds are waxy enough to stay creamy instead of gluey. Russets work but give a slightly starchier, heavier body.
5 cups (about 500g) broccoli florets, cut into bite-size pieces
Buy heads with tight, dark green crowns and no yellowing. Frozen florets are a fine shortcut, no thawing needed.
1 medium (about 150g) yellow onion, diced
Yellow onion gives sweetness that balances the tang. A leek, white part only, is a lovely swap if you want a milder base.
4 cloves garlic, minced
Fresh garlic is non-negotiable here for that savory backbone. Jarred garlic tastes flat and slightly metallic in soup.
3 tablespoons (45ml) olive oil
Any neutral oil works, but olive oil adds a peppery note that plays well with broccoli. Avocado oil is a good high-heat substitute.
4 cups (960ml) low-sodium vegetable broth
Use a broth you actually enjoy drinking, since it is most of the flavor. Better Than Bouillon vegetable base dissolved in water is my go-to.
1/3 cup (30g) nutritional yeast
This is where the cheese flavor lives, so do not skip it. Look for large-flake nutritional yeast for the best melt-in-your-mouth texture.
1 tablespoon (15g) white miso paste
Miso adds fermented umami that mimics aged cheddar. Soy-free option: 1 tablespoon chickpea miso or 2 teaspoons coconut aminos.
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Dijon sharpens the whole pot and keeps it from tasting flat. Yellow mustard works in a pinch but is less complex.
1 teaspoon smoked paprika, plus more for serving
Smoked paprika gives a subtle bacon-like smokiness that reads as cheese. Sweet paprika is milder but still works.
1 1/4 teaspoons fine sea salt, plus more to taste, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Season in layers as you go, because cashew cream absorbs salt slowly. Kosher salt needs about 1 1/2 teaspoons for the same effect.
Tips & Tricks
Do not boil the cashew cream
Once you add the blended base, keep the heat at a gentle simmer. A hard boil can make cashew cream separate and turn the soup grainy.
Blend longer than feels necessary
Run your blender a full 60 to 90 seconds on high. Stopping at 30 seconds leaves tiny cashew grit that you will feel on your tongue.
Cook broccoli separately from the base
Simmering broccoli in the creamy base for the whole cook time turns it army green and mushy. Add it in the last 8 minutes so it stays bright.
Salt at the end, not the start
Broth and miso are both salty, so taste after blending and adjust. Over-salting a blended soup is nearly impossible to fix.
Pro Tips
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Soak the cashews
Cover the cashews with boiling water and let them sit for 20 minutes while you prep everything else. This softens them enough that a standard blender can turn them completely smooth.
2. Sweat the aromatics
Warm the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat, about 350F (175C), then add the onion and cook 6 to 7 minutes until soft and translucent, not browned. Add the garlic and cook 60 seconds until fragrant, and you should smell it the moment it hits the oil.
3. Simmer the base
Add the potato, vegetable broth, nutritional yeast, miso, Dijon, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer at about 200F (93C) and cook 12 minutes, until a knife slides through the potato with no resistance.
4. Blend until silky
Drain the cashews and add them to the blender with 2 cups of the hot broth and vegetables. Blend on high 60 to 90 seconds until completely smooth, with no visible flecks, then stir the puree back into the pot.
5. Add the broccoli
Stir in the broccoli florets and simmer at 195 to 200F (90 to 93C) for 8 minutes. The florets should be tender but still hold their shape and stay bright green, and the soup should be bubbling gently at the edges.
6. Adjust and finish
Taste and add salt, pepper, or a squeeze of lemon until the flavor pops. If the soup is thicker than you like, loosen it with broth a quarter cup at a time until it coats a spoon but still pours.
7. Serve hot
Ladle into bowls and dust each with a pinch of smoked paprika and cracked black pepper. Serve with crusty bread or oyster crackers for scooping.
Delicious Variations
Smoky Chipotle Version
Add 1 minced chipotle in adobo with the broth for a spicy, smoky soup that tastes amazing with tortilla strips on top.
Loaded Baked Potato Style
Stir in 1 cup of cooked chopped kale and top with vegan sour cream, chives, and coconut bacon.
Broccoli Cauliflower Blend
Swap half the broccoli for cauliflower florets for a milder, creamier soup that kids tend to prefer.
How to Store Vegan Broccoli Cheese Soup
Refrigerator
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The soup thickens as it chills, so loosen with a splash of broth when reheating.
Freezer
Freeze in portion-size containers for up to 3 months, leaving 1 inch of headspace. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheating
Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, about 250F (120C), stirring often, for 5 to 7 minutes until steaming. Avoid a rolling boil to keep the texture smooth.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I make this vegan broccoli cheese soup without cashews?
Yes, substitute 1 cup of full-fat oat milk plus 2 tablespoons of tapioca starch for the cashews. Blend the oat milk with the hot broth and vegetables the same way, and the starch will thicken it as it simmers. Sunflower seeds soaked the same way also work well if you want a nut-free, soy-free option.
Q: Why did my vegan cheese soup turn grainy?
Grainy soup almost always means the cashews were not soaked long enough or the blender did not run long enough. Soak them at least 20 minutes in hot water and blend a full 60 to 90 seconds on high until the mixture is completely smooth. Also keep the soup at a simmer rather than a boil after adding the cream, since high heat can cause separation.
Q: How do I make this soup thicker?
Simmer it uncovered for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring often, so some liquid evaporates and the potato starch concentrates. If you need it thicker fast, whisk 1 tablespoon of cornstarch into 2 tablespoons of cold water and stir it in, then simmer 2 minutes. Blending in an extra boiled potato also works without changing the flavor much.
Q: Is this soup gluten-free and soy-free?
It is naturally gluten-free as written, since there is no flour or wheat in the recipe. For soy-free, swap the white miso for chickpea miso or 2 teaspoons of coconut aminos, and double-check that your vegetable broth contains no soy. Always read labels on nutritional yeast and broth if you have a serious allergy.
Q: Can I use frozen broccoli instead of fresh?
Yes, add frozen florets directly to the simmering soup and cook 6 to 8 minutes instead of 8. Frozen broccoli is blanched before freezing, so it cooks faster and stays bright green. Do not thaw it first, since thawing makes it watery and mushy.
Make this vegan broccoli cheese soup this week and see how far one pot stretches your grocery budget. If you try it, tell me in the comments whether you went smoky with chipotle or classic, and share a photo so I can see that silky texture for myself. Keep it simple, keep it growing.
Vegan Broccoli Cheese Soup
Vegan Broccoli Cheese Soup that is silky, cheesy, and dairy-free, made with cashews, potatoes, and nutritional yeast in one pot.
🧂 Ingredients
- 1 cup (140g) raw cashews, soaked in hot water 20 minutes
- 1 large (about 300g) Yukon gold potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 5 cups (about 500g) broccoli florets, cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 medium (about 150g) yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons (45ml) olive oil
- 4 cups (960ml) low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1/3 cup (30g) nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon (15g) white miso paste
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, plus more for serving
- 1 1/4 teaspoons fine sea salt, plus more to taste, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
📋 Instructions
- 1Soak the cashews — Cover the cashews with boiling water and let them sit for 20 minutes while you prep everything else. This softens them enough that a standard blender can turn them completely smooth.
- 2Sweat the aromatics — Warm the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat, about 350F (175C), then add the onion and cook 6 to 7 minutes until soft and translucent, not browned. Add the garlic and cook 60 seconds until fragrant, and you should smell it the moment it hits the oil.
- 3Simmer the base — Add the potato, vegetable broth, nutritional yeast, miso, Dijon, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer at about 200F (93C) and cook 12 minutes, until a knife slides through the potato with no resistance.
- 4Blend until silky — Drain the cashews and add them to the blender with 2 cups of the hot broth and vegetables. Blend on high 60 to 90 seconds until completely smooth, with no visible flecks, then stir the puree back into the pot.
- 5Add the broccoli — Stir in the broccoli florets and simmer at 195 to 200F (90 to 93C) for 8 minutes. The florets should be tender but still hold their shape and stay bright green, and the soup should be bubbling gently at the edges.
- 6Adjust and finish — Taste and add salt, pepper, or a squeeze of lemon until the flavor pops. If the soup is thicker than you like, loosen it with broth a quarter cup at a time until it coats a spoon but still pours.
- 7Serve hot — Ladle into bowls and dust each with a pinch of smoked paprika and cracked black pepper. Serve with crusty bread or oyster crackers for scooping.
Kwame covers personal finance and investing for beginners, breaking down complex topics into clear, relatable examples. He focuses on building wealth through simple habits and avoiding common money mistakes.
