Yesterday was Super Bowl 59. We ate lots of dips – plant-based & healthy, but still chips & dip. So today we’re having soup. This is another new recipe I’ve been playing with for my 2025 year of PLAY. It has a few steps but nothing complicated & the end result is so worth it.
If you’d told me some years ago I’d not only like broccoli soup but willingly make it on repeat, I’d have laughed. No way! Yet here I am, broccoli is one of my fav veggies & I crave it regularly. Let me know if you try this.
Broccoli Soup (vegan)
1/2 c raw cashews
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (optional)
1 small yellow onion, diced
1/2 c celery, chopped
1/3 c carrots, chopped
1 pound broccoli, stems diced, florets chopped*
1 Yukon Gold potato, diced (~1 c)
Sea salt & black pepper
3 tsp no-salt herb seasoning blend
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 c vegetable broth
1 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
3 Tbsp nutritional yeast (nooch)
1 Tbsp lemon juice
Croutons (optional)
Chili-Onion Crisp Oil (Trader Joe’s Crunchy Chili-Onion, or other hot sauce, if desired)
*If you have a bag of broccoli florets, as I often do, divide one pound of florets into three equal-ish portions. Cut all florets to the same approximate size & use one portion in place of stems.
Add cashews to a bowl & cover with boiling water to soak while you prepare the recipe.
Heat the olive oil, if using, in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, celery, carrots, broccoli stems, & potatoes; sprinkle with salt/pepper & herb seasoning. Stir occasionally for 8 minutes, then add garlic & broth. Simmer for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are soft. Let cool slightly.
Divide broccoli florets roughly in half. Toss half of the florets with olive oil & salt/pepper & roast at 425 for 12-15 minutes until broccoli has browned bits.
Steam the remaining florets (in a steamer basket over boiling water, or in a microwavable bowl with water to cover about half of the broccoli, either way ~3 minutes until bright green). When cooled, rough chop the steamed broccoli.
To the soup, add the drained cashews, apple cider vinegar, mustard, & nooch; blend until creamy, either in a high power blender or with an immersion blender. When the soup is smooth, add the steamed & chopped broccoli & lemon juice.
Taste & season soup accordingly—more salt/pepper, herb seasoning, or nooch; red pepper flakes are another option. Serve the soup topped with the roasted broccoli & croutons (if desired). A light drizzle of chili-onion crisp oil gives it a kick.
If you have leftovers for another day, you might want to add some additional water or broth to thin the soup as you reheat it.
Delicious Broccoli soup.