Vegan Broccoli Cheese Soup [Gluten-Free, Nut-Free]

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This Vegan Broccoli Cheese Soup tastes so much like the traditional, you won't believe it's both dairy-free and gluten-free. And for those with allergies, it's nut-free too! For this veganized, gluten-free version, the dairy milk is replaced with plant-based milk, dairy butter with vegan butter, cheddar cheese with vegan shreds, chicken broth with vegetable broth and all-purpose flour with chickpea flour. This indulgent soup is rich, hearty, thick and creamy and makes for the perfect comfort meal when paired with your favorite gluten-free, vegan bread. 

Why you'll love this soup

• This gluten-free, vegan version stays true to the classic dish and is pure comfort food!
• If you were a fan of Panera's broccoli cheddar soup, it will blow you away how much this GFV copycat version reminds you of your old favorite.
• This soup is ultra creamy, rich, thick, hearty and totally indulgent.
• It's perfect with your favorite GFV bread or alongside a salad for an easy lunch or dinner.
• It cooks in less than 30 minutes!
• This soup is not just vegan and gluten-free, but also cashew-free/nut-free and perfect for those with nut allergies.

Ingredients you'll need

• Fresh Broccoli
• Sweet or Yellow Onion
• Carrots
• Vegan Butter - You can use avocado oil or olive oil in place of the butter if you prefer.
• Chickpea Flour - This is my go-to flour for making a gluten-free roux.
• Salt
• Black Pepper
• Nutmeg
• Unsweetened Plant-Based Milk - I used Oatly brand oat milk in these photos, but have also made this soup successfully with coconut milk (the beverage kind, not the canned version).
• Gluten-Free, Low Sodium Vegetable Broth - I used Pacific brand.
• Vegan Cheddar-Style Cheese Shreds - I used Miyoko's Farmhouse Cheddar brand in these photos, but have also used Violife. Of course, you can use your favorite cheddar-style shreds such as Daiya or another brand as long as it melts well.

Step-by-step instructions

Chop the broccoli

First, wash your broccoli by rinsing under cold, running water and patting dry. Next, slice through the broccoli stalk near where the stalk begins to branch into florets, as close to the florets as possible.

Some florets will fall off, while some will still be attached.

Remove the remaining florets from the stalk.

Then, chop the broccoli florets into small pieces.

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Steam the broccoli

Method 1 (my preferred method): Add the chopped florets to a microwave safe bowl with ¼ cup water. Microwave covered on high for 4 minutes and set aside.

Method 2: You can also steam the broccoli in a rice cooker using the steaming feature.

Refer to your rice cooker's instructions for water measurement and steaming time.

Method 3: Another method is to cook on the stovetop using a steamer basket.

Sauté carrots and onion

First, you'll want to finely dice the carrots and roughly chop the onion.

Then, heat vegan butter in a pot over medium-high heat.

Once the butter is melted, add the carrots and onion and sauté until tender.

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Add flour, seasonings, milk and broth

Stir in the chickpea flour, salt, pepper and nutmeg until well combined with the carrot-onion mixture. 

Note that any clumps of chickpea flour will melt during cooking.

Then, gradually stir in the plant-based milk followed by the vegetable broth.

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Cook and blend

Bring the soup to a boil, stirring occasionally.

Lower the heat to medium-low to medium and cook until thickened (about 3-5 minutes), stirring constantly. 

Remove from the heat and let stand 5 minutes.

Use an immersion blender to puree the mixture, leaving some chunks of carrot intact if desired, being careful not to splash the hot liquid.

You can also use a regular blender instead of an immersion blender by carefully pureeing the soup in batches, again being careful not to splash the hot liquid.

Refer to your blender's instruction manual for pureeing hot liquids before doing so to ensure safety.

Personally, I find the immersion blender makes for an easier cleanup.

Add the broccoli and cheese

After blending, return the soup to medium-high heat.

Stir in the chopped broccoli florets.

Then, stir in the vegan shredded cheese.

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Continue to cook over medium-high heat until cheese melts, broccoli is hot and soup is thoroughly heated, stirring occasionally. 

Taste test and add more salt if desired.

Transfer to serving bowls and enjoy!

Ideas for serving

For the ultimate comfort meal, this soup is best paired with your favorite gluten-free, vegan bread.

I typically purchase mine from a local baker; however, you can use your favorite store-bought brand too, such as Schar's baguette.

Serve bread warm and dunk it right in your soup or enjoy on the side with some vegan butter. 🙂 

You can also serve it with some gluten-free, vegan garlic bread instead.

It's also great as part of a soup and salad lunch or dinner with your favorite side salad.

FAQ

More vegan comfort food recipes

• Chickpea Noodle Soup
• Open-Faced Chickpea Pot Pie
• Vegan Lentil Lasagna
• Stovetop Vegan Mac & Cheese
• Vegan Lemon Risotto

This post originally appeared on Watch Learn Eat on August 27, 2019. It has been republished to reflect both recipe and photo revisions. Changes to the story were also made.

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