Creamy Broccoli Potato Soup Recipe

This is a vegan broccoli soup, but it looks legit cheesy, doesn’t it? This recipe was born out of an idea of making the dairy-filled version. But then I sat back and wondered how my stomach would feel after eating a rich, creamy soup. Is there a broccoli potato soup that’s creamy and plant based? Oh yes, it can be done.

Here’s what is in this soup:

• Yukon gold potatoes make for a creamy base
• Cashews achieve a rich, shiny texture
• Frozen broccoli makes for the easiest soup possible (embrace it!)
• Onion & garlic add big flavor
• Dried thyme & dill add just the right herby punch
• Veggie broth, white wine vinegar & Dijon mustard round out the broth

Instructions

1. Dice the onion. Mince the garlic. Peel the potatoes and cut them into bite-sized chunks.
2. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onion and saute for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add the vegetable broth, cashews and potatoes and ½ teaspoon kosher salt and bring to a boil. Reduce to a rapid simmer (not a boil), and simmer about 15 minutes until the potatoes are tender and falling apart when poked with a fork.
3. Meanwhile, run the frozen broccoli under hot water to thaw it. Chop it into smaller florets as necessary. All packages are different, so make small bite-sized florets the size you’d like for a soup. You can chop the broccoli stems off and keep them in the soup as well. Place the broccoli in a bowl and mix it with ¼ teaspoon kosher salt and black pepper to taste. Peel and grate the carrot into long strips (we used a handheld julienne shredder).
4. When the potatoes are tender, use a ladle to transfer everything to a blender. Add the thyme, dill, white wine vinegar, Dijon mustard and another ¼ teaspoon kosher salt. Hold the top tight and blend everything for a minute or two until fully creamy. (This quantity just fits in a standard blender.)
5. Pour the creamy soup back into the pot and add the broccoli and carrot. Simmer about 5 more minutes until the broccoli is cooked through. Taste and add additional salt as necessary (we added ¼ teaspoon more).

Ingredients

• 1 large yellow onion
• 3 garlic cloves
• 2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes (about 6 medium)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 quart vegetable broth
• ½ cup raw unsalted cashews
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 1 pound frozen broccoli florets (or 4 cups small steamed broccoli florets*)
• 1 large carrot
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• ¾ teaspoon dried dill
• 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard