Vegan Broccoli Cheese Soup (Dairy Free, Gluten Free)

Vegan Broccoli Cheese the ultimate comfort food. This healthy dairy free recipe is low in calories, but so incredibly filling! This rich and creamy recipe is ready in 25 minutes and is naturally gluten free, dairy free, vegan and a great way to get in a ton of vegetables!

Why this recipe works:

• Ready in under 30 minutes: comfort food ready in 25 minutes, this delicious cheesy broccoli soup is perfect for weeknight meals! 
• Perfect cozy meal and the ultimate cold weather food. This vegan broccoli cheese soup is great as an appetizer, lunch or a hearty entree. 
• Packed full of flavor your kids will be sure to love. The cheesy sauce makes the veggies irresistible! You can pack this for school lunch using a thermos for a filling and delicious lunch!
• It’s everything that you want broccoli cheese soup to be but completely dairy free. The secret to the cheesy goodness comes from vegan cheese replacement; nutritional yeast.
• This soup is crazy simple to make. Only one pot is required, and the ingredient list (without salt and pepper) is only 9 ingredients.
• The best part of making soup is it tastes even better the next day, so double or triple the recipe for your weekly meal prep!
• You can make this healthy broccoli cheese soup on the stove or in the Instant Pot!

Why you will love this dairy free broccoli and cheese soup

This soup is loaded with vegetables and full of fiber and nutrients. You will never believe the base of this recipe is a combination of cauliflower and white beans! It’s creamy and delicious without any cream!

Packed with Vitamins and Nutrients and is good for you. Nutritional yeast, is a staple in most vegan pantry’s. Nutritional yeast has a great nutty, cheesy flavor and is a great way for vegans and vegetarians to get Vitamin B-12. 

Tips on Preparing Vegan Broccoli and Cheese Soup

You can use fresh or frozen broccoli florets in this soup. If you use frozen broccoli, use two 12 oz packages of small broccoli florets.

You can use fresh or frozen cauliflower in this soup. If using frozen, you will need two 12 oz packages of small cauliflower florets or two packages of riced cauliflower.

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If you don’t want to use white beans, and prefer a lower carb, Whole30 friendly soup, you should try my Low Carb Cheesy Broccoli and Cauliflower Soup or you can used soaked cashews in place of the beans!

How to make Broccoli and Cheese Soup on the Stove:

Step 1: In a large pot, add 1/2 the carton of vegetable broth and cauliflower. Cover and cook 12-15 minutes, or until cauliflower is tender.

Step 2: While cauliflower is cooking, chop broccoli and slice the carrots.

Step 3: Once cauliflower is tender, blend the cauliflower in the pot with an immersion blender (or transfer to blender and blend in batches, being careful with hot liquids).

Step 4: Add the remaining vegetable broth to the cauliflower puree, broccoli, carrots, garlic powder, salt, thyme and black pepper. Stir and cover for 7 minutes, or until broccoli is tender.

Step 5:While the soup is cooking, rinse and drain the can of northern white beans. Blend with 1/2 cup non-dairy milk until smooth.

Step 6: Finish the soup! Add the pureed beans, the rest of the milk and 1/2 cup nutritional yeast and stir to combine.

Step 7: Allow soup to slightly cool before enjoying.

NOTE: If the soup is too thick for you, add another 1/4 cup non-dairy milk. If the soup is too thin for you, simply simmer on the stove for 5 minutes or until desired consistency is reached. You can also add 2 tbsp of arrowroot starch for added thickness.

How to make Broccoli and Cheese Soup in the Instant Pot:

• Chop the cauliflower into similar size pieces (shape doesn’t matter)
• Add the cauliflower and 1 cup of vegetable broth to the pressure cooker insert.
• Secure the lid and close the vent to sealing. Cook on high pressure for 3 minutes.
• While the cauliflower is steaming, chop broccoli and slice the carrots.
• Once the cauliflower is done cooking, manually release the pressure (carefully) by moving the vent from sealing to vent. (Use a long wooden spoon to keep your fingers away from the steam.)
• Blend the cauliflower with and additional cup of vegetable broth in the pot with an immersion blender (or transfer to blender and blend in batches, being careful with hot liquids).
• Add the chopped broccoli and carrots, salt, garlic powder and thyme to the cauliflower mixture in the pressure cooker. Add the last 2 cups of vegetable broth and stir. 
• Place the lid on the pressure cooker, turn the vent to sealing. Turn on the saute function for 4 minutes (with the lid on). After cooking, allow any pressure that built up to naturally release.
• While the soup is cooking, rinse and drain the can of northern white beans. Blend with 1/2 cup non-dairy milk until smooth using immersion blender or high speed blender. 
• After the pressure is removed, take the lid off and stir well. 
• Add beans and additional 1/4 cup non-dairy milk to the soup once the broccoli and carrots are tender.
• Add 1/2 cup nutritional yeast and stir to combine.

What can you serve with vegan broccoli cheese soup?

This soup is incredibly filling but low in calories! Make it a complete meal with:

• Pumpkin cornbread
• Almond flour muffins
• Hemp Almond Flax Crackers
• Balsamic tofu croutons
• Roasted chickpeas

FAQ’s

How long can you store broccoli cheese soup in the fridge?

This soup is actually even better the next day, so be sure to make extra! It lasts for about 4 days in the fridge in a well-sealed container. I like to store soup in quart size mason jars in the fridge for easy storage and pouring into bowls!

Can you freeze this dairy free broccoli cheese soup?

Yes! This soup should freeze well! Just be sure to allow the soup to cool off before trying to freeze it! Freeze in a freezer safe container for up to 1 month.

Since the broccoli will continue to break down with more cooking, freezing this soup may cause the broccoli to become a bit mushy with reheating from frozen. However, the flavor will still be excellent!

TIP: Puree smooth soup before freezing for best results.

Substitutions

Immersion blender: I like to use the immersion blender for this because I hate spooning hot soup into the blender and being afraid it’s going to explode in my face (that happened when we were cooking in the professional kitchen). So if you have to use a traditional blender, go slow and don’t overfill the blender! Transfer about 1/3 of the soup to the blender and blend until smooth.

Nutritional Yeast: Can’t have nutritional yeast? You can use a non-dairy cream cheese such as Kite Hill Chive Cream Cheese. You will need between 1/4 and 1/2 cup of dairy free cream cheese based on how cheesy you want the soup to taste!

White Beans: Can use soaked cashews or one large cooked russet potato (peeled) to make soup creamy instead of beans. The easiest way to soak cashews is to cover them with water and let them sit on the counter for 8 hours. If you don’t have that kind of time, you can cook them covered in water for 2 minutes in the microwave or 3 minutes in boiling water on the stove.

Vegetable broth: Can substitute water in place of the vegetable broth. but you will likely need to add more salt and garlic powder. Also if you are not vegan, you could use chicken stock or bone broth as well.

Garlic Powder: Can use fresh 2 chopped garlic cloves or 1 tablespoon of garlic olive oil in place of the garlic powder.

Broccoli or Cauliflower: You can use frozen broccoli or cauliflower (recommend florets) in place of fresh. You can substitute the cauliflower with 2 peeled and diced russet potatoes if needed. The broccoli can be substituted for cauliflower if needed.

If you love this cheesy broccoli and cheese soup, you should try:

• Slow Cooker Cauliflower Soup
• Low Carb Cheesy Broccoli and Cauliflower Soup
• Roasted Vegetable Bisque
• Mushroom Soup
• White Bean Mushroom Soup
• Sweet Potato Red Pepper Soup

What you need to make this recipe:

• Immersion blender or high speed blender
• Instant Pot (optional)
• Nutritional Yeast

★ Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating below!

Vegan Broccoli Cheese Soup

One pot, healthy vegan broccoli cheese soup is the perfect lunch or dinner recipe! This broccoli cheese soup only takes 25 minutes, and is packed with added veggies, fiber and protein! Vegan, gluten free, dairy free, and delicious!

4.83 from 34 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: dinner, Soup

Cuisine: American

Keyword: broccoli cheese, dairy free broccoli cheese soup, vegan broccoli cheese soup

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 25 mins

Total Time: 35 mins

Servings: 4

Author: Samantha Rowland

Recipe Video

Ingredients

• 1 head cauliflower – removed from thick stalk and cut into small pieces1 head cauliflower – removed from thick stalk and cut into small pieces
• 4 cups organic vegetable stock – 1 box4 cups organic vegetable stock – 1 box
• 1 head broccoli – removed from thick stalk, cut into small bite size pieces1 head broccoli – removed from thick stalk, cut into small bite size pieces
• 2 organic carrots – sliced2 organic carrots – sliced
• 1 can organic northern white beans1 can organic northern white beans
• 3/4 cups dairy free milk – unsweetened, divided3/4 cups dairy free milk – unsweetened, divided
• 1/2 cup nutritional yeast1/2 cup nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp. garlic powder1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1-2 tsp. salt1-2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. thyme – optional1/2 tsp. thyme – optional
• Black pepper to taste – optionalBlack pepper to taste – optional

Instructions

• In a large pot, add 1/2 the carton of vegetable broth and cauliflower. Cover and cook 12-15 minutes, or until cauliflower is tender.
• While cauliflower is cooking, chop the broccoli and slice the carrots.
• Once cauliflower is tender, blend the cauliflower in the pot with an immersion blender (or transfer to blender and blend in batches, being careful with hot liquids).
• To the cauliflower puree, add the remaining vegetable broth, broccoli, carrots, garlic powder, salt, and thyme. Stir and cover for 7 minutes, or until broccoli is tender.
• While soup is cooking, rinse and drain the can of northern white beans. Blend with 1/2 cup non-dairy milk until smooth.
• Add beans and additional 1/4 cup non-dairy milk to the soup once the broccoli is tender.
• Add 1/2 cup nutritional yeast and stir to combine.
• Allow to cool slightly before enjoying.

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Notes

NOTE: If the soup is too thick for you, add another 1/4 cup non-dairy milk. If the soup if  is too thin for you, simply simmer on the stove for 5 minutes or until desired consistency is reached.

How to make Broccoli and Cheese Soup in the Instant Pot

• Remove the leaves and the thick stalk of the cauliflower. Chop the cauliflower into similar size pieces (shape doesn’t matter)
• Place a steamer basket into the pressure cooker. Add the cauliflower to the steamer basket and add 1 cup of vegetable broth.
• Secure the lid and close the vent to sealing. Cook on high pressure for 3 minutes.
• While the cauliflower is steaming, chop broccoli and slice the carrots.
• Once the cauliflower is done cooking, manually release the pressure (carefully) by moving the vent from sealing to vent. Use a long wooden spoon to keep your fingers away from the steam. Carefully remove the steamer basket full of cauliflower from the pressure cooker. Leave the vegetable broth in the instant pot. 
• Blend the cauliflower with and additional cup of vegetable broth in the pot with an immersion blender (or transfer to blender and blend in batches, being careful with hot liquids).
• Add the chopped broccoli and carrots, salt, garlic powder and thyme to the cauliflower mixture in the pressure cooker. Add the last 2 cups of vegetable broth and stir. 
• Place the lid on the pressure cooker, turn the vent to sealing. Turn on the saute function for 4 minutes (with the lid on). After cooking, allow any pressure that built up to naturally release.
• While the soup is cooking, rinse and drain the can of northern white beans. Blend with 1/2 cup non-dairy milk until smooth using immersion blender or high speed blender. 
• After the pressure is removed, take the lid off and stir well. 

Storage:

• Fridge: Store in an airtight container (I love mason jars for this) in the fridge for up to 4 days.
• Freezer: The broccoli will break down with freezing. It’s recommended that you puree the soup for the best overall texture after freezing. Freeze in freezer safe container for 1 month. 

Nutrition Information

Nutrition Facts

Vegan Broccoli Cheese Soup

Amount Per Serving

Calories 103 Calories from Fat 9

% Daily Value*

Fat 1g

Carbohydrates 17g

Fiber 7g

Sugar 4g

Protein 8g

*

Where does nutrition info come from? Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy, sourced from the USDA Food Database.

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Update Notes: This recipe was originally posted in November of 2015, but was published again in November 2019 to include step by step directions, recipe notes and new photos.