Creamy Broccoli-Cheddar Soup
Updated: Oct 28
An amazing, better than Panera, plant-based, vegan-friendly, soy-free, dairy-free, and gluten-free Creamy Broccoli-Cheddar Soup recipe that makes approximately 8 servings, taking about 15 minutes to prepare, with 40 minutes for cook time.
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Before I went plant-based, one of my favorite soups was Panera’s Broccoli Cheddar Soup. Any time I didn’t feel well, that was the soup I’d pick up, of course, in a bread bowl! Today, that’s not an option, between unwanted ingredients and obvious animal products, so I decided to make my own.
One of my favorite things about this recipe is that it can be frozen. I use jumbo reusable silicone baking cups to freeze my soup in 7-ounce serving sizes. Then, I always have the option to add a quarter to half cup of desired milk (I like my thick and creamy oat milk recipe) per serving of frozen soup (depending on the desired creaminess). I am never without my favorite soup. Oh, and did I mention it tastes even better than Panera Bread’s Broccoli Cheddar Soup? Panera Bread's Broccoli Cheddar Soup ingredients:
Water, Whole Milk [Milk, Vitamin D3], Broccoli, Pasteurized Processed Cheddar Cheese Food [Cheddar Cheese {Pasteurized Milk, Cheese Culture, Salt, Animal Enzymes}, Whey, Whey Protein Concentrate, Nonfat Milk, Sodium Citrate, Milkfat, Salt, Lactic Acid, Oleoresin Paprika {Color}, Annatto Extract {Color}], Whipping Cream (Cream, Milk), Carrots, Corn Starch, Onions, Chicken Base [Chicken Meat Including Chicken Juices, Salt, Chicken Fat, Yeast Extract, Sugar, Natural Flavor, Potato Flour, Carrot Powder, Turmeric], Seasoning [Wheat Flour, Salt, White Pepper, And Not More Than 2% Canola Oil Added To Aid Processing], Salted Butter (Pasteurized Cream, Salt), Dijon Mustard [Water, Mustard Seed, Vinegar, Salt, White Wine, Citric Acid, Tartaric Acid, Fruit Pectin, Red Pepper], Pepper Sauce [Distilled Vinegar, Red Pepper, Salt].
Take a look at some of those bold ingredients. As you can see, their soup isn't even vegetarian-friendly, so it's a big NOPE for me. I understand that animal ingredients aren't a concern for everyone, but where these ingredients are sourced should be. No worries; thankfully, I've mastered the art of broccoli-cheddar soup, and I'm ready to share it with you. As always, this recipe is vegan-friendly, plant-based, soy-free, dairy-free, and gluten-free.
Creamy Broccoli-Cheddar Soup
Ingredients:
1/4 cup of plant-based butter
1/2 onion (I like using red, but white is also fine)
5 cloves of garlic
4 tbsp. arrowroot powder
2 cups vegetable broth
16 oz. broccoli florets (fresh or frozen)
3 large carrots (shredded)
2 cups of coconut cream (I use Thai Kitchen)
1 cup plant-based cheddar cheese
1 tsp. pink salt
1 tsp. black pepper
Directions:
Gather your ingredients, preferably organic: vegetable broth, coconut cream, broccoli florets, plant-based cheddar cheese, garlic, arrowroot powder, carrots, plant-based butter, red onion, pink salt, and black pepper.
After you've gathered the ingredients, in a large pot, add your butter and allow to melt before sauteing the onions until soft.
When your sauteed onions are soft, add the garlic before stirring.
After adding the garlic to the sauteed onions, add arrowroot powder and stir until well combined.
After the arrowroot powder is well combined, add vegetable broth, stir, and let simmer for 5 minutes.
After you've let it simmer for 5 minutes, add the broccoli, shredded carrots, and coconut cream, and allow it to cook for 15 minutes.
After it's cooked for 15 minutes, add the cheddar cheese and cook until the cheese is completely melted.
When the cheddar cheese has completely melted, add salt and pepper to taste.
Serve immediately or freeze in jumbo reusable silicone baking cups. One baking cup holds 7 ounces of soup (one serving).
If freezing: Allow the soup to completely freeze in the baking cups before removing them and storing them in an airtight bag. When you’re ready to reheat the soup, add a quarter to half cup of desired milk or bone brother per frozen cup.
What's your favorite kind of soup?
