Ultra-creamy and nourishing! This easy vegan cream of broccoli soup is a hearty bowl of vitamins, perfect on cold days. The best part? It does without cream and is ready in 25 minutes.
When the temperatures drop, I always gravitate towards comforting soups, stews, and curries to satisfy my cravings. Since I love vegetable soups, I mostly meal-prepare a big pot of soup on the weekend for a quick and nourishing lunch during the week.
I take whatever vegetables are in season and turn them into a comforting bowl in no time. Like I did with this plant-based broccoli soup which is ready in under half an hour. The best part? This ultra-creamy soup does without adding any cream and only needs five ingredients. Winner!
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Why you'll love this recipe
- delicious use of seasonal produce
- super creamy
- vegan and gluten-free
- ready in 25 minutes
- ideal for meal-prep
Like creamy and comforting soups? Try this easy vegan Pumpkin Soup, sweet potato celery root soup, or curried carrot ginger soup to make good use of seasonal produce.
Ingredient notes
- Broccoli – Thoroughly wash and dry the broccoli before using it to remove any dirt.
- Onion and garlic – The savory ingredients add so much depth of flavor to the broccoli soup.
- Olive oil – The olive oil plays well with the onion and garlic aroma when roasting them.
- Vegetable stock – Use homemade or store-bought vegetable stock. Stock cubes will work too.
- Nutmeg – Freshly grate the nutmeg when using. It makes such a difference in flavor.
Tips & substitutions
This easy vegan cream of broccoli soup is ready in 25 minutes. To get the best result follow these tips:
- Season well – Broccoli has a mild flavor, so make sure to season the soup well with salt, pepper, and any other herbs or spices you prefer.
- Don't overcook – Overcooking the broccoli can make it mushy and bland. Cook the broccoli until it is just tender before blending.
- Garnish – I love to top this vegan broccoli soup with a splash of olive oil, chopped herbs, and micro greens for an additional flavor boost. Add some crunch to the creamy soup with quinoa pops, seeds, or whole-wheat croutons.
- Easy meal prep – Double the ingredients and prepare a big pot of this soup. Portion the soup in airtight containers and have a nourishing lunch or dinner ready in seconds.
How to make broccoli soup
Step 1: Heat the olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Transfer the diced onions and sauté for a minute, stirring occasionally.
Step 2: Add the broccoli florets and garlic and stir. Grate nutmeg into the pot and season with salt and pepper. Stir well and sear for another minute.
Step 3: Pour in the vegetable stock and bring it to a boil. Let it simmer on low to medium heat for about 15 minutes, until the broccoli florets are tender.
Step 4: Remove the pot from the heat and blend the soup with an immersion blender until smooth and creamy. Alternatively, let the soup cool for 10 to 15 minutes and transfer it to a blender. blend until smooth.
Expert tip
To make the soup even creamier, add a potato while cooking. Potatoes have a natural starch that helps thicken the soup without adding cream or milk. To do this, peel and dice a medium-sized potato and add it to the pot with the broccoli and other ingredients. Cook until the potatoes and broccoli are tender, then blend the soup until smooth.
What to serve with broccoli soup
There are many delicious dishes that can be served with broccoli soup. Here are some suggestions:
- Crackers or croutons: You can sprinkle some crackers or croutons on top of the soup or try these homemade pita chips to dip into the soup.
- Salad: A fresh salad with a light vinaigrette dressing can balance out the richness of the soup and provide additional nutrients. Try this 5-minute Asian cucumber salad, or smoked salmon cucumber salad and serve it with the soup.
- Appetizers: Serve a crunchy appetizer with creamy soup like this sardine, tomato, red onion bruschetta, or white bean pomegranate crostini.
- Roasted Vegetables: Roasted vegetables such as these air fryer crispy roasted carrots and herb-roasted butternut squash add color and texture to the meal.
Recipe FAQs
If you don’t have fresh broccoli on hand, use frozen broccoli. Thaw the broccoli in the fridge first, then get rid of excess water and use it like fresh broccoli in this recipe.
Change it up by incorporating cauliflower, carrots, celery root and more. Use vegetables with a similar texture to ensure they are not overcooked or not cooked enough with the cooking time stated in the recipe.
You can blend the broccoli soup directly in the pot with an immersion blender or transfer the soup to a blender.
If you use an immersion blender to blend the soup, remove the pot from the heat first. Then, stick the immersion blender in and carefully blend the soup.
Have a blender? Let the soup cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Then transfer it to the blender in batches, secure the lid and blend until smooth.
Store the soup in an airtight container and keep it in the fridge for up to five days. Or freeze for up to three months.
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???? Recipe
Easy Vegan Cream Of Broccoli Soup
Equipment
- immersion blender or blender
Ingredients
- 1 head broccoli (300g / 3 cups cut in florets)
- 1 medium onion
- 1 garlic clove
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 500 ml vegetable stock (2 ¼ cups)
- pinch of nutmeg
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Wash the broccoli head and pat it dry. Then, remove the thick stem and rip the broccoli into florets with your fingers. Peel the onion and garlic and dice.
- Heat the olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Transfer the diced onions and sauté for a minute, stirring occasionally. Add the broccoli florets and garlic and stir. Grate nutmeg into the pot and season with salt and pepper. Stir well and sear for another minute.
- Pour in the vegetable stock and bring it to a boil. Let it simmer on low to medium heat for about 15 minutes, until the broccoli florets are tender.
- Remove the pot from the heat and blend the soup with an immersion blender until smooth and creamy. Alternatively, let the soup cool for 10 to 15 minutes, transfer it into a blender and blend until smooth.
- Top the soup with a splash of olive oil, fresh herbs and nourishing seeds if you like and serve.
Notes
- Season well – Broccoli has a mild flavor, so make sure to season the soup well with salt, pepper, and any other herbs or spices you prefer.
- Don't overcook – Overcooking the broccoli can make it mushy and bland. Cook the broccoli until it is just tender before blending.
- Easy meal prep – Double the ingredients and prepare a big pot of this soup. Portion the soup in airtight containers and have a nourishing lunch or dinner ready in seconds.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only calculated with the recipe calorie and nutrition calculator provided by verywellfit.com. The author of this website is not a nutritionist nor a doctor. All nutritional data provided in the recipes and correspondent blog posts are for informational purposes only. Do not use the information as nutritional or medical advice.
Linda says
Love it!! ❤️
Yvonne says
So glad to hear that Linda ???? Enjoy your nourishing soup girl!!! 🙂