Vegan Cream of Broccoli Soup

Making this soup is a “souper” fun way to spend time with kids in the kitchen on a chilly day.

If broccoli isn’t your favorite soup ingredient, try something else! Carrots, potatoes, button mushrooms, tomatoes, asparagus and corn all make excellent additions to this hearty soup. Or, use white cauliflower for the base and add orange (or “cheddar”) cauliflower as the finishing veggie. 

Cream of Broccoli Soup
By Allison Rivers Samson

Serves 6

Ingredients
1 cup raw cashews (optional: soaked 4 hours or longer and drained)
2 quarts vegetable broth, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup onion, diced
3 cups cauliflower, cut into large chunks
6 cups broccoli, separated into bite-sized florets and peeled stems cut into chunks
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
2-3 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions
1. In a blender, combine cashews and 1 cup vegetable broth and process until completely smooth.

2. Heat a large stockpot over medium-high heat and add oil. Sauté onion, cauliflower, broccoli stems, and marjoram for 5 minutes. Add remaining vegetable broth, cashew cream, and salt. Bring to a boil, then lower to medium heat and cook until vegetables are very soft, approximately 20 minutes.

3. Using an immersion blender, or in small batches in a regular blender, blend soup base until completely smooth (this is VERY important!). Add broccoli florets and cook over medium heat for 3-5 minutes until broccoli is tender. Add pepper to taste and serve hot.

© Recipe by Allison Rivers Samson, "Maven of Mmmm…" award-winning author of The Dairy Detox Recipes, Comfortably Yum, and Co-Founder of The Dairy Detox.
Photo credit: Hannah Kaminsky