Vegan Cream of Broccoli Soup

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Rich, creamy, and silky smooth…you’d never guess this vegan cream of broccoli soup was dairy-free!

Cream of broccoli soup isn’t normally on the menu if you’re vegan. In fact, it’s not even normally vegetarian (watch out for chicken broth). But it’s one of those soups that I remember from my childhood as being so cozy, so comforting, that I felt like I absolutely had to create a meatless and dairy-free version.

The secret to a killer bowl of non-dairy creamy broccoli soup is coconut milk. And nope — the soup does not taste like coconut. It just tastes like deliciousness!

What You’ll Need

• Vegan butter. You should be able to find this near the regular butter in your supermarket’s fridge. Look for brands like Miyoko’s and Earth Balance.
• Onion.
• Celery.
• Garlic.
• Flour. I’ve only tested the recipe with all-purpose wheat flour, but I think whole wheat or a gluten-free blend would work.
• Coconut milk. Use full-fat coconut milk from a can. You could technically get away with substituting light coconut milk, but the soup won’t be nearly as rich and creamy.
• Non-dairy milk. We’re using another variety of non-dairy milk that’s unsweetened and unflavored. I don’t recommend using soy (it might curdle), but otherwise, just about anything works! I used unsweetened Almond Breeze.
• Vegetable bouillon. I used Better Than Bouillon in seasoned vegetable flavor.
• Dijon mustard.
• Fresh broccoli.
• Lemon juice. Use freshly squeezed juice to give your soup the best flavor.
• Salt & pepper.
• Fresh chives. These are totally optional, but they make a nice topping for your soup!

How to Make Vegan Creamy Broccoli Soup

The following is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you’d like to skip right to the recipe!

• Melt your vegan butter in a large pot over medium heat, then add diced onion and celery. Sweat the veggies for a few minutes until they begin to soften up.
• Add minced garlic and flour. Be sure to stir everything up really well so the flour coats the veggies.

• Slowly begin stirring in the coconut milk, a bit at a time so that it blends nicely with the flour. Once that’s all added, stir in your other non-dairy milk, bouillon, Dijon mustard, and chopped broccoli.
• Bring the soup to a boil and let it simmer until the broccoli is tender and the soup has thickened up a bit.

• Now blend the soup. You can use a hand-held immersion blender, or transfer it to a blender in batches like I did. Always be super careful when blending hot liquids.

• Return the soup to the pot and heat it back up if needed. Stir in lemon juice, salt and pepper.

• Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle it with some fresh chives, if you’d like.

Leftovers & Storgae

Leftover vegan broccoli soup will keep in a sealed container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can this soup be made gluten-free?

You could try substituting an all-purpose gluten-free flour blend for wheat flour, though I haven’t tested this. The other option is to skip the flour and thicken the soup towards the end of cooking with a cornstarch slurry. Just dissolve a few spoonfuls of cornstarch in cold water, then add the mixture, a bit at a time, to the simmering soup until the desired thickness is reached.

Does this soup taste like coconut?

Nope! At least it doesn’t to me. If you absolutely hate the taste of coconut, try subbing another non-dairy milk, such as cashew. The soup won’t be as creamy though.

Can I make this soup with frozen broccoli?

Sure! But keep in mind that frozen broccoli is precooked, so thaw it out first and add it towards the end of the soups simmer time.