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This vegan broccoli soup is creamy, comforting, and loaded with vegetables for a surprisingly healthy, hearty soup–made in just 35 minutes with simple, inexpensive ingredients! This low-calorie soup recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, and optionally oil-free!
Creamy, Cozy Vegan Broccoli Potato Soup
As we (slowly) creep towards spring, for many, the Winter weather is lingering with a persistent chill, perfect weather for comforting classics like stews, hearty pasta, casseroles, and plenty of soups. Along with cabbage soup, my current obsession is this low-calorie vegan broccoli soup!
I’ve already shared a vegan broccoli cheese soup recipe, so I wanted to try something lighter while still creamy and satisfying. This dairy-free broccoli soup recipe not only hits the spot, but it’s a quick and fuss-free recipe made with inexpensive ingredients, flavorful, and packed with veggies (like celery & potato) and vegan cream for a comforting meal loaded with nutrients and fiber.
It’s still creamy and indulgent enough that even veggie-weary will enjoy it (and never guess it’s vegan). Plus, you can tweak it with extra ingredients and choose between leaving it chunky or blending until smooth. Plus, it’s both meal-prep and freezer-friendly, so feel free to double the batch!
Looking for more ways to enjoy broccoli? You might enjoy chickpea broccoli nuggets, broccoli risotto, or broccoli quinoa casserole.
The Ingredients
Broccoli: Use fresh or frozen (thawed) broccoli for this broccoli chowder. I prefer fresh.
Potato: I like russet potatoes or Yukon Golds, though the latter hold their shape better.
Aromatics: The combination of celery, onion, and garlic helps to add a ton of depth and flavor to this potato broccoli soup.
Broth: Use regular or reduced-sodium vegetable broth (in liquid form or powder, stock pots, or bouillon with water).
Dairy-free cream: Use any neutral vegan cream, like oat cream, cashew cream, or canned coconut milk (which imparts a mild coconut flavor).
Seasonings: You’ll need nutmeg, salt and pepper (to taste), dried thyme, and bay leaves.
Mustard: A small amount of Dijon mustard adds depth to the vegetarian broccoli soup.
Oil: Use any neutral cooking oil. Use a splash of water/broth for an oil-free version.
Parsley: To garnish (optional). Alternatively, use scallions, dill, or chives.
What Else Could I Add?
Nutritional yeast: For a slightly nutty, umami, cheesy flavor, add to taste.
Spice: To add some heat to the broccoli potato soup, add red pepper flakes, sriracha, or cayenne/chili powder to taste.
Vegan butter: For extra silkiness, stir in a small amount before serving.
Lemon juice: A small amount added before serving adds a bright, vibrant depth. White wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar also work.
Carrot: For extra nutrients, color, and subtle sweetness. Just note it will affect the color.
Zucchini: To add extra nutrients.
White beans/Chickpeas: Use them instead of or alongside the potato for a thick, creamy textured, dairy-free broccoli soup with added plant-based protein.
Please read the recipe card below for the full ingredients list, measurements, complete recipe method, and nutritional information.
How to Make Vegan Broccoli Soup
First, separate the broccoli into small florets and chop the stems into 1/2-3/4 inch pieces. Also, mince the garlic, dice the onion, and chop the celery and potatoes into similar sizes as the broccoli stem.
Optionally, reserve a few florets to make a crunchy soup topper. To do so, steam them until tender, then sauté with oil until lightly browned. Season with salt & pepper.
Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed large pot/ Dutch oven over medium heat. Then add the onion, celery, and broccoli stems and sauté for 4-5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, potatoes, and spices, and sauté for a minute further.
Add the broth and bay leaves and bring the soup to a boil over high heat.
Immediately reduce the heat to medium-low for 10-12 minutes. Add the broccoli florets and simmer for 7-8 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
Remove the bay leaves and 2-3 cups of vegetables, then blend the remaining soup with an immersion blender (in the pot) or a regular blender, to your desired consistency.
When using a blender, leave the chute open for steam to escape or occasionally open the lid.
Return the vegetables to the vegan broccoli soup and stir in the dairy-free cream and mustard. Finally, taste it and adjust any of the seasonings.
Serve in bowls, garnish with fresh parsley and pan-fried broccoli florets (if using). Enjoy!
How to Serve?
Enjoy a large bowl of this creamy potato broccoli soup alone (I like to eat it as a simple midweek meal) or combined with other dishes (on holidays, like Thanksgiving). Enjoy it with:
Storage Instructions
Store: Allow the broccoli potato soup to cool, then transfer it to an airtight container to store in the fridge for 3-4 days. It tastes even better on day two.
Freeze: Freeze the leftovers for 3 months in freezer-safe Ziplock bags (spread flat, with excess air removed) or in an airtight container (leaving headspace for expansion). Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Reheat: Use the stovetop or microwave to reheat the soup until piping hot. Add extra broth/milk if it’s thickened up too much.
FAQs
Could I substitute the vegan cream?
You could use soaked cashews blended into cashew cream, as I did for roasted cauliflower soup.
Can I use frozen broccoli for soup?
Make sure it’s thawed first and adjust the cooking time accordingly. The taste may vary slightly.
Can I make broccoli soup in a slow cooker?
Start with the sauté steps on the stovetop. Then transfer the ingredients to the crockpot and cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours or LOW for 6-8 hours, adding the broccoli florets in the last 2hrs (low) or 1hr (high). Then blend and stir in the dairy-free cream and mustard at the end.
What can I use to garnish the soup?
Along with classic options like croutons, crispy broccoli, vegan yogurt, cream, or drizzle of olive oil (plain or infused with flavor), you might also enjoy:
Fried onions or shallots
Crispy chickpeas
Kale chips
Other crispy/sautéed veg (Asparagus, Brussels sprouts, peas, mushrooms, etc.)
Vegan cheddar cheese
Lightly toasted nuts or seeds
Is vegan broccoli soup healthy?
Just one cup of broccoli provides almost all the daily recommended Vitamins A, C, and K. When combined with celery, onion, potato, and plant-based cream, this soup is nutrient-dense (loaded with vitamins and minerals), loaded with fiber, and far healthier than traditional dairy broccoli soup. Plus, you can even make it oil-free for a low-fat option!
Recipe Notes and Tips
For a thicker/thinner soup: Adjust the amount of vegetable stock you add to the vegan cream of broccoli soup.
Adjust the texture: Blend some or all the soup to your desired consistency. A blender provides the smoothest results vs. an immersion blender, with a food processor coming last.
Be careful when blending: Allow the soup to cool for 10 minutes first, and leave the chute open if there is one. Otherwise, only fill the blender halfway and hold the lid down with a kitchen towel, occasionally pausing to lift the lid. Otherwise, the steam pressure buildup can cause the lid to pop off and send scalding soup everywhere.
To save time: Use pre-prepared ingredients, like pre-chopped onion, potato, broccoli, etc.
More Vegan Soup Recipes
If you try this creamy vegan broccoli soup recipe, I’d love a comment and ★★★★★ recipe rating below. Also, please don’t forget to tag me in re-creations on Instagram or Facebook with @elavegan #elavegan—I love seeing them.
Vegan Broccoli Soup
This vegan broccoli soup is creamy, comforting, and loaded with vegetables for a surprisingly healthy, hearty soup–made in just 35 minutes with simple, inexpensive ingredients! This low-calorie soup recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, and optionally oil-free!
Prep Time 15 minsCook Time 20 minsTotal Time 35 mins
Course Appetizer, SoupCuisine German
Servings 4Calories 169 kcal
Ingredients 1x2x3x1 1/2 Tbsp oil1 medium (150 g) onion diced2/3 cup (80 g) celery chopped17.6 oz (500 g) broccoli (see instructions)3 garlic cloves minced2 medium (300 g) potatoes chopped3/4 tsp dried thyme1/8 tsp nutmeg Salt and pepper to taste4 cups (1000 ml) low sodium vegetable broth2 bay leaves1/3 cup (80 g) dairy-free cream (see notes)1 tsp Dijon mustard Fresh parsley to garnish
Instructions You can watch the video in the post for visual instructions.First, separate the broccoli into small florets and chop the stems into 1/2-3/4 inch pieces. Also, mince the garlic, dice the onion, and chop the celery and potatoes into similar sizes as the broccoli stem.Optionally, reserve a few florets to make a crunchy soup topper. To do so, steam them until tender, then sauté with oil until lightly browned. Season with salt & pepper.Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed large pot/ Dutch oven over medium heat. Then add the onion, celery, and broccoli stems and sauté for 4-5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, potatoes, and spices, and sauté for a minute further.Add the broth and bay leaves and bring the soup to a boil over high heat.Reduce the heat to medium-low for 10-12 minutes. Add the broccoli florets and simmer for 7-8 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.Remove the bay leaves and 2-3 cups of vegetables, then blend the remaining soup with an immersion blender (in the pot) or a regular blender, to your desired consistency.Return the vegetables to the broccoli soup and stir in the dairy-free cream and mustard. Finally, taste it and adjust any of the seasonings.Serve in bowls, garnish with fresh parsley and pan-fried broccoli florets (if using). Enjoy!
Notes
Dairy-free cream: Use any neutral vegan cream, like oat cream, cashew cream, or canned coconut milk.
Nutrition FactsVegan Broccoli SoupAmount per Serving% Daily Value** Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition information is an estimate and has been calculated automatically
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