There is not a single person in this world who doesn’t need this creamy soup in their life. Let me make my case. First, you only need ten easy-to-find, totally normal ingredients. Second, it is probably the easiest soup ever. Third, after you taste this soup, you will never be the same. The world will look different—a little brighter, a little more delicious and so much happier. Just trust me, this soup is where it’s at.
Serves: 4
1 cup (110 g) raw cashews, soaked (see here)
1 cup (240 ml) vegetable broth
¼ cup (15 g) nutritional yeast
1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
Pinch of salt
Pinch of black pepper
4 tsp (20 ml) olive oil, divided
6 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
6 cups (1.4 L) vegetable broth
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
1–1½ cups (115–173 g) elbow or shell macaroni
1 cup (55 g) panko breadcrumbs
1 tsp Italian seasoning
To make the cashew cheese sauce, drain the soaked cashews and add them to a blender. Add the broth, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, salt and black pepper. Blend for 3 to 5 minutes, scraping down the sides of the blender as needed, until the sauce is completely smooth. Set the sauce aside.
To make the soup, heat 2 teaspoons (10 ml) of oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes, until the garlic is soft.
Add the broth, mustard and cashew cheese sauce. Stir to combine. Season the mixture with the salt and black pepper and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer.
Add the macaroni, using 1 cup (115 g) if you want the soup to be thinner and 1½ cups (173 g) if you want the soup to be thicker.
Simmer the soup for 6 to 9 minutes, stirring frequently, or until the macaroni is cooked.
While the soup is simmering, heat the remaining 2 teaspoons (10 ml) of oil in a small nonstick skillet over medium-low heat.
Add the panko breadcrumbs and Italian seasoning. Stir to combine and coat the breadcrumbs with the oil. Cook for 2 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until they are brown.
When the macaroni is cooked through, taste the soup and adjust the seasonings. Top the soup with the toasted breadcrumbs and serve immediately.
Hot Tip: The macaroni will get mushy if the soup sits around for a long time. If you want to make this soup ahead of time, make the broth and add the macaroni right before serving.