+GF +SF
My mom’s (Alex’s grandma’s) favorite soup is the broccoli cheese soup from Panera. Being the good daughter that I am, creating a vegan version that was just as creamy and flavorful was a duty that I took seriously. If I could convince her to love a whole food, plant-based version that would satisfy her taste buds, it would be a win for her and for me, because we could enjoy the same soup at one table. After about a half dozen tries to perfect the cheesy flavor, I finally nailed the recipe. The secret to this cheesy sauce is vegan Greek yogurt. The tanginess and the probiotics used in the yogurt mimic the same taste you’d find in cheddar cheese, and just as I expected, my mom loves my version even more than she loved the dairy version. I think you will, too. —LM + AM
SERVES 6 TO 8
CHEESE SAUCE
1 cup (112 g) raw cashews, soaked in boiling water for at least 4 hours
5 oz (142 g) plain vegan Greek yogurt (we use Kite Hill brand; see Note)
2 tbsp (10 g) nutritional yeast (not brewer’s or rising yeast), add more if you want a strong cheese flavor
¼ cup (60 ml) water
½ tsp fine sea salt
SOUP
3 cups (450 g) broccoli florets
1 tbsp (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil or 3 tbsp (45 ml) vegetable broth
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 large russet potato, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup (60 ml) white wine or 1 tbsp (15 ml) white wine vinegar
2 (32-oz [946-ml]) containers vegetable broth ½ tsp smoked paprika
1 tbsp (5 g) nutritional yeast
Salt and pepper, to taste
TOPPINGS
Shredded vegan cheese
Toasted croutons
Green onion, chopped
FOR THE CHEESE SAUCE
Drain and rinse the soaked cashews and put them in a blender. Add the remaining cheese sauce ingredients and blend on high speed for 1 minute. Scrape the sides and blend for about 1 more minute, or until the sauce is smooth and velvety and you can’t detect any small pieces of the nuts. Set it aside.
FOR THE SOUP
Put a steamer basket in a large pot and fill it with water, just to the top of the basket. Add the broccoli and bring the water to a boil. Cover and steam for about 8 to 10 minutes, or until the broccoli is just fork tender. Remove it from the pot and set it aside.
In a large soup pot, heat the oil or vegetable broth over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add the carrots, celery and potato, and cook, stirring often, for about 5 minutes, or until the carrot begins to brown slightly. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the wine or vinegar. Make sure to stir the vegetables and scrape any pieces that are stuck to the pan. Add the vegetable broth, smoked paprika and nutritional yeast. Stir the mixture to combine and bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes, or until the potato and carrots are fork tender. Add three-fourths of the broccoli and the cheese sauce, and blend with an immersion blender until thick and creamy, or blend in batches in a countertop blender. The yogurt in the cheese sauce will curdle when added to the hot soup. This is normal. As soon as you whip it up with the blender it will become smooth. Stir in the remaining broccoli and salt and pepper. Top with a sprinkle of cheese, croutons and green onion.
Note: What sets our cheese sauce apart from others we’ve tried is the Greek yogurt. It adds so much to the flavor of the sauce. If you can’t find a vegan Greek yogurt, you can use a plain almond- or soy-milk yogurt. Just don’t use coconut yogurt—that wouldn’t turn out well.