This Vegan Smoky Broccoli Potato Soup is low-fat, dairy-free, gluten-free, oil-free and features roasted broccoli and roasted potatoes on top for the most delicious flavor and texture. It uses only 8 ingredients and is ready in less than an hour.
VEGAN BROCCOLI POTATO SOUP
How can a soup be so incredibly delicious when it is totally dairy-free, oil-free and low-fat?! Well, this one is! We are talking smoky flavor, cheesy flavor, exceptional creaminess and so much roasted, crispy texture instead of just a plain old boring pureed potato soup. This vegan broccoli potato soup has almost a bacon type flavor from the smokiness and is so easy, being only 8 ingredients!
INGREDIENTS NEEDED
(full measurements and instructions are in the recipe card below)
- Russet potatoes: Potatoes are the creamy base of the soup, but I take it a step further and roast some extra to top the soup with. You end up with SO much awesome texture and flavor!
- Broccoli florets: Roasting these and then adding to the end of the soup gives more flavor and texture.
- Nutritional yeast: This imparts a cheesy flavor to the soup.
- Smoked paprika: This spice obviously yields a wonderful smoky flavor to the soup.
- Garlic cloves: For extra yummy depth of flavor.
- White or yellow onion
- Dill pickle juice: From a jar of dill pickles. This is an odd ingredient, but trust me, it imparts extra depth of flavor and lends to its cheesiness!
- Canned lite coconut milk: There is only a small amount of milk used for this recipe, which keeps it low-fat. But the coconut milk is wonderfully creamy and leaves no coconut taste since it is the lite version.
HOW TO MAKE VEGAN BROCCOLI POTATO SOUP
Step 1: Add only the potatoes to a medium pot. Add the water, salt/pepper, onion, garlic and smoked paprika. Stir well and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the potatoes are really tender.
TIP: For the crispy potatoes on top as well for extra texture, measure out 2 cups extra of chopped potatoes. You will bake them at the same time as the broccoli below.
Step 2: Spread the broccoli out evenly on a lined pan with parchment paper. Season with salt and pepper and bake at 375°F for 15 minutes.
Step 3: For the extra potatoes for garnish, add them to a separate pan, season with salt and pepper and place them on the bottom rack.
Step 4: Once the potatoes in the pot are tender, add the coconut milk, nutritional yeast and pickle juice. Using a handheld immersion stick blender, blend until all the potatoes are smooth and creamy.
Step 5: Stir in the broccoli and top with extra baked potatoes.
LOW-FAT BUT FULL OF FLAVOR
Low-fat doesn’t mean boring or bland though, I can assure you. This soup is super creamy and full of flavor and yet, only has about 2 g fat per cup! Potatoes are my favorite food in the entire world….as if you hadn’t already figured that out by my recipe index. This is because they are basically fat-free, full of vitamins, so incredibly healthy, filling, give us fuel and energy, healthy carbs and fiber-rich, so they are slower to digest, keeping us full longer. The longer we are full, the less we are likely to indulge on unhealthy junk food. I don’t need to explain how much potatoes have healed my hubby’s gout either. No other food satisfies me like a potato. I got much love for the spud. Don’t be afraid of these types of carbs!
I debated on calling this a “cheesy” broccoli potato soup, but it only has a mild cheesy flavor, so I didn’t think it fit the title. I didn’t want to go overboard on the cheese flavor, but feel free to increase that cheese part if you like. Due to my recent discovery of pickle juice in cream cheese, I added a good amount to this soup and it really boosts the flavor and lends a bit of cheesy flavor.
This Vegan Broccoli Potato Soup comes together with very easy, basic ingredients and in under an hour.
MORE VEGAN SOUP RECIPES TO TRY
- Hearty Italian White Bean Basil Soup
- Easy 1 Pot Creamy Curry Rice Soup
- Sweet Potato Broccoli Cheese Soup
- Creamy Sweet Potato Soup
- Hearty Veggie Potato Stew
- Healthy Potato Carrot Tomato Soup
If you make this recipe, be sure to leave feedback below and share your pic on Instagram or Facebook and tag me @thevegan8 #thevegan8!
Vegan Smoky Broccoli Potato Soup (Low-fat)
Ingredients
- 4 heaping cups of chopped 1/2 inch pieces of russet potatoes (these produce the best texture result (with skins on, 570g, plus 2 extra cups {280g} for baking & garnish later)
- 2 cups (480g) water or low-sodium veggie broth
- salt & pepper (1 teaspoon salt and 1/8-1/4 teaspoon black pepper, to taste)
- 1/2 packed cup (80g) finely chopped onion
- 4 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 heaping cups (170g) broccoli florets, I used frozen
- 1/2 cup (120g) "lite" canned coconut milk (if you don't want to use coconut, make sure to select another creamy plant-based milk, such as cashew or soy. I wouldn't suggest almond b/c of the strong taste)
- 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoons (30g) dill pickle juice (sounds odd I know, but it gives depth of flavor & aids in giving a somewhat cheesy flavor)
- I use this scale.
Instructions
- Add only the 4 cups chopped potatoes to a medium pot. Add the water, salt/pepper, onion, garlic and smoked paprika. Stir well and bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover and turn to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the potatoes are really tender. Note: For the crispy potatoes on top as well for extra texture, measure out 2 cups extra of chopped potatoes. You will bake them at the same time as the broccoli below.
- Note: For the crispy potatoes on top as well for extra texture, measure out 2 cups extra of chopped potatoes. You will bake them at the same time as the broccoli below.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a pan with parchment paper. Spread the broccoli out evenly and lightly season with salt and pepper. If baking extra potatoes for garnish, add them to a separate pan, season with salt and pepper and place them on the bottom rack.
- Bake the broccoli on the middle rack for 15 minutes and remove. You will be leaving the potatoes in the oven for 10 minutes or more until golden brown. After you remove the broccoli, you can move the potatoes to the center rack to continue cooking.
- Once the potatoes in the pot are tender, add the coconut milk, nutritional yeast and pickle juice. Using a handheld immersion stick blender, blend until all the potatoes are smooth and the soup is creamy and thick. Taste and adjust spices if necessary.
- Stir in the broccoli and top with extra baked potatoes.
- This soup will thicken a lot in the fridge overnight, so you can add a little broth to thin it out if desired and reheat on very low heat on the stove.
You’ve outdone yourself with this one! I love so many of your recipes, but this has to be one of your very best. My husband could not stop raving about it. I just added a little chipotle pepper for a little kick. The textures are what really make this one stand out. Thanks so much for sharing your fabulous recipes!
Oh wow, thank you so much Carri for the best feedback! I’m so very happy you and your husband loved it so much, this is one of my favorite soups too, thank you so much!!
This soup was soooo yummy and easy to make. I loved the creaminess and the bit of crunch from the broccoli and roasted potatoes. I was so excited to have this for lunch the next day and it did not disappoint. Will be making this more regularly this winter. Thanks for a great recipe!
So happy to hear that Donna, thank you so much for making it and the feedback!
One of the best soups I’ve ever made…have prepared it four times since it posted a week or so ago on Forks over Knives, twice for us, once for a family welcoming a new baby, and once for our son’s family. Delicious!!
That is so wonderful to hear Jane, thank you so much for the wonderful feedback!
I was so excited to try this recipe and I’m glad I did. It was just delicious! I wasn’t sure about the pickle juice (it seemed like an odd ingredient to add), but I can see how it helped add the cheesy flavor. Very simple, I didn’t need to get much from the store. I don’t have a immersion stick so I just mashed with a potato masher and it turned out just fine. I loved the roasted broccoli and I ended up roasting my leftovers just to snack on….everything about this soup was perfect for me! I really enjoyed it. I had two bowls and decided to try the second bowl with some tofutti sour cream and it was like eating a baked potato. I can eat it either way…….thank you for sharing.
I’m so very happy you loved it Tracey! Thank you so much for the wonderful feedback!
Hey Brandi. I made this soup for a large gathering this weekend and everyone loved it. So funny, people were like “I normally hate smoked paprika / broccoli / coconut, but I love this soup! It’s so flavorful” Anyways, it was yummy. I was looking for recipe inspiration for a filling vegan soup that didn’t contain beans or lentils, and this was perfect 🙂
Oh, yay Audrey! Thank you so much for making it and I’m so happy to hear everybody loved it! xx
Just made this for dinner and it’s delicious!!!! I was scared to use the dill juice or coconut milk because of the flavor, but it came out perfect!!! Thanks!
SO happy you loved it Madeline! Oh yes, trust me, haha! Thank you for the feedback!
Hi, what could I use as a substitute for the dill pickle juice? Don’t have that in New Zealand! Vinegar and water maybe? Thanks so much!
Hi Catherine! I would just try adding lemon juice and maybe also a pinch of apple cider vinegar and just add to taste. The soup really needs that acidic punch. So just add some until you like the taste. You might need more salt possibly, too.
Oh Brandi, I made this for dinner tonight and my husband and I both LOVED it!!! So hearty, filling, comforting, tasty, delicious – yes, yes, yes! Thank you for the amazing recipe. I’ve wanted to try it since you published it and am so happy I finally did. What a delight! I love the roasted broccoli pieces, and the crisp potatoes and the rich creaminess of it all.
Another hit! I had to make a few tweaks to use up wilting celery and only full fat coconut milk (only used 1/4 cup) but it was a huge success. Your recipes have been very helpful in us making the transition to a family that all eats the same thing instead of different meals for us and the girls. Next time I’ll be making a double (or triple) batch!
I’m so happy this soup was such a hit Elyse! Thank you very much for the feedback!
This is the best potato soup I have ever eaten! I made it exactly as written, with the exception of an extra T of pickle juice! 🙂 Sooo yummy! Delish!
Oh yay! That is so wonderful to hear KM! Thank you so much for the feedback!
Hi Brandi, I have to say that this is THEE BEST SOUP I have EVER tasted and I LOVE my vegetable, barley soup and didn’t think anything could top it. I must say that this does. I made it last night and it was even better today, the flavour was over-the-top…… Wonderful. I’m not a pickle person and never have any in the house so I used just a little of the Capers juice I had, I didn’t really taste it too much which is okay with me. This will be my go too soup for company from now on and I love how the potatoes and their water become the base for the soup, it’s so quick and easy. I almost didn’t roast the broccli and potatoes, I thought it would be too much trouble; it wasn’t and the flavour really made the difference. Thanks for this, I’ll be trying much more of your recipes on my guests very soon. Keep up the good work. 🙂
Oh, you just made my day Sharon! This is such a wonderful review and I’m very happy you loved it so much! Capers juice taste so similar, so that is a great idea! I actually use some for a dressing recipe I wrote the other day. Yes, the added roasted veggies really complete the soup and give it a lovely texture. So glad you didn’t skip that part! Thank you again!
Hi!! This looks amazing! Can I sub sweet potato? I’m thinking it would be good and I love your other sweet potato soup 🙂
Hi Kori! I have never tried that but feel free to experiment! You might want to try this recipe instead though that is already sweet potato focused.
https://thevegan8.com/2014/02/05/potota-soup/
This was delicious 🙂 Husband thought it tasted like a potato bacon soup.
Thank you!
It tastes great. Girlfriend was hesitant about it but she loved it. Thank you for the recipe I’ll have to try you other recipes.
Awesome, so glad you both enjoyed it!
This is hands down one of my favorite soups! I love to add mushrooms, and I will also add liquid smoke to get a deeper Smokey flavor. I love your site, thank you for being a pesence!
Yay! So happy you loved it so much Lexi! I love liquid smoke too and sometimes add a splash! Thank you for the lovely review 🙂
I just recently made this recipe this past weekend and it was beyond amazing. To me after being vegan for one year there is no way if I would have tried this before hand that I would have thought it was vegan. It taste so amazing and the crispy potatoes add such a great texture to this creamy soup! I am so glad to have found the vegan 8 and I am looking forward to the cookbook coming out this month.
So thrilled to read this Casandra, thank you so much for this glowing review!!
How can something so quick and easy to make be so insanely delicious? This was so good, my family is still talking about it, days after I made it. I get the feeling we’ll be having this soup a lot this winter!
Thank you, Brandi! And congratulations on the book!!!
A winner all the way. Baking the vegetables adds a touch of special taste that makes it outstanding. A hearty, healthy warmth during winter months. In the summer months, you, easily, could make a cold soup out of it. Thank you so much for all the work you put into this. I was wondering about a similar soup but with sweet potatoes? Would love to see your combinations of vegetables. Much appreciated. Great recipe, well balanced, highly recommended.
Hi Elisabeth! So glad you loved it!
Yes, I have a couple of sweet potato soups in here:
https://thevegan8.com/2018/11/26/vegan-creamy-sweet-potato-soup/
https://thevegan8.com/2016/02/09/sweet-potato-broccoli-cheese-soup/
This soup was AMAZING tonight!!😋
Loved it! Thank you again for your wonderful oil free recipes!
Five ⭐️ for sure!!
Wonderful Lisa, so very happy to hear that, yay! I added the 5 stars for you, haha!
Brandi, this vegan blog is like a heaven for people like me and this “Low-Fat Smoky Broccoli Potato Soup” I will certainly try dear! thanks love for sharing it.
Thank you so much Dora, that is so kind!
Found this recipe yesterday and cooked it up for lunch today! Perfect for this Fall weather!
This is outrageously good!!!
So awesome to hear that Nancy!
This soup is awesome. Strangely it had a “bacony” taste to it. Also thick and cheesy. We loved it fresh out the pot the first day! Will definitely make again.
Yay! Glad y’all loved it! Yes, the smoked paprika really helps that bacon-ish flavor!
This look amazing! What if I dont have a handheld immersion stick blender?
Just use a masher and mash it the best you can.
Can you substitute vegetable broth for water? Want to try to make this tonight, but wonder if the flavor will be off?
Yes, that should be fine! Vegetable broth will just add even more flavor.
Unbelievable! This soup is SO GOOD. All the tastiness of cheddar potato broccoli soup without the nasty dairy products! I didn’t have any smoked paprika on hand, so I subbed with the same amount of regular paprika and about half a teaspoon of liquid smoke. Definitely bookmarking this one!
Aww yay!! So glad you loved it so much Alison!! I love liquid smoke so much, so I’m glad you had that and were able to sub it, thank you so much for making it!
Please please please whoever read this comment you should make this soup. It’s the most delicious creamy soup ever. Thank you Brandi. Amazing flavours and easy to make.
I have never left a comment on a recipe before this. This soup is delicious!! I only had the full fat coconut milk, so I scooped out the fat on top and figured that made it low fat! I love potato soup, but can’t handle the dairy and sodium in regular soup. I can’t wait for my husband to try it tonight!
Eager to make this! Question: When you adjust the serving size scale in the ingredients, it does not adjust the actual recipe’s directions. Is there an adjustment that can be made so the quantity of ingredients in the instructions changes also if someone changes the serving scale? Thank you!
Hi! So sorry, the serving adjustment calculator is not supposed to be on there, I need to fix it. It isn’t on there since it does not adjust according to the gram weights. If you want to double it, just double the gram weights I have listed.
LOVED this soup! Especially the addition of pickle juice, I even added a little bit more. I will definitely be making this again! Thank you for the awesome recipe!
Is there an alternative for nutritional yeast?
It does add a lot of flavor and cheesy bite, so without it, the flavor will be lacking. You could up the salt, garlic or add some vegan Parmesan or vegan Worcestershire sauce for added depth.
Your nutritional yeast substitution worked for us! Thank you. the soup is delicious. Hubby is having seconds now…
Yay, so glad to hear it, thank you so much Kay!
This is so delicious. Second time I have made it. This time I roasted some chopped carrots on the same sheet with the potatoes. Nice addition. Glad I found this vegan keeper.
That’s so wonderful to hear Becca!!