Vegan Sweet Potato Broccoli Cheese Soup. So incredibly rich, creamy, dairy-free, oil-free and just 8 easy ingredients.
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Who really loved broccoli cheese soup as a kid? Please tell me you said yes. Well, today I’ve got a vegan broccoli cheese soup with a twist….a sweet potato-ish, cheesy-ish broccoli soup. Not overly cheesy, but more of a combo of a sweet potato flavor and a cheesy flavor. As you all know by now, I love soup. They are so easy and fast to make and with my schedule lately and for this year, I need easy meals.
One of my absolute favorite recipes my mom made for us growing up, was broccoli cheese soup. I’m not talking about the purred broccoli soup where there is no visible broccoli florets left. No, I want the chunks please, thank you. Roasted chunks, to be exact. I did my usual roasted broccoli trick that I do for a lot of my soups. As I’ve mentioned before, I hate overly cooked/soggy broccoli, which happens a lot when you cook it in the pot. I avoid all this by roasting my broccoli under tender and just beginning to brown. It adds such a better flavor and texture to my soups.
VEGAN BROCCOLI CHEESE SOUP
This Vegan Sweet Potato Broccoli Cheese Soup is so satisfying, creamy and comforting. Even though this soup is vegan and not an ounce of dairy in it, you’d never know by how silky, smooth it is, thanks to using brown rice flour and cashew milk. The soup my mom made was obviously loaded with dairy and processed cheese. Yummy, yes, but I’m no way interested in putting that in my body anymore.
I decided to give the traditional broccoli cheese soup a dairy-free version and a twist, by adding sweet potatoes. My first trial was with regular potatoes and it just was a bit bland for my taste and a bit too starchy for what I was going for. Sweet potatoes taste much less starchy than regular potatoes, plus they also give a beautiful color.
I’m a huge potato soup fan in general and if you are too, then make sure to check out one of my most popular recipes, this Low-fat Smoky Broccoli Potato Soup!
OTHER VEGAN SOUP RECIPES TO TRY:
- Lazy Red Lentil Curry Soup
- Vegan Cauliflower Curry Soup
- Lazy Day Vegan Tomato Bisque
- Easy Vegan Ramen Noodle Soup
- Vegan Black Bean Soup
- Hearty Veggie Potato Stew
- Smoky Sweet Potato Black-eyed Pea Soup
Sweet Potato Broccoli Cheese Soup
Ingredients
- 2 heaping cups (300g) peeled and chopped 1/2 inch pieces sweet potatoes
- 1 packed cup (160g) finely diced white onion
- 5 large garlic cloves, minced (15g)
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 4 heaping cups frozen broccoli florets (depending on how chunky you want it)
- 1/2 cup raw cashews + 1 1/2 cups water for HOMEMADE cashew milk (see directions)
- 3 tablespoons (30g) brown rice flour
- 4-6 tablespoons nutritional yeast (I highly recommend this Sari brand, it is non-fortified with much better taste.)
- 4 Tablespoons (60g) dill pickle juice (this aids in the cheesy flavor-do not skip!)
- fresh lemon juice for serving
NOTE
- This has a more non-traditional flavor than typical broccoli cheese soup. The sweet potatoes give it a more subtle sweet flavor, less savory.
Instructions
- Saute the onion in a bit of water for 5-8 minutes over medium heat until translucent. Add the garlic and cook another minute.
- Add the water and sweet potatoes, salt/pepper and bring to boil, once boiling, cover and turn to simmer on low for about 15-20 minutes until potatoes very fork tender. They need to be almost mushy so they can puree easily.
- Meanwhile roast the broccoli. Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Spread your broccoli out and season well with salt and pepper. Bake 15-20 minutes or until just beginning to see the tips browning. Depending on your oven or the size of your broccoli florets, it may need longer, up to 10-15 more minutes. You want them fork tender, but still fairly firm, as you will not be cooking them in the soup. If using fresh and not frozen, watch them so they don't burn.
- The homemade cashew milk is amazing in this. Do not use store-bought cashew milk, as it will not produce near the same flavor or result. Hear me on this, it will not work the same. To make the cashew milk, add 1/2 cup raw cashews and 1 1/2 cups water to a Vitamix and blend until completely smooth.
- After your potatoes are tender in your soup, stir in the milk, brown rice flour, nutritional yeast and pickle juice until well mixed. Cook about a minute so it thickens up. Remove from heat.
- Use a hand immersion blender or a Vitamix to blend the soup until it is completely smooth. It should be nice and thick, but if you'd like it thicker, reheat it just for a minute or two. Homemade cashew milk makes the soup thicken very well and quickly!
- Taste and add any additional salt. Add the roasted broccoli and serve. I added some more freshly ground pepper and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice right before serving.
Made this today….. Life. Changed.
I got all the ingredients early this morning and ran home only to foolishly use up all of the broccoli in another dish :/ but Califlower to the rescue!!! This dish wash absolutely incredible! THANK YOU!!!
Aww yay, so happy to hear that Faith!! I love this soup too and so glad you enjoyed it so much, thank you for leaving feedback!
The only thing wrong with this soup is that I keep going back for more! I cooked it in the pressure cooker for 4 minutes and cooked my broccoli in the microwave. Second time I have made this and it’s just delicious.
Haha, thank you so much Charlene! I’m so happy to hear you love it that much, thank you for the feedback!
I made this today. Very good! I will make it again. You won’t miss the dairy. Nice rich flavor. I fudged on the directions–I sauted the onion and garlic, lightly steamed the broccoli before roasting. I had to add more water and it was still quite thick. I think it would be a great base as is for a cheddar veggie chowder, just add chunks of regular potato and chunky carrots and keep some of the sauted onion back and add at the end.
Aww yay! So happy to hear that Tammy, thank you so much for the great feedback!!
This soup is absolutely delicious!!! I’ve made it twice now — I bring to work for lunch, as it is filling, yummy and, of course, guilt free! 🙂 Thank you for sharing your gift with the world. Your recipes have honestly changed my life.
Oh wow Lisa, that is so incredibly sweet of you to say! Thank you so much for your kind words, I’m so happy to hear that and really glad you love this recipe! Thank you!
Definitely going to make this. One question, did you use an orange sweet potato (yam) or a white sweet potato? I’m guessing the orange one for the color but wanted to make sure…
Hi Elyse, the orange ones 🙂
Thanks! Pretty sure I have all the fixings, off to make this bad boy!
This soup is really cheesy, creamy, rich and smoky. I saw someone mentioned Panera..well I loved that soup in days past and I must say this is way better..I know hard to believe, but true. I used yams and added a couple drops of liquid smoke. I bet would be awesome with japanese sweet potatoes too…any sweet potato really. Make sure you double the recipe or you’ll wish you did. I used a combo of leftover lite coconut milk and soy and worked out great.
Hands down the best broccoli cheese soup I have ever tasted. Wow this was out of this world good. When I tasted it I was in a state of shock and I just kept repeating wow there are no words. Because really there are no words to describe how amazing and delicious this soup it. The flavor was perfect spot on. It tasted just like broccoli cheese soup. Incredible. Such a perfect recipe Brandi thank you so much. This soup just made me so happy. I did the broccoli cheese soup dance. Hahahahaha My roommate had one small bowl of the soup and she was amazed as well. She said wow if I didn’t know you I would have no clue this was vegan, this taste better than the broccoli cheese soup I get at restaurants. And this girl loves broccoli cheese soup.
Wow, thank you so much Christina for such amazing feedback, it truly made my day! I’m so happy this is the best broccoli cheese soup you’ve ever had and even greater that your roommate loved it too, yay! I loved your pic on IG as well, thank you very much!
WOW! This is the first recipe I’m making from your site and I just kept wondering how the pickle juice would play out. It was amazing! You could TASTE what it was doing for the cheesy flavor! And it was from a homemade pickling session too. This soup is soo good and saved some broccoli that would have otherwise probably gone to juicing or in the trash. Thank you!
Yay! I’m so glad to hear that you loved this so much Maryana! Thank you so much for the feedback!
There are two veggies that I can eat till the cows come home: sautéed spinach and roasted broccoli. I’m in the fresh broccoli roasting group, I don’t roast with oil either, just toss in a splash of veggie broth and my seasonings in a bowl then transfer to my pan. I love the crispness it gets, just a tad of burn on the tips. LOL My boys literally take it down like candy. I add it as a topper to salads and soups like croutons! So good. Soggy broccoli is so darn nasty, I can’t stand it when cooked in soups like that. The only way I put broccoli in is if I’m pureeing it so you don’t see it or in my asian soups and then I put it in at the end so it’s barely cooked. Nice and al dente! This soup looks gorgeous. I totally have to try it, but I’d probably sub out 3/4 of the potatoes for red since we prefer only a touch of sweet potato flavor. I’ll load mine up with the broccoli too! As in “is there soup in there?” type of loading. LOL! Yummo lady!
Lol!! That’s how I am too, give me the CHUNKS! Thanks so much girl! I love nearly all green veggies, I’m a total veggie girl, can’t get enough of them and I must roast broccoli 4-5 days a week, no lie!
This soup was amazing and I’m so glad I decided to double it at the last minute. My husband and I had the leftovers for lunch today. Thanks so much for always making this household’s tummies so happy. That’s no easy task, but, you manage to do it for each and every recipe we try of yours.
Oh Lisa, that is the kindest feedback, thank you so very much for taking the time to let me know! I’m so happy you love all the recipes, that really makes my heart smile. I’m thrilled you all loved this soup too, that’s wonderful!
I made this soup today and BOOM!!! Oh my goodness it’s CRAZY DELISH!!! Seriously…..I don’t even like sweet potatoes but I made this because my hubby loves them. And sweet potatoes are so good for us, I’m always trying to find a way to cook and eat them that I can enjoy. I can guarantee that this soup will be made again and again in our kitchen!!!!! AND it’s so easy. BTW baking frozen broccoli like in this recipe has become our favorite way to eat it. YUM!!! Thank you so much Brandy!
Woohoo!! Thank you so much Victoria! I’m so happy to hear you loved this soup so much! I really appreciate the feedback!
So glad to hear the baking frozen broccoli is your favorite way too, it just can’t be beat, it turns out perfect t everytime! Thank you!
Brandi,
The soup was spectacular! It was sweet with an umami flavor from the nooch. No guilt eating it either ?. I need to just check your site for my everyday dinner ideas because I never, ever go wrong with your recipes. One Love ? Ida.
Thank you so much Ida! What wonderful feedback, it really made my day!! Such kind words!
Unfortunately, I guess I’m one of those deprived kids who never had a cheesy broccoli soup (yeas, I feel very sorry for myself). It’s not really a thing back home but yum! Yours looks amazing <3 I love sweet based vegan cheeses so this is bound to be another winning recipe of yours (aren't they all?). I'm excited to see what you have coming up too, good luck with everything, I'm sure you'll do a wonderful job <3
Oh wow, it’s such a staple around here but I guess it’s an American thing! It’s so good, and this one is a bit of a twist on a classic! Thank you so much Lucie!
Roasted broccoli AND sweet potatoes?!? I already know this is going to be amazing!! I’m obsessed with roasted broccoli – we make it at least 3-4 times a week. Such a great idea to add them to the soup as opposed to cooking the broccoli right in the pot. A long time ago, I worked at Ruby Tuesday and I swear almost every shift I’d get a bowl of broccoli cheese soup! Definitely a favorite of mine. We’re adding this recipe of yours to our menu next week!!! Can’t wait!! ❤️
Thank you so much Mandy!! It’s already been such a hit with readers so far, so I’m excited! I hope you all love it, just keep in mind that it does taste like sweet potatoes, since it’s sweet potato based, so feel free to adjust 🙂
This looks so yum!
Thanks Brandi, will definitely be making this soup!
Yay! Awesome, thank you Julie!
This looks amazing! I love broccoli cheese soup. I always steam fresh broccoli for a few minutes – comes up crisp tender every time and the most vibrant green color. I have never thought to roast frozen broccoli…will have to try that some time. And I love the pickle juice in here! Delish!
Thank you Jenn! Yes, I’ve steamed it before too! That’s good too, I just always prefer the taste and texture of roasted veggies. I’m obsessed with them, haha!
We made this tonight and it was to die for! We also added jalapeños for a bit of a kick. I think one jalapeño gives the perfect amount of heat. Thanks for making my day with this recipe!
So very happy to hear that Leiah!! Thank you for making it and jalapeños sound amazing too! Love spicy!
Yet another delicious soup! I loved the richness. I don’t know if I had a particularly sweet sweet potato or what (I measured and weighed it), but the sweetness was almost distracting…do you think I could sub in some regular potato next time, maybe half sweet/half reg or 75/25?
Also, this is the umpteenth recipe of yours I’ve made that my two-year-old looooves 🙂
Yay Brittan! So glad you loved it! Thank you! Yes, this has a sweeter flavor to it, that’s why I added that note on the recipe so people wouldn’t expect it to be exactly like traditional 🙂 But absolutely, you could totally do half and half next time if you want it less sweet potato-ish. I will add that to the note as well. Thank you so much Brittan! I’m so happy to hear that!
Broccoli cheddar soup from Panera Bread…. that was my mom and mine’s thing before celiac and (me being dairy free too) hahaha! Classic hearty comfort in a bowl!
Brandi, this soup is amazing! The pickle juice…genius! Thank you so much 🙂
Yay! I’m so happy you made it already, you rock! So glad you loved it, loved your pic on Facebook! Thank you!
This looks and sounds yummy! I am thinking of carrying it to school for lunch. (We are seniors going back to school in our old age) Can you use fresh broccoli instead of frozen? I always like the texture (and size) of the fresh over frozen. Would the baking time be the same?
Thanks for sharing your beautiful recipes.
I used fresh 🙂 Just roasted them for like 14 minutes
Awesome, good to know, thank you!
Hi Audrey! Yes, fresh is fine! Just keep an eye on them so the tips don’t burn. I like to use frozen because since I don’t use oil, it keeps them really moist and tender, but fresh will totally work 🙂
WOW this is PERFECT considering the Northeast is getting hit with MORE snow tonight/tomorrow. I will definitely be trying this. Any idea if another type of flour/starch would work with this soup. I feel like I have every type besides brown rice. Let me know your thought so I can get cooking! Thanks for such wonderful SEASONAL recipes!
Hi Megan! Yes, regular all purpose flour should work just fine, just use the same amount. Let me know how it turns out!
Why have i never thought of this!?! The sweet potatoes instead of regular is such a simple swap, but its a whole new world of soup flavor! I’m very intrigued by what the sweet potato and nooch will taste like together, I gotta try this before March comes and it’s hot again haha! And I always love the broccoli on top like you do it, much prettier presentation too 🙂
Thank you so much Natalie! I wanted something a bit different, as there are a ton of broccoli cheese soups already out there, lol! I really love the flavor and subtle sweetness. I actually have another sweet potato plus nutritional yeast soup on my blog here, so I knew it would be good together!
https://thevegan8.com/2014/02/05/potota-soup/
Woah.
This sounds great! I’ll probably add a bit of a pureed chipotle pepper – I love sweet, heat, creamy and crunchy! Thank you for opening my eyes to the fact that you can roast frozen broccoli – mind BLOWN!
You are so welcome Angie! It’s the only way I ever roast it, it keeps it moist (without having to use oil!) and gets them nice and tender. Just perfect. And wow, chipotle pepper sounds soooo good, great idea! I will totally try that sometime. I agree too, sweet and spicy is probably one of my favorite combos. Can’t wait to hear what you think of this!
Brandi, I need and want a big bowl of this. Sweet Potatoes are just fantastic not only those are so colorful, they taste amazing! It’s pretty cold and rainy here, so your recipe is just perfect. Your Pictures are just beautiful! It looks so creamy and inviting! I could eat soups every day on those cold days like this. I have some soup recipes on my blog, too like my, Vegan Sweet Potato Soup with Kale, Butternut Squash Soup, or my Easy Vegan Carrot Soup and so on. So we are on the same page. What I really love that you add dill pickle juice I bet this boost the cheesy flavor. Fantastic recipe as always, love to see all your recipes!
This sweet potato cheese soup with broccoli was beautiful to the eye and absolutely delicious!
I added 1 1/2 chipotle peppers. I will definitely make this again. This is a restaurant quality soup with complex flavors?
I look forward to trying other recipes from this site.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, thank you for the lovely review!