Dairy-Free Broccoli Cheddar Soup
A cozy, creamy dairy-free broccoli cheddar soup with tender broccoli, sweet onion, carrot, and a velvety cheddar-style base. It captures the comfort of classic broccoli cheddar soup without any milk, cream, or cheese.
Ingredients
Soup Base
- 1 tbspOlive oil
- 2 tbspDairy-free butter
- 1 mediumYellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)
- 1 mediumCarrot, peeled and finely diced (about 1/3 cup)
- 3 clovesGarlic cloves, minced
- 3 tbspAll-purpose flour
Liquid
- 2½ cupsVegetable broth
- 2½ cupsUnsweetened oat milk
Vegetables
- 5 cupsBroccoli florets, chopped small
- 1 mediumYukon Gold potato, peeled and diced small
Flavor
- 2 tbspNutritional yeast
- 1 tbspWhite miso paste
- 1 tspDijon mustard
- 1 tspSmoked paprika
- ¼ tspTurmeric
- 1¼ tspFine salt
- ½ tspFreshly ground black pepper
Finish
- 1 tbspFresh lemon juice
- ½ tspApple cider vinegar
- ¾ cupDairy-free cheddar shreds
Instructions
- 1
Heat the olive oil and dairy-free butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and carrot and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
- 2
Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Sprinkle in the flour and stir constantly for 1 to 2 minutes to cook off the raw flour taste. The mixture should look thick and pasty but not browned.
- 3
Slowly whisk in the vegetable broth, then the oat milk, breaking up any lumps as you go. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- 4
Add the diced potato, nutritional yeast, white miso, Dijon, smoked paprika, turmeric, salt, and black pepper. Stir well and simmer uncovered for 6 to 8 minutes until the potato is starting to turn tender.
- 5
Add the chopped broccoli and continue simmering for 5 to 7 minutes more, just until the broccoli is bright green and fork-tender. Avoid overcooking — the broccoli should still have a fresh color, not army green.
- 6
Use an immersion blender to blend the soup briefly, just enough to thicken part of the broth while still leaving plenty of broccoli pieces and texture. If you do not have an immersion blender, transfer 2 cups of the soup to a blender, blend until smooth, and stir it back into the pot.
- 7
Stir in the lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, and the dairy-free cheddar shreds. Cook over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring gently, until the shreds are melted and the soup is hot. Do not boil aggressively at this stage or the soup can become gluey.
- 8
Taste and adjust with more salt, black pepper, or lemon juice if needed. Serve hot.
Dairy Substitutions Used
Classic broccoli cheddar soup usually depends on butter, milk or cream, and cheddar cheese. This dairy-free version uses oat milk for creaminess, a light roux for traditional soup body, and a combination of nutritional yeast, white miso, Dijon, apple cider vinegar, and dairy-free cheddar shreds to recreate the sharp, savory, tangy cheddar profile without dairy.
Tips & Variations
Chop the broccoli small: Small florets cook faster and make the soup easier to eat with a spoon.
Stagger the vegetables: Potato goes in first because it needs longer to soften. Adding the broccoli later keeps it bright green and fresh-tasting instead of gray and mushy.
Blend lightly: The best broccoli cheddar soup still has texture. Blend only part of the soup so it stays creamy but not baby-food smooth.
Use miso carefully: White miso adds depth and a cheddar-like savory note, but too much can take over. Start with the listed amount before adjusting.
Sharpness matters: The combination of lemon juice and apple cider vinegar is what gives this soup that aged-cheddar bite. Don't skip either one.
Want it thicker: Simmer a few extra minutes after blending, or blend a little more of the potato and broccoli into the broth.
Serving ideas: Great with crusty bread, sourdough toast, roasted potatoes, or a simple side salad.