Dairy-Free Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Dairy-free broccoli cheddar soup made with oat milk, a simple roux, and dairy-free cheddar shreds for that sharp, savory cheddar flavor without any milk, cream, or cheese.
Recipe by Andrew Tibbs, the Non Dairy Dude in Dairy-Free Dinner Recipes
Published
I missed broccoli cheddar soup more than almost anything when I cut dairy. The Panera version, the kind your mom made on a Tuesday in February, all of it. So I rebuilt it from the ground up: a light roux for body, oat milk standing in for cream, and a mix of nutritional yeast, white miso, and Dijon to get that sharp cheddar tang back into the picture. Dairy-free cheddar shreds finish the job and actually melt into the broth instead of clumping at the bottom of the pot.
The potato in here isn't an accident either. A little Yukon Gold breaks down as it simmers and thickens the soup further, so you're not leaning on the roux alone to get that spoon-coating texture. If you want even more body without adding another step, this all-purpose cashew cream stirred in at the end will push it further toward steakhouse-soup territory.
Serve it in a bread bowl if you're feeling it, or just a regular bowl with crusty bread on the side. It also sits well next to dairy-free creamy potato soup if you're doing a soup night and want two options on the table. Leftovers reheat fine on the stove, just don't let it boil hard or the cheddar shreds get weird.
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.
How we make it dairy-free
- Butter → Dairy-free butter for the roux base. Use a stick-style one, the tub spreads can be too watery and throw off the roux.
- Milk or cream → Unsweetened oat milk for the body of the soup. It's thick enough to read as creamy without tasting like oats.
- Cheddar cheese → Dairy-free cheddar shreds plus nutritional yeast, white miso, and Dijon. The cheese gives you melt and stretch, the rest gives you the sharp tang cheddar usually brings.
A splash of apple cider vinegar and lemon juice at the end does a lot of the heavy lifting on that tangy cheddar flavor, so don't skip it.
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.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use a different dairy-free milk instead of oat milk?⌄
Unsweetened soy milk works and actually gives you a bit more protein and body. I'd skip almond or rice milk here, they're too thin and the soup ends up watery instead of creamy.
Can I make this ahead of time and how do I store leftovers?⌄
Yes, it holds up well in the fridge for a day or two and the flavor actually settles in nicely overnight. Keep it in an airtight container for up to 4 days, then reheat on the stove over low heat, stirring often, so the dairy-free cheddar shreds melt back in smoothly instead of seizing up. Add a splash of broth or oat milk if it's thickened up too much.
Is this recipe nut-free?⌄
As written, yes, there's no nut-based milk or cream in the base recipe. Just double check the label on your dairy-free butter and cheddar shreds, since some brands use cashew or almond as a base.
What should I serve with broccoli cheddar soup?⌄
Crusty bread or a grilled cheese made with dairy-free cheddar are the obvious moves. A simple green salad on the side cuts through the richness if you want something lighter alongside it.
Dairy-Free Broccoli Cheddar Soup · https://nondairydude.com/recipes/dairy-free-broccoli-cheddar-soup
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