This Dairy-Free Broccoli Cheese Soup is so creamy and flavorful. It tastes like real cheddar cheese with a delicious garlic flavor. It's the perfect comforting soup for the cold weather seasons.
This homemade broccoli cheese soup is one of my absolute favorite soup recipes. If you're interested in other easy, dairy-free soups that are full of flavor, try my Dairy-Free Potato Soup or my Vegan White Bean Stew.
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📝Ingredient Notes
Dairy-free butter- Use your favorite tasting non-dairy butter! I use sticks of country crock plant butter. It has a great real butter flavor.
Corn starch will act as a thickener in place of the heavy cream.
Vegan cheddar shreds- Use one that you really like the taste of and melts well. I think Daiya cheddar shreds has the best taste and it melts nicely!
Fresh lemon juice helps mimic that nice cheese tang that real cheeses have!
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🥦Substitutions/ Variations
Almond milk- Use your favorite tasting unsweetened/unflavored plant-based milk. It will make a difference in your recipes, which is why I use either homemade cashew milk or homemade almond milk.
Frozen broccoli- You can definitely make this soup with fresh broccoli. Make sure to trim up the stems and cut them into bite sized chunks.
Chicken broth or vegetable broth will work nicely.
Flour- Make it a gluten-free dairy-free broccoli cheese soup by swapping the flour for a gluten-free all purpose flour.
Corn starch or tapioca starch can be used.
Potatoes- Make this dairy-free broccoli cheese soup with potatoes by chopping them into small bite sized pieces. Let it cook with the broccoli until tender.
Products/ Equipment
🔪Instructions
Start by finely chopping the onion, then add 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium-high heat in a pan. Add the onions and let it cook down until soft. You can sprinkle salt over the onions to help it cook faster. This should take about 7 to 8 minutes.
Grate the garlic cloves in during the last minute of the onions cooking.
Add the rest of the butter in and let it melt. Then sprinkle in the flour and whisk everything together.
Mix in the corn starch to the milk.
Slowly pour in the milk and whisk the entire time so that no lumps form.
Pour in the broth and continue to whisk.
Turn up the heat so that the mixture comes to a gentle boil to thicken. Whisk to keep the contents from burning/sticking to the bottom.
Once the mixture coats the back of the spoon, it has thickened enough and you can reduce the heat to low-medium.
Pour in the cheddar shreds and keep whisking until it's smooth and totally melted.
Add in all of the spices/seasonings and lemon juice, then mix together well.
Add in the broccoli. If using fresh broccoli, I would chop it up into bite sized pieces first.
Put a lid over the pot and let it cook for about 25 minutes.
If using frozen broccoli you can transfer the larger broccoli pieces to the blender and gently process it until all of the pieces are small enough to your liking. Be careful not to over process and puree the soup unless that's the consistency you desire. You can also just take a metal spoon and break up with broccoli chunks with it. Be careful as this can scratch the bottom of the pot, especially if using a nonstick coated pot.
Serve warm and enjoy!
✅Pro Tips
- Need a side to go with? Serve this soup with my easy Healthier Garlic Bread recipe. It's made with an olive oil mixture with roasted and mashed garlic cloves, and then spread over Italian or French bread. If you're gluten free, spread the mixture over a sliced gluten free loaf and it will be just as delicious!
🧊Storing
This broccoli cheese soup will last in the fridge in an airtight container for about 3 to 4 days.
❓Frequently Asked Questions
I would not recommend making this in the instant pot because it will not turn out as thick and creamy.
I have not yet tried this recipe in the slow cooker because it's not going to come out as thick and creamy as it will on the stovetop method.
Yes. This soup can be frozen. Place it in a freezer safe, airtight glass container and freeze for up to two months. To reheat, let it defrost some in the microwave
As long as you use vegetable broth and not chicken broth, it is a vegan recipe. For a gluten free soup, make sure to use a gluten free all purpose flour.
If you need a nut free option, make sure to use an unsweetened plain nut-free milk that you like the taste of. You could use oat milk, rice milk, soy milk or coconut milk. Coconut is not a true nut, but some people with nut allergies cannot tolerate coconut, so make sure it's safe for you before trying it. Whatever milk you use will affect the taste of the soup, so make sure it's one you've cooked with and like the taste of.
👋Before you go! If you enjoyed this recipe for Dairy-Free Broccoli Cheese Soup, share your thoughts with me down below by leaving a review. I love to hear from you. Also, if you aren't following me on social media, search @thedairyfreemenu for more food inspiration!
📖 Recipe
Dairy-Free Broccoli Cheese Soup
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons dairy free stick butter divided
- 1 small yellow onion finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves grated
- ¼ cup flour see notes
- 2 cups unsweetened plain almond milk see notes
- 2 teaspoons corn starch
- 2 cans reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 16 oz fresh or frozen broccoli
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- 2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt or to taste, see notes
- ¾ teaspoon white pepper
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground mustard powder
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice or to taste
- 7 ounce bag of cheese shreds I use Daiya brand
Instructions
- Start by finely chopping the onion, then add 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium-high heat in a pan. Add the onions and let it cook down until soft. You can sprinkle salt over the onions to help it cook faster. This should take about 7 to 8 minutes.
- Grate the garlic cloves in during the last minute of the onions cooking.
- Add the rest of the butter in and let it melt. Then sprinkle in the flour and whisk everything together.
- Mix in the corn starch to the milk.
- Slowly pour in the milk and whisk the entire time so that no lumps form.
- Pour in the broth and continue to whisk.
- Turn up the heat so that the mixture comes to a gentle boil to thicken. Whisk to keep the contents from burning/sticking to the bottom.
- Once the mixture coats the back of the spoon, it has thickened enough and you can reduce the heat to low-medium.
- Pour in the cheddar shreds and keep whisking until it's smooth and totally melted.
- Add in all of the spices/seasonings and lemon juice, then mix together well.
- Add in the broccoli. If using fresh broccoli, I would chop it up into bite sized pieces first.
- Put a lid over the pot and let it cook for about 25 minutes.
- If using frozen broccoli you can transfer the larger broccoli pieces to the blender and gently process it until all of the pieces are small enough to your liking. Be careful not to over process and puree the soup unless that's the consistency you desire. You can also take a metal spoon and roughly break up the chunks of broccoli into smaller pieces. Be careful as this can scratch the bottom of the pot, especially if using a nonstick coated pot.
- Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
- You can substitute all purpose flour for a gluten-free all purpose flour. I like to use Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free 1:1 Baking Flour.
- You can substitute unsweetened plain almond milk for any plain plant-based milk that you enjoy the taste of in your cooking.
- Coarse kosher salt does not measure the same as salts that are finely ground. If you aren't using a coarse salt, add salt to taste so your soup does not turn out too salty! If you are using coarse kosher salt, you can still add it to taste by starting with 1 or 1 ½ teaspoons of salt, as the sodium content does get high in this recipe.
Nutrition
Note: The nutrition label is just an estimate. Amounts may vary.
Meredith says
I am 100% an honest reviewer because I am the type of person that values reviews! This is the BEST, and I mean THE BEST, broccoli and cheddar soup I’ve ever eaten. It was very creamy and had a great garlic and cheese flavor. You would have no idea this soup is dairy free. I can’t wait to try more recipes!
Kayla says
Thank you so much, Meredith! I'm so thrilled you loved it!
Summer Bourbon says
This broccoli cheddar soup was delicious! Will definitely be making again!
Kayla says
Yay! I'm so glad you liked it, Summer!