The Healthiest and Creamiest Broccoli Cheddar Soup (WFPB, Dairy-Free)

Even if you don’t track calories, it’s important to understand caloric density — how many calories are packed into a small amount of food. Broccoli cheddar soup sounds healthy because it includes vegetables, but traditional versions are extremely calorie-dense due to heavy cream, butter, and cheese. Those ingredients add a lot of saturated fat very quickly, making it easy to consume far more calories than intended without feeling especially full. This lighter version is 50%-75% less calories than the traditional version, but it keeps the same cozy, comforting flavor but uses vegetables and cashews to create creaminess instead.

Ingredients

Blended Base

• 2 medium russet potatoes, peeled
• 3 cups cauliflower florets (12 oz frozen bag)
• ½ cup raw cashews
• 3 cups hot water
• 4 teaspoons minced garlic
• 4 teaspoons distilled vinegar
• 3–4 tablespoons roasted red pepper
• Small dash of nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons salt
• Black pepper, to taste

Vegetables to Sauté

• 1 shredded carrot
• ⅔ cup onion, diced
• 4 cups broccoli florets (16 oz frozen bag)

Directions

1. Start sautéing the vegetables
   In a large pot or Dutch oven, start by sauteing the onion, shredded carrot, and broccoli over medium heat until very soft and the onions are translucent.
2. Cook the potato and cauliflower
   While the vegetables sauté, cook the potatoes and cauliflower until very tender.
   • You can boil them on the stove or
   • Microwave them for a faster option (I always do this to save time)
3. Blender ingredients:
   • Blend Cashews + Water before adding anything else. Blend until completely smooth.*
   • Add all other blender ingredients (potatoes, cauliflower, garlic, vinegar, roasted red pepper, nutmeg, Dijon mustard, salt & pepper)
     • *Tip: If you don’t have a high-speed blender, soak the cashews in boiling water for 10–15 minutes before blending.
4. Combine and simmer
   Pour the blended mixture into the pot with the sautéed vegetables. Stir well and bring to a gentle simmer for about 10 minutes.
5. Serve
   Serve hot. The soup will thicken slightly as it sits. It also always tastes even better the next day in my opinion.