Cheezy Broccoli Soup with Garlicky Croutons

So far, I've been loving this Colorado winter—it's been just the right amount of snow and cold, with so many sunny and warm days in between. It's kinda like eating my cake and having it too.


We got about a foot of snow this weekend though, and it's not looking like there are any warm days on the horizon. In fact, it's supposed to snow for the next five days. So, it became time to make some hearty soup.

For the Superbowl, I tried the Vegan Nacho Cheese from the blog Vegan Yumminess, and was pleasantly surprised. Made almost entirely of potatoes and carrots, the nacho cheese texture is spot on, and the flavor is fantastic. And not only that, but the recipe is soy free, gluten free, and nut free! It's a win-win-win! It was this recipe that inspired me to try to make a cheddar broccoli soup, and the base of the soup is very similar to the nacho cheese recipe.

It came out really well. Creamy and satisfying, without the feeling of having just consumed a ton of cheese and cream. In fact, the recipe is very healthy! If there's snow coming your way, give it a try and see what you think!

Cheezy Broccoli Soup with Garlicky Croutons

Serves: 4

Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

2 tablespoons vegan butter

1 onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

3 cups potatoes, chopped

1 1/4 cups carrots, chopped

6 cups broccoli florets, divided

1 teaspoon dried rosemary

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

2 bay leaves

4 cups vegetable broth

1 cup nutritional yeast

1/3 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups sourdough, cut into half inch cubes

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 teaspoons granulated garlic

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

Heat the vegan butter in a Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the onion and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for 30 seconds more. Add the potatoes, carrots, 3 cups of the broccoli florets, rosemary, nutmeg, bay leaves, and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until carrots are fork tender, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, finely chop the remaining 3 cups of broccoli florets.

Once the carrots are tender, transfer the soup to a blender, in batches if necessary. Add the nutritional yeast, olive oil, lemon juice, and salt, and blend until smooth. Return the soup to the pot and stir in the chopped broccoli. Keep on medium-low heat until the croutons are finished to soften the chopped broccoli.

Turn the broiler on high. In a large bowl, toss the sourdough cubes, olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper until the bread is evenly coated. Spread onto a rimmed baking sheet, and place under broiler. Stir frequently, until the cubes are evenly toasted, about 7 minutes, depending on your broiler. 

Remove the soup from the heat, and distribute into bowls. Top with the croutons, and enjoy!

Cheers!