Easy Creamy Broccoli Soup (Gluten Free + Vegan Options) 

You’re going to love this delicious creamy broccoli soup recipe! It’s fairly quick and easy to make, full of satisfying savory flavors, and includes gluten-free and vegan options.

This isn’t like your grandma’s old-school cream of broccoli soup… I think it’s even better! (No offense, grandmas.) Our recipe is a bit lighter but packed with even more broccoli, nutrients, and comforting rustic ingredients.

Since this recipe freezes incredibly well, making creamy broccoli soup is one of my favorite ways to use and preserve homegrown broccoli from our garden too.

We harvested SO much broccoli over the last month – more than we can eat fresh! So I adapted our creamy roasted cauliflower soup (one of my favorites) to create this creamy broccoli soup recipe as a way to preserve excess homegrown broccoli too. I love grabbing a quart of garden soup from the freezer for a quick, easy, comforting meal!

Why You’ll Love This Creamy Broccoli Soup

• You don’t have to fuss with making a roux, and only need one pot. Since it’s made without flour, this recipe is easier than your average cream of broccoli soup – and also naturally gluten-free! Potatoes, mushrooms and coconut milk (or heavy cream) makes the soup plenty rich, thick and creamy without flour.
  
  
• It’s delicious, rustic and flavorful. The addition of garlic, mushrooms (hello umami!), plus a little thyme and cumin make our creamy broccoli soup more elevated and unique compared to other recipes. Plus, when topped with a generous handful of cheese at serving, it’s quite similar to cheddar broccoli soup… and who doesn’t love that?! YUM.
  
  
• It’s easy to customize. Choose between coconut milk to make it vegan or use dairy if you prefer. You can fully blend the soup to make it smooth and creamy, or blend just a portion if you prefer your soup with more texture.
  
  
• You don’t have to worry about curdling. Since our recipe doesn’t call for regular milk or half-and-half (both are prone to curdling when boiled), there’s no need to wait for it to cool down before adding the cream component. That also means it’s perfect to freeze and reheat!

Supplies Needed

• medium to large stock pot or Dutch oven
• immersion blender or regular blender
• various measuring cups

Ingredients

 

This recipe makes about 1.5 to 2 quarts (6 to 8 cups), or about 4 bowls of creamy broccoli soup.

• 5 cups broccoli florets, roughly chopped or cut into small bite-size pieces (about 2 pounds, or 2 medium-to-large broccoli crowns)
• 1 cup yellow creamer potatoes, measured once cut into small bite-size pieces (about 1/2 pound, or 2-3 small to medium potatoes)
• 1 yellow onion (medium), diced
• 2-3 celery stalks (2 large or 3 medium), chopped
• 4 ounces cremini (brown) mushrooms, chopped (1/2 a standard 8 oz package)
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 3 cups vegetable broth or chicken stock, low-sodium
• 3/4 cup coconut milk (unsweetened, canned, full-fat). You can also sub with heavy cream or crème fraîche, which are far less likely to curdle than regular milk or half-and-half when heated.
• 3 Tbsp unsalted butter, plant-based butter, or olive oil
• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves (or 1/3 tsp dried)
• 1/4 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp lemon juice, after removing from heat
• salt and pepper, to taste

Optional: sourdough bread, croutons, grated cheese, a dash of paprika, red pepper flakes, or fresh chopped chives at the time of serving.

1) Prep and Saute

• Begin by dicing the onion, mushroom, and celery.
  
  
• Next, chop the potatoes into small bite-size pieces (less than 1-inch cubes so they’ll cook faster). I don’t bother peeling our creamer potatoes; the tender skin adds much-welcome nutrients and fiber!
  
  
• Add 3 Tbsp of butter (or olive oil) to a medium saucepan or stock pot along with the diced onions, celery, mushrooms, potatoes, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper (to taste).
  
  
• Sauté over medium-high heat (covered) until the onions are translucent and the potatoes become slightly fork-tender, about 10 minutes.
  
  

2) Add Broccoli

• While the onion and potato mixture is cooking, prepare the broccoli, garlic and herbs.
  
  
• Roughly chop or cut the broccoli florets into small bite-size pieces, and mince the garlic and herbs.
  
  
• Once the potatoes begin to soften, add the broccoli, garlic, and thyme to the pot and sauté for another 5 minutes (covered) stirring occasionally. I usually add another little sprinkle of salt here too.

3) Add Broth and Simmer

• Next, add the vegetable broth and cumin to the pot.
  
  
• Bring everything to a light boil, then reduce the heat, cover with a lid, and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until the broccoli and potatoes are very soft and tender.
  
  
• Once the broccoli and potatoes are very soft and tender, turn the heat to the lowest setting.

4) Blend Smooth

• Add the called-for coconut milk, heavy cream, or crème fraîche.
  
  
• Use an immersion or stick blender to blend the soup right in the pot, or carefully transfer the soup to a standard blender (in batches if necessary). Blend until it’s smooth and creamy.
  
  
• If you prefer your creamy broccoli soup with a little extra texture, you can simply blend only a portion and leave it partially chunky.
  
  
• Add the lemon juice to the pot before serving, once it’s removed from the heat.
  
  
• Finally, give it a taste and add more salt and pepper if desired.

Serve and Enjoy

Serve warm and enjoy! Creamy broccoli soup pairs exceptionally well with a crusty, chewy piece of fresh homemade sourdough bread or fluffy sourdough focaccia. I also enjoy adding croutons, fresh chopped chives, roasted pumpkin seeds, cracked black pepper, and/or a dash of paprika on top. A handful of grated cheese is always welcome too!

See storage, freezing, and re-heating tips below.

Storage and Shelf Life

Creamy broccoli soup is good for about 5 to 7 days in the refrigerator. Once cooled, store in an air-tight container with a lid for maximum freshness. Or, freeze your leftover soup to enjoy for many months to come!

Freezing Tips

We love keeping our freezer stocked with homemade soup for future easy meals! Creamy broccoli soup is good for up to a year in the freezer, though it will be the best quality within 6 months. 

• To preserve and freeze broccoli soup, first allow the soup to fully cool. (We usually let it cool overnight in the fridge, without a lid.)
  
• Once cool, transfer it into freezer-safe containers of choice. We love these durable, reusable BPA-free quart freezer containers. They’re the perfect size for soup for two!
  
• Fill containers to the “fill line” near the top, leaving about 1/2 to 1-inch of headroom for expansion. The less air inside the container, the less chances of freezer burn. Don’t forget to date and label!
  
• Defrost frozen soup in the refrigerator overnight, or leave out on the counter for no more than 4 hours.

Re-heat leftovers on the stovetop to 165°F. We love to use thick creamy soups like this as a “base”, first sautéing some fresh seasonal garden veggies in the pan before adding the soup to re-heat. I often add a can of white beans for some extra protein too!

I hope you all love this recipe as much as we do. Please leave a review below once you give it a try! Thank you so much for tuning in today. Enjoy!

You may also like:

• Easy Vegan No-Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe (With Protein!)
• Creamy Roasted Tomato Basil Soup with Fresh Tomatoes (Vegan)
• Hearty Green Lentil Vegetable Soup Recipe (Vegan)
• Creamy Roasted Butternut Squash and Sage Soup Recipe