There are some things that certain restaurants just do best. For Olive Garden it’s breadsticks, for the Cheesecake Factory it’s cheesecake, and for Panera, it’s broccoli cheddar soup. This dairy-free broccoli cheddar soup recipe is so creamy and delicious, it rivals Panera. It’s that good! You’ll have a hard time believing it’s dairy-free.
Now that we’ve passed the holiday season, it’s officially the part of the winter that’s long and cold. Up here in Maine, the winter can drag on well into April and sometimes even May. Making warm and comforting bowls of soup is one of my favorite ways to cope with the cold weather. Broccoli Cheddar is one of my all-time favorites and before I was dairy-free, it was a staple for me in the wintertime.
Now that I’ve discovered just how delicious dairy-free cream cheese is, I’ve been using it to recreate all of my favorite cheese-filled recipes. Going dairy-free or gluten-free can seem almost impossible at first. So many of the foods we love and eat regularly contain them, it can feel like you’re mourning the loss of your favorite foods. I’ve found there to be so many amazing replacements for just about everything you could think of. This dairy-free broccoli cheese soup recipe tastes just as creamy as the Panera version!
Plus, not only is this recipe dairy-free but it’s also loaded with veggies, making it a great way to incorporate some extra vegetables into your diet. This soup will please even the pickiest of eaters! Pair this homemade broccoli cheddar soup with some gluten-free crackers for the perfect healthy lunch.
Ingredients Needed
To make this creamy and delicious dairy-free homemade broccoli cheddar soup recipe you’ll need the following ingredients:
- Olive oil: We’ll use 2 tbsp of olive oil to cook the vegetables in this recipe on the stove.
- Yellow onion: You’ll need one small yellow onion chopped to add to this recipe. I recently learned a new trick to avoid crying when cutting onions. The root is the cause for the tears, so after cutting the root off the onion dispose of it immediately. It worked for me the last time I tried it!
- Yukon gold potato: We’ll need one 1 small chopped Yukon Gold Potato for this recipe to help thicken the soup’s consistency.
- Celery: You’ll need two stalks of celery chopped for this dairy-free broccoli cheese soup. This adds to the soup’s flavor and is a great added vegetable to sneak in.
- Minced garlic: You’ll need about 4 cloves of garlic for this recipe. Again, garlic gives it a nice flavor, and in my opinion, you can never have too much garlic!
- Carrots: About 2 medium-sized carrots peeled and chopped.
- Chicken bone broth: Bone broth is rich in collagen, which is instrumental in promoting gut health. I always try and use bone broth in soup recipes instead of regular broth, for the added health benefits. For this recipe, you’ll need 32 ounces.
- Dairy-free cream cheese: The dairy-free cream cheese is what makes this broccoli cheddar soup cheesy. You’ll need one 8 oz package for this recipe. I linked Miyoko’s brand dairy-free cream cheese, which is my favorite brand to use.
- Salt & Pepper: You’ll need 1 tsp of salt and 1/4 tsp of pepper for seasoning.
- Broccoli Florets: Finally, you’ll need 12 oz of chopped broccoli florets for the broccoli in Broccoli Cheddar Soup.
Equipment Required
To make this recipe yourself, you’ll need the following kitchen tools:
- A cutting board
- A knife
- A large pot or dutch oven
- Blender: I’ve linked the one that I use, I love the Ninja blender! It’s very powerful and works well for blending soup recipes like this one, or smoothies.
This recipe is very straightforward and doesn’t require many kitchen tools to make. If you don’t have a blender you could also use an immersion blender to blend the soup right in the pot.
How to Make this Recipe
Follow the instructions below to make this very easy and delicious Dairy-Free Broccoli Cheddar soup.
Heat the oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until they are fragrant and softened.
Add the potato, celery, and carrots and continue to cook for 5 minutes more.
Pour in the bone broth and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 6 to 8 minutes, until the vegetables are fork-tender.
Carefully transfer the vegetables and liquid to a blender. Add the cream cheese, salt, and pepper and blend on high until very smooth and creamy.
Add the broccoli and pulse 3 to 4 times, until the broccoli is blended into bite-sized pieces.
Return the soup to the pan and bring it to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer for 3 to 5 minutes, until the broccoli is bright green and tender.
Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve hot and enjoy!
Dairy-Free Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion chopped
- 1 Yukon Gold potato peeled and chopped
- 2 stalks celery chopped
- 4 cloves minced garlic
- 2 medium carrots peeled and chopped
- 32 oz chicken bone broth
- 8 oz dairy-free cream cheese
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 12 oz broccoli florets chopped
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until they are fragrant and softened.
- Add the potato, celery, and carrots and continue to cook for 5 minutes more.
- Pour in the bone broth and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 6 to 8 minutes, until the vegetables are fork-tender.
- Carefully transfer the vegetables and liquid to a blender. Add the cream cheese, salt, and pepper and blend on high until very smooth and creamy.
- Add the broccoli and pulse 3 to 4 times, until the broccoli is blended into bite-sized pieces.
- Return the soup to the pan and bring it to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer for 3 to 5 minutes, until the broccoli is bright green and tender.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve hot and enjoy!
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Rich Clement says
Absolutely delicious, cannot wait for the next batch!
madeofeverythingnice says
Thank you! It will definitely be on repeat this winter!
SC2012 says
Yes, delicious! So creamy!
madeofeverythingnice says
Thank you, agreed!! 🙂