Broccoli and cheddar soup — only it’s not really cheddar. Creamy and nourishing, this vegan soup is packed with antioxidant-filled broccoli, tons of comfort, and none of the hard-to-digest dairy. Nutritional yeast gives this vegan broccoli cheddar soup a cheesy flavor, and as a bonus, it is also full of B vitamins. The leeks also add to the antioxidant power of this meal. There’s a Spanish saying: “Between soup and love, the first is better.” Vegan broccoli cheddar soup might help the case for that.

Serves 2-4

Vegan Broccoli Cheddar Soup Ingredients:

2 tablespoons coconut oil

1 leek, green top discarded, white section sliced in ½ inch rounds

2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

1 head of broccoli, discard stem and cut into florets (should equal 4 cups)

3 cups of chicken or vegetable stock

1 bay leaf

¼ teaspoon tumeric

½ cup nutritional yeast

sea salt, to taste

optional fresh ground black pepper

Directions:

In a large soup pot, melt the coconut oil over medium-high heat. Make sure everything is chopped.

Once hot, saute the leeks until they begin to soften, roughly 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Add the broccoli and stir to mix everything together. Cook for an additional 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low, add the 3 cups of chicken stock, bay leaf and turmeric. Cover and let everything simmer for 20 minutes.

Remove from heat, uncover and stir in the additional nutritional yeast. Season additionally to your tastes with nutritional yeast, salt and pepper if desired. Serve warm.

Recipe: Frank Giglio
Photography: Jenny Nelson