Creamy Broccoli and Leek Soup, my vegan and keto-friendly take on a classic comfort soup. I love a great challenge and this recipe is the end product. Edward never requests or even suggests what I should cook, even when I beg to know what he would like. So surprisingly this weekend he ask for cream of broccoli soup, this really threw me for a loop. This is the furthest thing I would ever expect him to request. He was ending his 3 day fast and wanted something keto-friendly. Even the name, cream of broccoli, just screams non-vegan. The cream of broccoli soup I remember growing up was full of heavy cream with a ton of cheese. I did a little Pinterest research to get some ideas and quickly discovered most plant-based versions have potatoes for extra starch and richness. He was out on potatoes or carrots so I stuck to the basics. This recipe is only leeks, broccoli, vegetable stock, and cashew cream seasoned with nutritional yeast, nutmeg, sage, coriander and a bit of lemon. I did reserve about 2/3 cup of broccoli florets and roasted them in the oven for a nice crispy bite on top, another recipe referred to them as broccoli croutons. Chives would’ve been a great addition as well but… the grocery store was fresh out.
A note to my Batesville followers, the only place I have found leeks is Walmart. You can definitely sub yellow onion for leeks but the soup will have a slightly different flavor profile.
Nutritional yeast, an inactive yeast made from sugarcane and beet molasses, is often used in vegan recipes as a cheese alternative. It has a nutty, cheesy flavor and also helps to thicken sauces and dressings. Nutritional yeast contains vital food factors such as SOD, RNA/DNA, glutathione, trace minerals, Beta-glucans, GABA, amino acids, lipoic acid, polysaccharides, B-complex vitamins, minerals including GTF chromium and over 40 proteolytic enzymes. It was even given to prisoners of war to prevent vitamin deficiencies.
source
- 1 large bunch of broccoli (about 1 1/2 pounds), finely chopped stems and florets
- 2 medium leeks, white and green parts only, thinly sliced (be sure to rinse well!)
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed with the back of knife
- 2 1/2 cups vegetable stock
- 1/2 tsp coriander
- 1/2 tsp sage
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1 cup raw cashews, soaked in hot water for 30 minutes
- 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice (optional)
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- salt and pepper to taste
- *Reserve about 1/2-2/3 cup of broccoli florets for broccoli croutons (optional)
- Preheat oven to 425 if making broccoli croutons.
- Add broccoli and leeks to a medium pan with a bit of vegetable stock. Saute until tender.
- Add garlic and saute until fragrant, approximately 2-3 minutes.
- Add remaining stock and spices. And let simmer for approximately 10-15 minutes.
- Meanwhile add reserved broccoli florets to baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes or until slightly charred.
- Remove 2/3 cup of broccoli and leeks (optional). Add remaining soup, cashews, lemon juice and nutritional yeast to blender. Blend until well combined.
- Return to pot and add back reserved broccoli and leeks. Adjust seasonings as desired.
- Serve with broccoli croutons and a pinch of nutritional yeast.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.