Broccoli Cheddar Soup I was stoked to be able to try Moocho’s new line of vegan shreds and - I say this as someone who came of age as a vegan during a time that all I can say is I do a full body heave in remembrance of the commercial vegan cheese - they are SO good! Like out of the package good. That is revolutionary. A sister brand to Tofurky, Moocho’s shreds not only have great flavor, they melt up perfectly. I could think of no better use of their cheddar for this Broccoli Cheddar Soup. It’s springtime here, but that means we still have plenty of days that are chilly enough to warrant a warming soup. This is a crowd-pleaser: great with crusty bread or crackers, it’s rich, flavorful and a little indulgent. I tend to prefer my soups on the thick side: If you like, well, a more soupy soup, add more broth or water. You will definitely want to heat up any leftovers with more liquid as it will thicken in the refrigerator due to the cashews. Take note, vegan cooks: This is a great gateway vegan meal for omnis.
½ cup cup unsalted cashews, soaked for one hour in water to cover 2 tablespoons olive oil or vegan butter (we usedMiyoko’s) 1 yellow onion, diced 1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce 1 tablespoon garlic, minced 4 tablespoons all-purpose or gluten-free flour blend (we used Bob’s Red Mill) 12 ounces broccoli, cut into florets 1 carrot, peeled and minced 3 cups low-sodium vegetable stock 2 cups plain, unsweetened, vegan milk like almond 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast 1½ - 2 cups vegan cheddar shreds (we usedMoocho shreds) 1 tablespoon dill 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice Salt and pepper to taste
Soak the cashews in water to cover for about an hour. Drain.
Heat the olive oil or butter in a large pot. Add the onion and tamari and sauté for five minutes. Add the garlic, sauté for a minute, then add the flour and stir together for a minute. Add the broccoli and carrots, then the vegetable stock. Blend the cashews with the milk and nutritional yeast, blending until smooth. Pour into the pot. Cook, covered, until the broccoli is tender, about 12 minutes. Placing back into the blender or using the immersion blender, blend the soup until it’s the texture you like. Add the cheese and other seasonings; cook until the cheese is melted, about five minutes. Turn off the heat, add the lemon juice, and adjust seasonings as you like.