A Creamy Broccoli Soup is a thick and hearty, nourishing vegan soup made with only 10 ingredients! Plus, it’s gluten-free, low-fat with an option to be oil-free if need be, and ready in about 30 minutes!

Winter months call for delicious, heartwarming soups. Last night I was craving Broccoli Soup, a long-time favorite. I had a ton of broccoli from my farmer’s market visit on Saturday; I thought this would be a perfect time to update this vegan creamy broccoli to the recipe collection.

Typically this is a heavy, cream-based soup that typically requires heavy whipping cream as a base, which lends the creamy texture to the soup and its warm, hearty, and balancing flavor, which contains as much as an astonishing 800 calories per 8 ounces cup.

Of course, because I follow a plant-based diet, am gluten-, egg-, and soy-free, I was up for the challenge of creating my own adaptation. I’m all about the whole California cuisine movement, a style of cuisine marked by an interest in fusion cuisine, integrating disparate cooking styles and ingredients, and in the use of freshly prepared local ingredients.

Typically, low-calorie “healthy” versions of this soup require substituting the regular calories for low-calorie alternatives. Trading the butter, flour, and milk for alternative thickeners by using several teaspoons of cornstarch added to fat-free evaporated milk to achieve a similar consistency, somewhat altering the flavor and can often be improved by adding a chicken bouillon cube to the simmering broth. Not my adaptation.

My take on Vegan Creamy Broccoli Soup was achieved in 10 simple ingredients and one that I’m sure you’ll love!

Vegan Creamy Broccoli Soup

makes 4 servings

What You’ll Need

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 cup split yellow mung lentils
3 large heads broccoli cut into florets, stalks chopped
6 – 7 cups mushroom broth
1 can coconut milk, optional
mineral salt, to taste

Garnish: Green onion tops, broccoli

What You’ll Need To Know

In a large dutch oven or stockpot, heat oil/water over medium heat, add onion, and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper flakes, cook another minute or until fragrant.

Add lentils, broccoli, broth/water, and coconut milk. Bring to a boil, cover the pot with a lid, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for about 20 minutes. Once the lentils are tender, season to taste with salt and pepper.

Using an immersion blender puree or high-speed blender, blend until desired consistency.

Serve in a bowl and garnish with green onions and broccoli.

Leftovers can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. For longer storage, I like using a stasher bag to freeze. It’ll keep fresh for 2-3 months.

This recipe was originally published in January 2014 and revised February 2021