Ingredients
Vegetables
- 1/2 yellow onion (or 1/2 leek) - chopped
- 4 cloves garlic - minced
- 2 lb golden potatoes - scrubbed, rinsed & diced
- 1 large carrot - diced
- 1 celery stick - chopped
- 1 lb broccoli florets
Other Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 7-8 cups low sodium vegetable stock
- 5-6 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 pinch sea salt (to taste)
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes
- 1/3 cup fresh chives - snipped for garnish
- 1/2 tsp turmeric (optional)
- Olive oil or water for sautéing (optional, as needed)
Instructions
- Sauté Vegetables: Preheat a heavy stockpot over medium-low heat. Add a splash of water or a drizzle of olive oil and sauté the chopped onion until translucent. Add sea salt, red pepper flakes, chopped celery, and diced carrots. Toss well, cover with a lid, and sweat the vegetables for a few minutes until the carrots begin to soften.
- Add Main Ingredients and Simmer: Stir in minced garlic, diced golden potatoes, raw cashews, and vegetable stock. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Incorporate the nutritional yeast, cover with a lid, and cook for 20 minutes or until the potatoes and cashews are tender.
- Blend Soup: Carefully transfer the soup to a powerful blender (a Vitamix yields the best results) and puree until silky smooth. If using an immersion blender, blend thoroughly for a creamy texture.
- Finish Cooking with Broccoli: Return the blended soup to the pot and bring back to a simmer. Add the broccoli florets, cover, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes until broccoli reaches a tender yet al dente texture. Avoid overcooking to preserve color and nutritional value. Alternatively, steam broccoli separately while the soup cooks and add it later.
- Adjust and Serve: Taste and adjust seasoning with additional sea salt if needed. Add more vegetable stock to thin the soup to your desired consistency. Serve hot, garnished with extra red pepper flakes and fresh snipped chives.
Notes
- Soaking cashews ahead of time (at least 2 hours or overnight) can improve blending and creaminess.
- Use low sodium vegetable stock to control the salt level.
- Turmeric is optional but adds a subtle earthiness and vibrant color.
- For a thinner soup, simply add more vegetable stock after blending.
- Broccoli can be steamed separately for better texture control.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Vegan American
- Diet: Vegan
