We thicken this Creamy Broccoli Quinoa Soup with cashews and swirl it with an easy cashew cream sauce. It’s rich and filling thanks to the quinoa and cashews and bright from a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. You’ll love this gluten-free and vegan soup on these chillier days! This post is sponsored by Bob’s Red Mill.
Back with more savory goodness! In all honesty…soups are one of my favorite savory things to make, hence why there are more soup and chili recipes on my site than any other type of savory food.
This classic recipe for my Best Chili and the Paleo Chili version are two of my most popular recipes…and the White Bean Vegan Chili and Red Lentil Soup aren’t too far behind. They’re all hearty + delicious favorites. You’d think by the number of soup recipes I have I actually lived somewhere cold 😂 but nah, this San Diego girl is just a big fan of warm, hearty soup bowls (even on hot days).
This Creamy Broccoli Quinoa Soup with Cashew Cream checks all my soup boxes: thick, rich, filling, and super flavorful, with a little brightness from some sort of acid. I used lemon juice here. It doesn’t take more than about 40 minutes to make either, which is another win.
The cashew cream is also super simple to make and is the perfect creamy garnish…especially when paired with those super simple sourdough croutons. Mmmm…so yum. I’m glad I still have leftovers.
Who wants of bowl of this Creamy Broccoli Quinoa Soup?!
The soup is pretty quick and easy to make. If you’ve made soup before, the steps probably seem pretty familiar. It’s well timed too. In the five minutes where the broccoli is simmering, you can put the croutons in the oven. While it thickens at the end, you can whip up the cashew cream.
It gets its creaminess from soaked cashews. They aren’t just in the cashew cream but also blended into the soup mixture. This makes it taste like it’s got cream in it, which it, of course, DOES NOT.
It’s also souper hearty from the added quinoa. I use Bob’s Red Mill Quinoa, which is one of my favorites for how quick and easy it is to make AND because it’s pre-rinsed, so you don’t have to bother. I also used Bob’s Red Mill nutritional yeast for a little “cheesy” flavor – it adds a nice depth of flavor to the soup. (BTW – have you had nutritional yeast on popcorn? It’s the best)
This Creamy Broccoli Quinoa Soup is perfect as we delve into the cooler months. Especially for those of you who live in places that actually get cold (as opposed to the “cold” 60 degree days we get in San Diego). A fitting recipe for the last day of summer as we head into autumn, yeah? Hope you love this one, friends! xoxox
Creamy Broccoli Quinoa Soup
Ingredients
For the soup
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 5 cups vegetable broth
- 6 cups (about 12 oz.) broccoli florets (2-3 heads)
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ cup raw cashews soaked in water for at least 4 hours
- ¼ cup Bob’s Red Mill nutritional yeast
- 2 teaspoons tapioca flour
- 1 cup cooked Bob’s Red Mill quinoa I cooked according to package directions
- 1 lemon juiced
For the cashew cream
- ¾ cup raw cashews soaked in water for at least 4 hours
- ¾ cup filtered water
- 1 lemon juiced
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
For the sourdough croutons
- 2 slices gluten-free sourdough bread
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil
- Salt + garlic powder to taste
Instructions
For the soup
- In a large saucepan or soup pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook for 5-7 minutes, or until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for one more minute, or until fragrant.
- Add the vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Add in the broccoli, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and turmeric and cook for 5-7 minutes or until the broccoli is tender.
- Remove a heaping cup of the cooked broccoli from the liquid with a slotted spoon and place in a separate bowl for now.
- Put 1/2 cup soaked cashews, nutritional yeast, and tapioca starch in a high-powered blender (I used my Vitamix) and add the soup from the saucepan. Blend until smooth. You may need to blend in two batches if your blender is on the smaller side. Alternatively, you can use an immersion blender.
- Add in the broccoli you had removed and the cooked quinoa. Pulse slightly just to break up the broccoli slightly (don’t blend it in completely if you want some texture, like I prefer) and incorporate the quinoa.
- Return to the saucepan and bring to a simmer to let the tapioca flour thicken the soup slightly. You can simmer for up 5-10 minutes longer, uncovered, if you’d like it thicker.
- Remove from heat, stir in the juice of one lemon, and serve with cashew cream, sourdough croutons, and microgreens!
For the cashew cream
- Blend the soaked cashews with the filtered water, lemon juice, and kosher salt until completely smooth. Add salt to taste.
For the croutons
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking liner.
- Cut the bread into 1/2-inch cubes. Place in a bowl and toss with the oil, salt, and garlic powder.
- Place on the prepared baking sheet and cook for 10-15 minutes, or until toasted to your desired crunchiness.
Recipe Notes
You can soak the cashews all together, no need to soak them separately. You can also pour boiling water over them and soak for just an hour or so, if you’re short on time.
*Nutritional info does not include cashew cream or croutons
David says
October 15, 2018 at 2:57 amWondering if there is nutritional information for the broccoli quinoa soup?
Rachel says
October 16, 2018 at 12:11 pmHi David, I added it last night so you can see the nutritional info now :)
Mallory says
January 20, 2019 at 10:07 amWondering if it’s necessary to cook the quinoa first or if you can cook it right there in the soup.
Rachel says
January 21, 2019 at 9:25 amYou could probably cook it in the soup, but it will absorb some of the liquid so you’d likely want to add some extra broth or water.