Smoky Vegan Broccoli Soup
Not your average broccoli soup! This Smoky Vegan Broccoli Soup is easy to make, healthy and nutritious, and comes with savory tempeh "croutons." Ready in just 30 minutes!
Prep Time8 minutes mins
Cook Time22 minutes mins
Total Time30 minutes mins
Course: Main Dish, Soups, Stews, and Chilis
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan
Servings: 4
Calories: 227kcal
Broccoli Soup
- 3 ¼ cup vegetable broth divided (or 1 tbsp oil)
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 3 celery stalks diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- pinch ground black pepper or to taste
- 4-5 cups broccoli florets
- 1 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk lite coconut milk, almond, or cashew all work well
Crispy Tempeh "Croutons"
- 1-2 tablespoon(s) oil
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon chipotle powder
- 1 package (8 oz) organic tempeh chopped into bite size pieces (gluten-free if desired)
For the Broccoli Soup
In a soup pot over medium-high heat, sauté the onion and celery in ¼ cup vegetable broth (or 1 tablespoon oil) for 5 minutes until starting to soften.
Add the minced garlic, smoked paprika, chili powder, salt and pepper and sauté 1 to 2 minutes.
Add the chopped broccoli and remaining 3 cups of vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 15 minutes until broccoli is tender.
Add the non-dairy milk and using an immersion blender, purée the soup until smooth. Alternately, you can carefully transfer the soup to a blender to purée. (You'll likely get a smoother texture with a blender, but I prefer an immersion blender for ease and clean up.)
For the Tempeh "Croutons"
Add the tempeh to a steamer basket and steam for 15 to 20 minutes. (This step is optional, but will help to mellow out the bitterness that tempeh can have.)
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon oil, smoked paprika, and chipotle powder. Stir to combine.
Add the cubed and steamed tempeh and pan fry for 3 to 4 minutes until golden brown. Flip the pieces over and fry another 3 to 4 minutes. Add another tablespoon of oil when you flip them if the pan is dry.
*I originally made this recipe using chipotle infused avocado oil which adds yet another level of smoky flavor. Ahuacatlan makes a great one! If you don't have that, regular avocado oil, coconut oil or olive oil will work.
**The smaller the you cut the tempeh, the crispier it will get when pan fried.
Calories: 227kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 16mg | Potassium: 12mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 650IU | Vitamin C: 44.6mg | Calcium: 110mg | Iron: 2.2mg