Another weekend, another one-pot soup. It’s only November and I feel defeated by the Canadian winter. So I’m drowning my frozen tears in a giant bowl of this chunky, cheesy soup while cuddling with Netflix (hello Schitt’s Creek!).
Thanks to a hearty helping of sweet potato, you wouldn’t guess the soup itself is loaded with broccoli. (Here, I topped my bowl with extra broccoli florets, some toasted walnuts and sesame seeds.)
To avoid food waste, I chopped up the broccoli stalks into small pieces and threw them all in the pot to be blended. I also tossed in some mushrooms (the best plant source of vitamin D) and vegan mozzarella that I already had at home.
Extra cheesiness comes from nutritional yeast flakes, while cayenne pepper lends a subtle layer of heat. For added texture, sprinkle some toasted pumpkin seeds.
To help you combat the winter blahs, it is my goal to supply you with an arsenal of soup ideas in the coming months. So there’s no reason to feel guilty binge-watching Friends on a Saturday night while warming up our bellies.
Prep time: 15 to 20 minutes
Cook time: 45 to 50 minutes
Serves 6
1 large sweet potato, chopped into small cubes
2 large broccoli heads plus their stalks, chopped into small pieces
1 large onion or leek, sliced finely
1/2 medium carrot, chopped finely
4 large cloves of garlic, minced
4 cups of low-sodium vegetable or mushroom stock
4 teaspoons of olive oil
juice of 1/4 lemon
nutritional yeast
cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste
optional garnishes: green onion, avocado slices, vegan cheese, sesame seeds, toasted pumpkin seeds, toasted walnuts
- In a large soup pot, heat olive oil over medium heat.
- Fry the onions until they turn golden, about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic, sweet potato and carrot. Continue to fry for another 5 minutes.
- Pour in the stock and stir, and bring to a gentle boil.
- Add the broccoli.
- Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the broccoli and sweet potato become tender.
- Turn off the heat and allow the pot to cool for about 5 minutes.
- With an immersion blender, purée on a low setting to prevent splatter.
- Squeeze the lemon into the pot.
- Sprinkle nutritional yeast, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper to taste.
- Continue to purée until you reach your desired chunkiness.
- Garnish as desired.
Notes:
- An immersion blender does a quick, easy job of puréeing soups directly in a large pot. You don’t need to transfer the ingredients back and forth as you would with a countertop blender or food processor.
- I like my soup on the chunky side, so the puréeing took less than 5 minutes. If you prefer a smoother blend, you’ll need to purée a bit longer.
Adapted from Angela Liddon’s 6 Vegetable and “Cheese” Soup, Oh She Glows Every Day.
Lazy Vegans 