Oh-so veggie-loaded, creamy and thick and with a flavor that is totally on point, “Cheesy” Broccoli Soup is exactly what your body needs to heal when those annoying germs decide to move in or will warm you up, body and soul, when the winter chill gets the best of you.

“Cheesy” Broccoli Soup served in two white plates.

I’ve been watching everyone around me drop like flies. Tired, feverish, flies. Yeah, it’s flu season and, man….is it bad this year.

I’m sure most of you know exactly what I am talking about. I think most of the country has been hacking, sneezing and miserably camping out in their beds for days at a time while the wretched flu makes them missing feeling healthy enough to face the simple things in life like rush hour traffic and doing the dishes (okay, I may be going a bit far there).

“Cheesy” Broccoli Soup served ina bowl with a bunch of greens next to it.

Why fantasizing about soup?

I, myself, dropped like a fly not too long ago. Maybe not as hard and as bad as some of the people around me *knocks on wood*. But I definitely wanted to be BFFs with my pillow and a box of tissues for about a week. During that time, I fantasized about soup the way I used to dream about Hanson showing up at my door as a kid. 

I would eat all the soup I could find all while thinking about the next bowl of soup that I wanted to eat. It was quite silly now that I think back on it. But I also think it was my body telling very clearly what it wanted: lots of fluids chock full of nutrient dense veggies.

Our bodies are smart like that. If we stop long enough, it’ll tell you exactly how it feels about the food choices you are tossing in it.

“That carrot made me feel awesome!” 

Two big whit bowls full of the delicious healthy soup.

“That beer makes me want to eat all the salt foods in the city. “

“That banana makes me feel like I can run 20 miles.”

You get the idea.

“Cheesy” Broccoli Soup in bowls with two spoons.

Cheesy broccoli soup

So, I chalk up my soup daydreams to my body speaking loud and clear on a megaphone about what it needed to kick the germs invading my body to the curb and heal.

This “Cheesy” Broccoli Soup was one of my fantasies. 

“Cheesy” Broccoli Soup served in a bowl with a metal spoon.

My version of the classic, beloved soup

Traditional cheese and broccoli soup is kind of an American staple. However, all of the dairy that it is loaded with is so not ideal for a healing body. Especially if you are coughing and sneezing. While milk and other dairy products do not cause your body to produce more phlegm, it makes it feel much thicker and heavier…. making it that much more difficult for you body to get ride of. (source)

So, while I wanted cheese and broccoli soup, I wanted something that would actually help my body instead of working against it. Which is why I made THIS version of the classic, beloved soup.

Oh-so veggie-loaded, creamy and thick and with a flavor that is totally on point, “Cheesy” Broccoli Soup is exactly what your body needs to heal when those annoying germs decide to move in or will warm you up, body and soul, when the winter chill gets the best of you. 

Love veggie-loaded, healing soup as much as I do? Try Germ-Kicking Carrot Ginger Soup or Cozy Sweet Potato + Leek Soup

Delicious homemade soup made with broccoli.

More soup recipes to try

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“Cheesy” Broccoli Soup served in two white plates.
5 from 4 votes

“Cheesy” Broccoli Soup {Paleo, Vegan option}

Yield: 6 -8
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Cuisine: American
Course: Soup
Author: Taesha Butler
Oh-so veggie-loaded, creamy and thick and with a flavor that is totally on point, “Cheesy” Broccoli Soup is exactly what your body needs to heal when those annoying germs decide to move in or will warm you up, body and soul, when the winter chill gets the best of you.
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Ingredients
 

  • 3 tablespoons coconut or avocado oil
  • 1 yellow onion, peeled and diced
  • 4 cups butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and cubed
  • 2 cups sweet potato, peeled and cubed
  • 6 cups stock or broth
  • 1/2 cup gluten-free nutritional yeast
  • 1 cup raw cashews
  • 1 cup almond milk
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 4-5 cups broccoli florets, chopped (depending how much broccoli flavor you want to come through)
  • black pepper, to taste

Instructions
 

  • Place a large pot over medium-high heat and heat oil. Once oil is hot, add chopped onion and sauté until translucent.
  • Add butternut squash, sweet potatoes, cashews and broth to the pot. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
  • Once done cooking, transfer broth, cashews, squash and potato to a high powered blender. Add nutritional yeast, almond milk, paprika garlic powder, salt, lemon juice. Blend on high until soup is smooth and creamy.
  • Return the soup back to the pot. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if desired.
  • Add chopped broccoli to the soup and cook for 7-9 minutes on medium heat or until broccoli is cooked through.
  • Enjoy warm! Store leftovers in fridge for up to 4 days.
Calories: 323kcal, Carbohydrates: 38g, Protein: 10g, Fat: 17g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 10g, Sodium: 1433mg, Potassium: 924mg, Fiber: 7g, Sugar: 9g, Vitamin A: 17116IU, Vitamin C: 80mg, Calcium: 150mg, Iron: 3mg