No Cream of Broccoli Soup with Garlicky Breadcrumbs: A vegan version of an old favourite
CBC Life | Posted: February 3, 2023 5:37 PM | Last Updated: February 3, 2023
Bri Beaudoin's lemon-spiked recipe from her cookbook, Evergreen Kitchen
This stunning bowl of soup is a dairy-free version of the classic cream of broccoli. It comes from Bri Beaudoin’s cookbook, Evergreen Kitchen: Weeknight Vegetarian Dinners for Everyone, and it's a meal you can easily enjoy for days — if you have leftovers. While it's already perky with a hit of lemon, Beaudoin told us, “Don't be shy to add a bit more lemon juice to the soup the next day if you think it needs it.” She also assured us it’s totally freezable if you want to make a batch to enjoy any time; simply make some fresh breadcrumbs when you do.
No Cream of Broccoli Soup with Garlicky Breadcrumbs
By Bri Beaudoin
This silky soup is undetectably dairy-free. It’s also as zero-waste as you can get. Keep the potato skin on, use the broccoli florets and the stalks, and don’t toss the dark green parts of the leek. You’ll use it all! The hint of lemon really brightens this dish. Serve the garlicky lemon breadcrumbs on the side — and generously sprinkle them over the soup before digging in.
Note: If you don’t have a high-speed blender, use pre-soaked cashews: place the cashews in a small heatproof bowl, cover with boiling water, and soak for 20 to 30 minutes, until soft. Then drain and proceed with recipe, using whatever blender you have in the last step.
Ingredients
Garlicky Breadcrumbs:
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 6 tbsp panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- Fine sea salt
Soup:
- 1¼ lb (567 g) broccoli
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 leeks, chopped (white, light, and dark green parts; 7 cups)
- 1 cup diced Yukon Gold potato (5.3 oz / 150g)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ¾ tsp fine sea salt
- ¾ cup raw cashews
- 6 cups vegetable stock
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- Crusty bread, for serving (optional)
Preparation
Make the Garlicky Breadcrumbs: In a large Dutch oven or pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Scatter in the panko and cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the panko mixture to a small bowl. Stir in the lemon zest and salt to taste. Wipe out the pot and set aside.
Start the Soup — prep the broccoli: Separate the broccoli florets from the stalks. Roughly chop the florets and transfer to a medium bowl. Trim the end of the stalks, then roughly chop the stalks and transfer to a separate medium bowl. (The stalks take longer to cook than the florets, so they will be added separately.)
Sauté the vegetables: In the pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the leeks and potato and cook, stirring occasionally, until the leeks are bright green, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the broccoli stalks, garlic, and salt and cook, stirring frequently, until the broccoli is bright green, 2 to 3 minutes.
Simmer the soup: Add the cashews and vegetable stock. Cover with the lid slightly ajar and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the potatoes are fork-tender and the cashews are soft enough to squeeze between your fingers, about 10 minutes. Add the broccoli florets and simmer until bright green and fork-tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice.
Blend and serve: Working in batches if needed, transfer the soup to a high-speed blender (see note) and blend until completely smooth. Season with more salt, if needed. Pour the soup into bowls and top with the breadcrumbs. Serve with crusty bread, if using.
Serves 6.
Excerpted from Evergreen Kitchen: Weeknight Vegetarian Dinners for Everyone by Bri Beaudoin. Copyright © 2022 Bri Beaudoin. Photography by Anguel Dimov. Published by Penguin Canada, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC. Reproduced and revised by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.