This broccoli soup is creamy, cheesy, and comforting – perfect for a cold day’s lunch or dinner. And the dill is a must – luckily it grows in the cool months!

Makes 4 servings

Equipment

• Large pot or Dutch oven
• High powered blender (like Vitamix)

Ingredients

• Avocado or olive oil spray
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1/2 cup chopped carrots
• 1 pound broccoli. Stems diced. Tops: 1 and 1/2 cups separated into small florets and the rest chopped
• 1 small Yukon Gold potato, diced (1 cup)
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• ½ cup raw cashews
• ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
• ¼ cup fresh dill
• 1½ teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 1 cup water
• 2 cups cubed bread (whole grain or sourdough preferred), for croutons
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F and spray two baking sheets with oil spray. Set aside.
2. Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, coating lightly with oil spray. Add the onion, carrots, and broccoli stems, and sauté until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the potatoes, garlic, chopped broccoli tops, cashews and broth. Stir well and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft. Let cool slightly.
3. Meanwhile, place the reserved broccoli florets and the bread cubes on the oil sprayed baking sheets. Press lightly onto oiled surface to coat the bottom of broccoli and bread pieces. Then spray the top of both with oil spray. Roast until the bread is crispy and the broccoli is tender and lightly browned around the edges, about 10 minutes.
4. Transfer the soup to the blender and add the apple cider vinegar, mustard, dill, and lemon juice, blending until creamy. Work in batches, if necessary. Add the blended soup back to the pot.
5. Now, lightly chop about ½ of the roasted florets (reserving the rest for topping) and add to the pot. Stir in 1/2 cup of water. The soup should be the consistency of a creamed soup. If it is too thick, add an addditional 1/2 cup water (or more) to achieve to your desired consistency.
6. Taste, adding pepper and salt if desired, to taste. Adjust seasonings if needed.
7. Add soup to bowls, top with broccoli florets and croutons and serve.