We kept Christmas dinner incredibly simple this year.

Soup + grilled cheese. No joke!

Creamy Vegan Broccoli Potato Soup | edibleperspective.com

For Thanksgiving I love a huge spread. I want all the sides. I want to make a million things. I want the meal to last forever + ever. But for some reason with Christmas I love simplicity. Maybe it’s the time of year when I realize I need a little break from the kitchen. Maybe I would rather spend my time watching my niece dance around the room with her new toys than be in the kitchen all day. Maybe it’s the time of year I realize simple is just as good as complex.

It’s also kind of nice to not have 23 different dishes to choose from when it comes time to eat.

Creamy Vegan Broccoli Potato Soup | edibleperspective.com

You have soup. You have grilled cheese. And there you go.

Creamy Vegan Broccoli Potato Soup | edibleperspective.com

This soup doesn’t need a special occasion, though. And while it’s made without a lick of cheese or cream it’s absolute comfort in a bowl. An anytime soup.

Creamy Vegan Broccoli Potato Soup | edibleperspective.com

Each bowl is studded with bite-sized pieces of broccoli and potato swimming in the creamy thick base. It’s thick but not too thick. It’s simply seasoned. It’s incredibly filling. It’s totally delicious.

Creamy Vegan Broccoli Potato Soup | edibleperspective.com

And I’ve made it twice in 2 weeks.

Creamy Vegan Broccoli Potato Soup | edibleperspective.com

Print this!

Creamy Broccoli Potato Soup

gluten-free, vegan // yields 4-6 servings

1 cup raw cashews
1 cup low sodium vegetable broth
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped ~1 1/4 cups
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
2-3 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried parsley
2 teaspoons basil
1/2-1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2-2 teaspoons salt
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 cups low sodium vegetable broth
3 cups finely chopped broccoli florets, divided
2 1/2 cups [1/4-1/2-inch] cubed yukon gold potatoes, divided

Soak cashews in a bowl covered with water for at least 4 hours or overnight. Drain water and rinse cashews. Blend cashews with 1 cup of vegetable broth in a high-powered blender until fully smooth. Add more broth if needed. Will thicken as it sits. Set aside while making the soup.

Heat a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium with the oil. Once hot add in the onion and cook for about 8-10 minutes until softened and starting to brown. Stir frequently. Add in the garlic, herbs, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and red pepper flakes. Stir for 30-60 seconds until fragrant, then pour in the 4 cups of vegetable broth and stir.

Add in 2 cups of broccoli and 1 1/2 cups of potatoes and bring to a low boil for about 10 minutes until the potatoes are just cooked. Carefully pour 1/2 of the mixture into your blender and blend on low speed slowly working to high until smooth. Be sure to leave the lid cracked or top plug removed from the lid [to allow steam to escape] and monitor the entire time. Pour into a bowl and repeat with remaining mixture.

Pour soup back into the pot and simmer for 5-7 minutes. Add the remaining broccoli and potato to the soup and simmer for 10-12 minutes, until the potatoes are just tender. At about the 5 minute mark start tasting the soup and adding more salt + pepper as needed.

This soup needs quite a bit of salt. If it seems bland it just needs more salt [promise], which I like to add in 1/4 teaspoon increments. I ended up adding around 1 1/2 teaspoons and another 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper. After each addition stir and let cook another minute then taste again. I’ve made this twice and had the same thing happen with needing to add quite a bit of salt slowly until it tasted just right.

As soon as the soup is seasoned to your liking stir in 1/3-1/2 cup of the cashew cream. Turn off the heat and pour into mugs or bowls then top with another drizzle of cashew cream.

notes: If you would like a fully creamed soup add all broccoli and potato to the broth before boiling and blending. Cashew cream can be stored in the fridge for 2-3 days. Thin out with more broth as needed. This recipe easily doubles to feed a crowd. You could also use a hand immersion blender instead of a stand up blender to cream the soup but it will not turn out quite as smooth.

Creamy Vegan Broccoli Potato Soup | edibleperspective.com

Looking for an alternative to grilled cheese? Toast up your favorite bread and slather it with salt + pepper cashew butter. Avocado toast works, too.

Cheers to a productive week!

Ashley

Smoky Black Eyed Pea + Collard Green Veggie Burgers

gluten-free, vegan option* // yields 6-8 burgers

1 large clove garlic

2 cups chopped collard greens

3/4 cup chopped red bell pepper

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 cup gluten-free breadcrumbs, made from 2-3 slices GF bread

1, 15oz can black eyed peas, rinsed + drained

1/4-1/2 cup partially ground gluten-free rolled oats

2 tablespoons chipotle adobo sauce

1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon oregano

1/2 teaspoon salt + pepper

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

3 tablespoons pepitas

pepper jack cheese + hot sauce, optional toppings

Preheat your oven to 350* F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper if you plan on baking these. Stovetop directions in notes below.

Place garlic in a large food processor and turn on until minced. Add in the collards, pepper, and onion. Pulse about 5 times then scrape the bowl and repeat 2-4 more times until the mixture is evenly chopped and the consistency of thick salsa [not pureed, not chunky]. Empty mixture into a fine mesh strainer and press down to drain the liquid. Set aside.

Toast 2-3 slices of gluten-free bread then allow to fully cool. Grind into breadcrumbs in a blender or food processor.

In a large bowl fully mash the beans with a fork. Add in the onion mixture and mix together. Mix in the breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup oats, adobo sauce, oil, and spices. Mix in the pepitas. The mixture should easily form into a patty. If it seems too wet add another 1-4 tablespoons of ground oats. The mixture should be soft but not soggy.

Take a handful of the mixture and pack into a ball between your hands then press into a patty, making sure to pack all sides tightly. The burgers should be approximately 1/2-inch thick and 3-inches wide.

Place on the baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes then carefully flip [fragile while hot] and bake for another 12-17 minutes until golden brown and done to your liking. Let rest for 5 minutes to firm and turn your oven on to broil. Top with cheese then broil until melted. Serve with hot sauce and a toasted bun.

Let cool fully and store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

notes: Stovetop cooking: Heat a skillet oven medium/med-low and thoroughly oil the pan. Place 2-4 patties in the pan once hot, being sure not to overcrowd, and cook for 5-6 minutes then gently flip with a large metal spatula and cook for another 5-6 minutes until golden brown. Turn your oven to broil, top with cheese, and place under the broiler until cheese is melted. For best breadcrumb results use a light [not dense] gluten-free bread like Udi’s or Rudi’s. Chipotle adobo sauce typically comes in asmall can and is found in the ethnic aisle of your grocery store. It’s very spicy but I would rate these burgers at medium heat.

*Recipe is vegan if using vegan bread and leaving the cheese topping off. The GF bread I use has eggs so my version was not vegan.

These are the soft + fluffy gluten-free buns photographed below.