Dairy Free Broccoli Cheddar soup is THE comfort food of soup season. Creamy and delicious without any dairy for this allergy friendly soup season meal. Cozy up to a bowl of this top 9 free, dairy free and gluten free, recipe that is also vegan .
*This post contains affiliate links to external sites for which we may be financially compensated*
Jump to:
- The Quick Lowdown:
- Why We Like This Recipe
- Ingredients
- The Ingredient Low Down
- Instructions/ Directions and Tips
- Low Food Waste Tips
- Like This Recipe? Sign up to our Newsletter so you never miss a recipe.
- Sign up HERE to Get Inbox Exclusive Recipes!
- Substitutions, Variations, & Adaptations
- Equipment
- Storage and Reheating Instructions For Dairy Free Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- Dairy Free Cheese Tips
- How to Send Allergy Friendly Broccoli Cheddar Soup as Leftovers for Lunch
- What To Pair With Dairy Free Broccoli Soup
- Other Recipes You May Enjoy
- 📖 Recipe
- Have You Made Our Creamy Broccoli Soup? Please Leave a Comment Below.
- Rate our Recipe.
- We Love To Hear From You!
- Food Safety
- Allergy Resources
- 💬 Comments
The Quick Lowdown:
Best Tip: Double the recipe, and freeze half for another night.
Texture: You can decide if you want it fully blended, not at all or a bit of both.
Speed: ready in an hour it is quick for those on a looser timeline.
Difficulty: Beginner effort. Anyone can make a simple roux if the steps in the recipe are followed.
Why We Like This Recipe
I used to get broccoli cheddar soup at some sandwich chains before the kids were born. In an effort to reclaim that restaurant style broccoli cheddar soup we have worked for years on this recipe. It took a lot of tries to get it perfected and eventually became one of our oldest kids' favourite soups.
It is super easy to make and freeze. Rob loves that about any soup we make. Being able to have something in the freezer for days when we are tired. Alternatively, if we need dinner with little work this is one of the recipes we love. I really hope you love this dairy free broccoli cheddar soup as much as we do. Pay attention to the step where you add the cheese to the soup as it is different from most other broccoli cheddar soup recipes.
Ingredients
- Neutral Oil, avocado or other
- Yellow Onion
- Celery
- Garlic
- Carrots
- Dairy Free Butter
- Gluten Free Rice Flour
- Vegetable Broth
- Nutmeg
- Broccoli
- Dairy Free Milk
- Salt
- Pepper
- Dairy Free Cheese
See recipe card for quantities.
The Ingredient Low Down
Neutral Oil
You can use whatever is safe for you that is not going to overpower the flavour of the dairy free broccoli cheddar soup. You also want to use an oil that is safe for higher temperatures like avocado or olive oil (not EVOO which isn't rated for high heats). We like the Chosen Foods Avocado Oil, for us. Check and see if it is right for you with the ingredients and the manufacturer.
Oil Tip
Even though the FDA considers some highly refined oils safe for some with food allergies, use caution with any oil made from a top 9 allergen. If you are cooking for another person with allergies, always check with them before using any kind of allergen, even in oils. If you are not sure which oils are safe for you, talk with your doctor, medical team, and allergist, before trying any kind of oils. Cold pressed oils are not the same and need to be researched with your medical team to see if they are safe for you.
Yellow Onion, Garlic, Celery & Carrots
Fresh is what we use for these ingredients. We tend not to buy pre-cut veggies as we need so many of them with a large family. There are a few exceptions but for these it is cheaper to buy a big bag of onions or carrots and process them ourselves.
Yellow onions or shallots work well in this recipe. Shallots are a lot milder and great if you have younger kids who don't like the taste of onions. It is a good way to ease them into yellow onions. You can also use a sweet vidalia onion, if preferred. Do not use red onions.
Prep Ahead Tip
If you have a big bag of any of the veggies and the time and energy to do so, try dicing up and freezing the onions, garlic, and celery. Portion out the diced veggies in 1 cup measurements or 1-2 ribs/onions/carrot packs. This will help save time when you don't feel like making dinner and want to speed up the process.
Dairy Free Butter
We use a spreadable dairy free, nut free, and soy free butter alternative. What is safe for us is Earth Balance Soy Free, if you choose to use it make sure it is safe for you before buying. You will need to check the ingredients label and with the manufacturer on anything you use.
Buttery Tip
You can use a dairy free spread or a dairy free butter replacement bar. Be really careful when choosing a dairy free butter replacement. Not all margarines are dairy free, many contain casein, whey, or both. Another thing to keep in mind, non-dairy is not the same as dairy free.
Gluten Free Rice Flour
We use a rice based gluten free flour for the base of our roux. You can use another gluten free flour that you have onhand. One to one gluten free flour can be used instead, if preferred.
Vegetable Broth
When choosing a suitable vegetable broth, remember that many commercially made broths use soy or gluten in their vegetable blends. A mushroom base is not what I would personally choose. This soup is best with a vegetable blend broth.
You can always make your own stocks and broths. Save clean vegetable peels, and nubs from being cut. Put them all in a container in the freezer. Make your own stock when the container is full. Avoid anything in the broccoli, cabbage, or cauliflower (brassica) family as they can make the broth bitter when boiled for hours.
Broth Tip
If you are a meat eater, don't be afraid to swap out the broth for chicken stock, turkey stock, or bone broth. Switching up this ingredient will also change the protein amount in the recipe.
Nutmeg, Salt & Pepper
The spic amounts can be altered to your preference. Always taste the soup before serving to see if you need to adjust any spices to bring out the flavours. If you find a soup really bland, chances are you used a low salt broth and the soup needs more salt.
Always check all ingredients for cross contact with the manufacturers. This included all spices, herbs, and salt and pepper. More and more spices are being made on shared lines or facilities.
Check out McCormick Spices nutmeg as they are a brand many with allergies like due to their labelling practices and ease to communicate with. They may have spices that work for you but you will need to fully assess if they are safe for you before buying.
Spice Tip
Nutmeg comes from a seed rather than a nut. It is usually classified as a seed but as with everything, there is always a possibility of being allergic to it. Verify with your medical team that you can have nutmeg before using, trying, or buying it.
Broccoli
We usually use just the florets for this recipe. This is one of those places where we will use a pre-cut option, like the bags from Costco. Check that the pre-cut floret bags are safe for you as we can tolerate some cross-contact from specific allergens.
You can switch our broccoli for cauliflower, if preferred.
Money Saving Tip
Use the stalks from broccoli if you bought crowns or broccoli with stalks. Simply peel the stalk. Then cut it into bite sized cubes and add it to the soup with the broccoli. Before blending make sure the stems have cooked until they can be easily pierced with a fork.
Dairy Free Milk
We tend to use gluten free oat milk as it is the creamiest milk alternative for soups that isn't coconut. The barista styles are amazing in soup just make sure it is not a flavoured or sweetened variety. If you cannot do GF oat milk coconut cream or milk works really well and doesn't require any alterations to the recipe.
There are other options though please see below.
Dairy Free Milk Tip
If you are using rice milk, or another dairy free milk it will be fairly thin and need to be thickened. To do this add 1-2 tablespoons cornstarch or arrowroot starch and mix it with the same amount of the dairy free milk. Then add the slurry formed to the df milk and the soup.
Dairy Free Cheese
We tend to use a dairy free cheddar blend for this soup. We have also tried the Plant based Babybel cheese, grated. The latter melted the best. However, plant based Babybel is made in a shared facility with priority allergens on a dedicated line according to the company's website. Violife, Follow Your Heart, and Daiya dairy free cheeses also are great in this allergy friendly broccoli cheddar soup.
Cheese Tip
Use whichever dairy free cheese brand is your favourite. Add it at the end, that way if not everyone likes dairy free cheese the soup can still be enjoyed by all. Dairy free cheese can also be a bit oily when melted, so add a bit to your bowl then add more as needed. Adding large amounts right away will be harder to fix if too oily.
Instructions/ Directions and Tips
Step 1
In a large soup pot, heat neutral oil over medium-high heat.
Cooking Tip
We find it is easier to use one large soup pot. Make sure the pot will be able to hold all the liquid from this soup so you don't have to waste time switching out pots and reheating them.
Step 2
Once the oil is hot add the diced yellow onion to the pot. Stirring often cook the onion for 2-3 minutes until it is starting to go translucent.
Cooking Tip
You don't want the onions totally cooked, just started. They will cook with the other ingredients as they saute.
Step 3
Add the celery into the pot and stir it to coat with the oil and cook with the onions for another 2 minutes, until translucent. Stirring often. See the photo to the left to see what the celery and onions should look like.
Step 4
To the pot add the garlic. Stirring continuously let cook for 1 minute whilst sauteing. The garlic should get fragrant.
Cooking Tip
Don't add the garlic before this step or it will burn. Adding minced garlic with diced onion means two different sized cubes will be soaking at the same time. Minced foods require less time to cook and should be added after the larger diced foods if the same effect is required of both. In this case they will all be cooked to translucent.
Step 5
Add in the carrots and cook for 2 minutes. Combine them into the vegetables already in the pot. Stirring often.
Step 6
Remove all the aromatic vegetables from the pot and put them in a clean bowl. Set aside.
Step 7
Return the pot to the heat. Add and melt the dairy free butter over medium high heat. Stir until fully melted.
Cooking Tip
The dairy free butter should be just melted, not browned or burnt. We add ours to the same pot as we want those brown flavour bits in our soup. They add loads of flour as long as they are not burnt.
Step 8
Whilst whisking the melted dairy free butter, sprinkle the gluten free rice flour into the pot, whisking continually. Mix all the flour into the butter to form a roux.
Cooking Tip
Continuous whisking is a really important part of this step.Whisking will help keep the flour from clumping and burning. Moving the roux around will cook it and stop it from sticking to the pot.
Step 9
Let the roux cook for 2-3 minutes. Cook the roux to get a bit of colour. Keep whisking the whole time. It may start to go a bit golden in colour. That is good. It shouldn't be sticking, dark brown or burning, so keep whisking continuously. See the coulour forming in the photo.
Cooking Tip
Cooking the roux helps to give the soup a bit of flavour. If you don't cook it the flour make the soup gritty. This is especially important if it is a rice based gluten free flour.
Step 10
Pour in the Vegetable stock very slowly, one cup at a time. Mix the stock with the roux to form a smooth and silky sauce. Mix well then add the rest of the stock cup by cup stirring all the time.
Cooking Tip
If the broth is poured too quickly the mix can clump up. Stir continuously while adding the broth.
Step 11
Switch to stirring with whichever utensil is comfortable for you. Add in the salt, pepper, nutmeg, reserved vegetables from step 6, and the broccoli. Stir them all together. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Once boiling, reduce to a heavy simmer. Let simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.
Step 12
Remove the pot from heat. Use an immersion blender to puree some of the vegetables. We do not blend all the veg as we like the texture better when it has some pieces left. If preferred, remove 1-2 cups of veg, then blend with an immersion blender.
Cooking Tip
Do not use a stand up blender unless it is specially made for blending hot foods. Using most stand up blenders and hot foods can result in the blender leaking and is a risk for burning you.
Step 13
When blended to your liking, return the pot to the heat and pour in the dairy free milk. Stir and taste with a clean spoon to see if it needs more salt and pepper. Adjust the salt and pepper as needed. Bring back up to heat, about 2 minutes, over medium high heat.
Cooking Tip
If you are going to freeze the soup it is better to freeze it before the diary free milk is added. When you have the frozen soup in the future thaw, reheat it, and then add the diary free milk and resume the recipe from this step.
Step 14
Place 2-3 tablespoons of dairy free cheese in the bottom of an individual soup bowl. Then ladle the soup over the dairy free cheese and stir to mix. Serve warm. Enjoy!
Cooking Tip
Adding hot soup over the dairy free cheese will melt the dairy free cheese, as much as it can. Don't add more than ¼ cup of dairy free cheese to a bowl of soup as it can lead to oily soup with some melted dairy free cheeses.
Low Food Waste Tips
To keep costs down and food waste If you get broccoli with the stalks on, simply cut the florets off the stalks. Peel the stalks and cut them into bite sized pieces. Add the stalks to the soup in place of some of the broccoli florets in the recipe. The stalks have just as much flavour as the florets.
Like This Recipe? Sign up to our Newsletter so you never miss a recipe.
Sign up HERE to Get Inbox Exclusive Recipes!
Substitutions, Variations, & Adaptations
- Carnivore - Add cooked cubes of ham or chicken after the blending of the soup. Swap out the vegetable stock for chicken or turkey broth.
- Cauliflower - Switch out the broccoli with raw cauliflower. If you want to get a creamy soup without dairy free milk add cooked pureed cauliflower
- Rice or quinoa - for extra texture add cooked rice or quinoa to the cooked soup. You will also need to add a bit of extra broth as the grains will absorb it.
- Spicy - finish the soup with a swirl of chilli oil to add a bit of spice or garnish with a few diced jalapenos.
- Extra creamy - use coconut cream or a plant based dairy free cream.
- Potato - Add 2 russet potatoes that have been peeled and diced with the broccoli. Puree the potatoes with the soup to make it creamy.
- Extra cheese flavour - Add 1-3 teaspoons of nutritional yeast to the soup with the dairy free milk. A little goes a long way so add it, let it cook, and then taste and add more as needed.
If you are interested in making your own allergy friendly chicken stock check out our recipe Budget Friendly Chicken Stock.
Equipment
**The product links will open in Amazon and are affiliate links that may earn us a small fee for recommending our favourite products. **
- Large Soup Pot - We use a HUGE stock pot because we often double our soup recipes. Use a pot large enough for all the liquid like the 8 Quart Soup Pot in the link.
- Immersion Blender- this is also sometimes called a stick blender. They are great for quickly pureeing hot foods that cannot go into a traditional blender for safety reasons. Do not blend hot soup in a stand up blender It can spray all over the place and burn you, if the blender isn't designed for hot liquids. This MUST be used by an experienced and safety minded adult - the bottom blade is exposed and can be dangerous!
- Whisk - To get the best silky soup during the roux phase a whisk is the best way to get the gluten free flour fully incorporated into the stock.
- Stirring Utensil - use what suits you, a cooking spoon, a spatula, a whisk.
- Ladle - For serving a ladle will be needed.
- Knife and Cutting Board - To cut all those veggies! Remember to use wooden handled knives only on allergy friendly foods and designated cutting boards for allergy friendly foods so allergens don't hide in the cutting grooves.
- Measuring Cups and Spoons - Liquid and dry measuring cups will be needed. They do measure ingredients differently.
Storage and Reheating Instructions For Dairy Free Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Storage
Always add the cheese to the individual bowls rather than the pot as once the diary free cheese is added the soup can separate when storing. It also doesn't freeze as well.
Fridge
In an airtight container, store the allergy friendly broccoli and cheese soup for up to 3 days. The soup may separate during storage. Stir vigorously to re-mix.
Freezer
We recommend freezing the dairy free soup in either a family sized batch or individual portions. The soup should be stored in freezer safe airtight containers for up to 3 months in the freezer.
Reheating
For best food practices always reheat the soup to boiling and let simmer for a minimum of 5 minutes. Only reheat food once for food safety. Frozen should be fully thawed in the fridge before reheating.
Stove Top
The best way to reheat the soup evenly is on the stove top. In a pot however many portions are needed. Adding ¼-½ cup water to thin as needed. Over medium high heat bring the soup to a boil and reduce the heat. Let simmer for at least 5 minutes. You can keep simmering until any excess water that has been added is cooked off, if needed. Stir often so the soup doesn't burn to the bottom of the pot. Serve immediately.
Dairy Free Cheese Tips
Adding the dairy free cheese separately allows you to use whichever cheese brand is the favourite for each person. Not all of our family likes the same dairy free cheese. This way we can tailor the soup to each individual. If you are new to dairy free eating it is usually best to skip the dairy free cheeses for a few weeks, so you are less likely to compare it to dairy cheese.
Some dairy free cheese brands use a fair amount of oil in their products. Adding a lot of dairy free cheese can result in an oily soup. Start with adding a small amount of dairy free cheese and add more as needed in the individual bowl. The soup freezes much better before dairy free cheese is added.
If you have a household that uses some dairy then you can also use dairy cheese for those that can tolerate it. If you do choose to do this, always serve those with a dairy allergy first and add the cheese to the individual bowl AFTER you have laddled the soup into the bowl instead of before. These steps will help to keep the cross contact at a minimum. Using a separate area of the house for the allergen handling and designating a separate person to handle the allergen and the allergen friendly soup would be a best practice.
How to Send Allergy Friendly Broccoli Cheddar Soup as Leftovers for Lunch
The best way to send this dairy free creamy broccoli soup is in an insulated food container so it is sent warm. This frees up time at lunch and means no fussing with a microwave that may be shared with allergen laden food, posing a risk for cross contact. The kids get a reduced lunch period and though they can eat longer with accommodation we have in place for the one with EoE, we like to set them up for success.
To make sure your soup stays warm check out our article on how to warm up the container and maximise how long the soup will stay hot for.
Don't forget to send a spoon in the lunch box. We usually pair made good stars, an assortment of cut up raw veggies, as well as fruit with the soup for lunch. A snack item will be sent as well.
What To Pair With Dairy Free Broccoli Soup
Dairy free broccoli cheddar soup is great as a meal or a starter for a big dinner. We often serve our soups with gluten free, allergy friendly crackers, like Made Good Stars, or Laiki Rice Crackers. Another great option are buns for dipping in the soup or toasting with dairy free garlic butter under the oven broiler.
If you are looking for more of a vegetable oriented side dish, salads go well with this allergy friendly broccoli and cheese soup. We like a vinaigrette dressing and a colourful salad such as the kale and cranberry, the fig and kale, or the apple pear and avocado salad.
Other Recipes You May Enjoy
📖 Recipe
Dairy Free Broccoli "Cheddar" Soup - DF,GF, Top 9 Free, Vegan
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Add to Collection Add to Shopping ListEquipment
- Large Soup Pot
- Whisk
- Immersion Blender
- Stirring Utensil
- Ladle
- Grater
- Knife and Cutting Board
- Measuring cups and spoons
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon Neutral Oil avocado or olive oil (see notes)
- 1 Medium Yellow Onion medium diced
- 2 Ribs Celery medium diced
- 3 Cloves Garlic minced
- 3 Large Carrots peeled and cut into battonettes or large grated
- ½ Cup Dairy Free Butter
- ½ Cup Gluten Free Rice Flour
- 8 Cups Vegetable Stock soy and gluten free (see notes)
- ½ teaspoon Nutmeg ground (see notes)
- 4 Cups Broccoli Florets florets cut bite sized (see notes)
- 3 Cups Dairy Free Plant Based Milk gluten free oat milk or other (see notes)
- 1 teaspoon Sea Salt plus extra to taste
- ½ teaspoon Pepper plus extra to taste (see notes)
- 4 Cups Dairy Free Cheese shredded (see notes)
Instructions
- In a large soup pot, heat neutral oil over medium-high heat.1 Tablespoon Neutral Oil
- Once the oil is hot add the diced yellow onion to the pot. Stirring often cook the onion for 2-3 minutes until it is starting to go translucent.1 Medium Yellow Onion
- Add the celery into the pot and stir it to coat with the oil and cook with the onions for another 2 minutes, until translucent. Stirring often.2 Ribs Celery
- To the pot add the garlic. Stirring continuously let cook for 1 minute whilst sauteing. The garlic should get fragrant.3 Cloves Garlic
- Add in the carrots and cook for 2 minutes. Combine them into the vegetables already in the pot. Stirring often.3 Large Carrots
- Remove all the aromatic vegetables from the pot and put them in a clean bowl. Set aside.
- Return the pot to the heat. Add and melt the dairy free butter over medium high heat. Stir until fully melted.½ Cup Dairy Free Butter
- Whilst whisking the melted dairy free butter, sprinkle the gluten free rice flour into the pot, whisking continually. Mix all the flour into the butter to form a roux. Whisking will help keep the flour from clumping and burning.½ Cup Gluten Free Rice Flour
- Let the roux cook for 2-3 minutes. Cook the roux to get a bit of colour. Keep whisking the whole time. It may start to go a bit golden in colour. That is good. It shouldn't be sticking, dark brown or burning, so keep whisking continuously.
- Pour in the Vegetable stock very slowly, one cup at a time. Mix the stock with the roux to form a smooth and silky sauce. If the broth is poured too quickly the mix can clump up. Stir continuously while adding the broth. Mix well then add the rest of the stock cup by cup stirring all the time.8 Cups Vegetable Stock
- Switch to stirring with whichever utensil is comfortable for you. Add in the salt, pepper, nutmeg, reserved vegetables from step 6, and the broccoli. Stir them all together. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Once boiling, reduce to a heavy simmer. Let simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.½ teaspoon Nutmeg, 4 Cups Broccoli Florets, ½ teaspoon Pepper, 1 teaspoon Sea Salt
- Remove the pot from heat. Use an immersion blender to puree some of the vegetables. We do not blend all the veg as we like the texture better when it has some pieces left. If preferred, remove 1-2 cups of veg, then blend with an immersion blender. (see notes)
- When blended to your liking, return the pot to the heat and pour in the dairy free milk. Stir and taste with a clean spoon to see if it needs more salt and pepper. Adjust the salt and pepper as needed. Bring back up to heat, about 2 minutes, over medium high heat.3 Cups Dairy Free Plant Based Milk
- Place 2-3 tablespoons of dairy free cheese in the bottom of an individual soup bowl. Then ladle the soup over the dairy free cheese and stir to mix. Serve warm. Enjoy!4 Cups Dairy Free Cheese
Notes
Allergy Note 1
Always check that each ingredient is safe for you. Reading all the ingredients and labelling as well as checking with the manufacturer should always be done before buying any product. Each person's allergies are different and only you and your medical team can determine what is best for you. Checking with the manufacturer is best practice to see if shared lines, or facilities are used when making any of the suggested products. Just because a product is right for us does not mean it is safe for anyone else. You must do your own research on each product.
Allergy Note 2
If making this recipe for anyone with an allergy always check with them for suitable products and ingredients. Each person knows their allergies best and can advise on what is safe for them to eat. Keep in mind that if making for another person they may not be able to eat it with shared prep surfaces, cooking equipment, and kitchens or other safety reasons.
Allergy Note 3
This is not medical advice. Always discuss your allergies, nutrition, and suitable products and recipes with your medical team before using.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
"The Allergen Free Kitchen" is not a registered dietician or nutritionist, does not replace a registered dietician or nutritionist and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend you consult with your medical team to find a registered dietician or nutritionist and for you to calculate the nutritional information. Calories and nutritional values can vary vastly depending on which brands were used and any substitutions used.
Have You Made Our Creamy Broccoli Soup? Please Leave a Comment Below.
Rate our Recipe.
We Love To Hear From You!
Food Safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Contact the manufacturer of products, regarding cross contact and ingredients, to ensure they are safe for you
- Always check ingredients for allergens
- Do not use the same utensils on allergen free food, that previously touched allergens
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
Allergy Resources
If you are struggling with allergies or which foods are safe for you we encourage you to contact your medical team to help determine what is best for you.
For additional resources please check out the following allergy education and advocacy pages:
In the United States:
- Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Connection Team (FAACT) - Home Page
- Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) - Home Page
- U.S Food & Drug Administration (FDA) - Food Allergies - Home Page
- Recalls, Reporting and Alerts on Food - in The United States of America
- Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA - Recalls
- US Food & Drug Administration, FDA - Recalls
- Celiac Disease Foundation - Home Page
- National Celiac Association (NCA) - Home Page
- Beyond Celiac - Home Page
- Celiac.com - Home Page
In Canada
- Food Allergy Canada - Home Page
- Celiac Canada - Home Page
- The Government of Canada - Health Site- Food Allergies
- The Government of Canada - Food Allergen Labelling, the List of Ingredients and Allergens on Food Labels, and Allergens and Gluten Sources Labelling
Recalls, Reporting and Alerts on Food - in Canada
Comments
No Comments