Equipment
Ingredients
Cashew Cream
- 150 g raw cashews, unroasted and unsalted
- 120 ml water
- 15 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- salt
Soup Base
- 30 ml olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 fennel bulb, chopped, fronds reserved
- 2 celery stalks, sliced
- 4 garlic, minced
- 250 g yukon gold potato, peeled and diced
- 500 g broccoli, stems chopped, florets separated
- 900 ml vegetable broth, low sodium
- 15 g nutritional yeast
- black pepper, freshly ground
- salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 604 kcal
- Protein
- 18 g
- Carbohydrates
- 84 g
- Fat
- 25 g
- Fiber
- 11 g
- Sugar
- 12 g
- Sodium
- 1054 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 4 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 15 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 4 g
- Potassium
- 1657 mg
- Calcium
- 170 mg
- Iron
- 5.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 195 mg
- Phosphorus
- 464 mg
- Zinc
- 3.3 mg
- Vitamin A
- 100 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 127 mg
- Vitamin E
- 2.9 mg
- Vitamin K
- 184 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 1.0 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.47 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.27 mg
- Niacin
- 4.1 mg
- Folate
- 134 mcg
- Water
- 476 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place raw cashews in a heatproof bowl, cover with boiling water, and let soak for 15 to 20 minutes to soften.
Heat olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat.
Add the diced onion, chopped fennel, and sliced celery to the pot. Sauté until softened and translucent, about 8 minutes.
Stir in the minced garlic and cook until highly fragrant, approximately 1 minute.
Pour in the vegetable broth, add the diced potato and chopped broccoli stems, and bring the mixture to a gentle boil at 100C or 212F.
Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add the broccoli florets to the pot, cover, and simmer for an additional 5 to 7 minutes until the vegetables are completely tender.
Drain the soaked cashews and transfer them to a high-speed blender along with 120ml of fresh water, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt. Blend on high until completely smooth and creamy.
Transfer the cashew cream to a small bowl and quickly rinse out the blender jar.
Transfer the hot soup mixture to the blender in batches, adding the nutritional yeast if using. Blend until velvety smooth, ensuring the blender lid is vented to allow steam to escape.
Return the blended soup to the pot. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper. Reheat gently if necessary at 70C or 158F.
Ladle the warm soup into bowls, swirl in generous spoonfuls of the cashew cream, and garnish with reserved fennel fronds.
Chef's Notes
- Do not overcook the broccoli florets. Adding them later in the simmering process preserves their vibrant green color and prevents the soup from developing a muddy appearance or sulfuric taste.
- The natural starches in the Yukon gold potato are crucial for emulsifying the soup and preventing the water and vegetable solids from separating after blending.
- For an impeccably smooth cashew cream without a high-speed blender, soak the raw cashews overnight in the refrigerator rather than relying on a quick hot water soak.
- Reserve a few tiny steamed broccoli florets along with the fresh fennel fronds to garnish the soup, adding textural contrast to an otherwise entirely pureed dish.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store the soup and cashew cream in separate airtight containers.
Freezer: 3 months — The soup base freezes beautifully. Cashew cream may separate slightly upon thawing but can be re-blended.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat until warmed through, avoiding a rolling boil to maintain color.
Troubleshooting
Soup consistency is too thin and watery
Cause: Excess vegetable broth or potatoes were too small
Fix: Simmer the blended soup uncovered over medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes to reduce, or blend in 2 tablespoons of extra cashew cream to thicken
Prevention: Weigh potatoes accurately and hold back 100ml of broth, adding it only if needed during blending
Cashew cream is gritty or grainy
Cause: Cashews were not soaked long enough or blender is not powerful enough
Fix: Continue blending for another 2-3 minutes, adding a tiny splash of extra water to help the blades catch
Prevention: Soak cashews overnight or boil for a full 20 minutes before blending. Use a high-speed blender.
Broccoli flavor is overly pungent or sulfuric
Cause: Broccoli was overcooked during the simmering phase
Fix: Cannot be fully fixed, but stirring in an extra squeeze of fresh lemon juice can help mask the sulfur notes
Prevention: Only add the florets for the last 5-7 minutes of cooking time
Cultural Context
Pureed vegetable soups have roots in classic French potage, where vegetables are boiled and blended for a refined, elegant texture. This modern vegan adaptation replaces traditional heavy cream with an emulsified cashew cream, a technique popularized in 21st-century plant-based cooking to achieve luxurious richness and a creamy mouthfeel entirely without dairy.
