Make Ahead

Cheesy Cream of Broccoli with Smoky Roasted Chickpeas

by:
March 18, 2018
4.3
9 Ratings
Cheesy Cream of Broccoli with Smoky Roasted Chickpeas
Photo by Bobbi Lin
  • Makes 4 to 6 servings
Author Notes

One of my first and most memorable kitchen disasters—and I mean a truly failed recipe, not just something that needed tweaking—was a vegan broccoli soup that I totally overwhelmed with lemon. I’ve since learned to be judicious in adding acid to my soups, and I love the balance of flavors here. The soup is equal parts garlicky, savory, and cheesy, with a hint of lemon. To add some texture, I top it with sweet and smoky roasted chickpeas. The chickpeas are great in salads or served over savory oats, so you may want to make a double batch!

Reprinted with permission from Power Plates, copyright © 2018 by Gena Hamshaw. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC. Photographs copyright © 2018 by Ashley McLaughlin —Gena Hamshaw

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • Roasted Chickpeas
  • 1 1/2 cups (250 g) cooked chickpeas, or 1 (15-oz, or 425-g) can, drained and rinsed
  • 2 teaspoons neutral vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 pinch cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Soup
  • 1 tablespoon neutral vegetable oil
  • 1 white or yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 stalks celery, diced
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 1/2 pounds (680 g) broccoli, coarsely chopped
  • 2 large or 3 small Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 3/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 5 cups (1.2 L) low-sodium vegetable broth, plus more if needed
  • 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 cup (240 ml) unsweetened nondairy milk
  • 1/4 cup (20 g) nutritional yeast
  • 1 pinch freshly ground black pepper
Directions
  1. To roast the chickpeas, preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, toss the chickpeas with the oil until evenly coated. Sprinkle with the paprika, chili powder, cayenne, and salt and toss again. Transfer to the lined baking sheet and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until crispy, stirring a few times as they bake.
  2. Meanwhile, make the soup. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes, until the onion is tender and translucent. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes.
  3. Stir in the broccoli, potatoes, salt, oregano, bay leaf, and paprika, then pour in the broth. Bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, until the potatoes are fork-tender. Remove the bay leaf.
  4. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup, or puree it in batches in a standard blender and return it to the pot. Stir in the lemon juice, nondairy milk, and nutritional yeast. If the soup is thicker than you’d like, stir in more broth as needed to achieve the desired consistency. Season with black pepper to taste, and adjust lemon and salt as needed.
  5. Serve, topped with the chickpeas.
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5 Reviews

Wayne P.
Wayne P. October 12, 2018
A dollop of Greek yogurt makes a nice addition as well
 
Woodrow M.
Woodrow M. June 11, 2018
Am I correct that there is no actual cheese in this recipe? (And in fact no animal dairy at all?) That is fine with me as I am moving to an all-Vegan diet but I was surprised by the recipe title.

I like the idea of trying leek instead of (or maybe in addition to) onion.
 
Woodrow M.
Woodrow M. October 12, 2018
Since my previous question I have now prepared enough vegan recipes to recognize that the “cheesy” flavour comes from the nutritional yeast. Looking forward to trying the recipe.

Regarding the other comments, nothing wrong with blue cheese or Greek yogurt, but the recipe will no longer be vegan (unless you use a plant-based version).
 
Barb
Barb December 16, 2018
The very presence of the Y at the end of the word cheesy means it's not real cheese. Just like bacon-y, or chocolate-y.
 
Douglas B.
Douglas B. March 23, 2018
absolutely lovely !!! I used a leek instead of an onion, and atop the chickpeas also sprinted blue cheese on top YUMEEE