Broccoli “Cheesy” Soup – Gluten-free & Dairy-free

I was thrown a bit of a curve ball at the start of the year.  I found out that my daughter has a bunch of her own food sensitivities, fun fun.  We are playing with eliminating dairy, eggs, grains, and almonds for a few months and doing some repair on her gut.  One of the first things I wanted to tackle was her favorite soup, broccoli cheese.  We’ve been researching vegan cheeses, and have yet to find one that we like for taste and nutritional content.  Not my favorite.  I discovered that raw cashews give a creamy and cheesy taste/texture to this soup.  I also love that this recipe is then completely paleo!

Almost Vegan Broccoli “Cheesy” Soup

1 large onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbs olive oil

1 large bunch of broccoli, stems and florets separated and chopped into bite sized pieces

8 cups chicken stock (or veggie stock, or vegan bouillon)

2 cups raw cashews

salt

pepper

onion powder

garlic powder

Heat oil in large soup pot over medium-high heat.  Add onion and broccoli stems and saute until soft, about 8 minutes.  Add garlic and saute for additional minute.  Pour in chicken stock or broth, add broccoli florets and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for an additional 10 minutes.  While broccoli is simmering, grind raw cashews in food processor or blender until finely ground and a paste begins to form.  Add cashew paste to soup and stir to combine.  Soup will begin to thicken.  Season with salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder if needed.  Serve hot.