This Keto Dairy-Free Broccoli Cheese Soup is just as good (if not better!) than the one served at Panera Bread! Perfectly seasoned broccoli soup with a deliciously cheesy taste...no one will ever know it is dairy-free! Also, with a secret ingredient, this Dairy-Free Broccoli Cheese Soup is SUPER creamy!!
I have yet another confession...
This recipe is not my own but one that I copied and adapted to create a dairy-free version.
I mean, let's face it, this Copycat Panera Bread Broccoli Cheese Soup has gotten 5/5 star reviews from over 550 people so why mess with it?
Well, because this recipe contains flour and dairy.
Why create a Keto Dairy-Free Broccoli Cheese Soup?
With over 65% of the American population having a sensitivity to dairy, I figured that these poor people needed to be able to taste a soup that is by far, the most popular item at Panera Bread.
By swapping out the dairy products with coconut milk and using dairy-free cheese, now all the dairy-free people of the world get to have a Broccoli Cheese Soup that is as good (if not better) than Panera Bread.
What ingredients do you need to make this Keto Dairy-Free Broccoli Cheese Soup?
- palm oil
- onion
- garlic
- low-sodium vegetable stock (chicken stock may be substituted)
- full-fat canned coconut milk
- frozen broccoli (or fresh)
- dairy-free cheddar cheese
- salt, pepper, nutmeg and smoked paprika
What is Palm Shortening and Palm Oil?
According to The Paleo Mom, palm shortening is palm oil with some of the unsaturated fats removed so that it is even more stable and has a thick, luxurious texture that is perfect for baking. The purpose of palm shortening is to replace traditional shortening, which is ridden with trans fats from industrial processing.
Why is Palm Oil and Shortening so controversial?
- Palm oil is an edible vegetable oil that comes from the fruit grown on the African oil palm tree.
- The trees, which were previously found only in Africa, are now grown in Asia, North America and South America - coinciding with the increasing demand for the versatile oil.
- Unfortunately, the demand for palm oil has grown so much that it has resulted in deforestation in order to grow more oil palm trees
- Deforestation has led to a decrease in rain forest land as well as a decrease in all the creatures living in the rain forests.
So, what can I do to make sure that I am not buying a product that is harmful to the environment?
Luckily, the WWF has a Palm Oil Buyers Scorecard.
This Palm Oil Scorecard is a much-needed assessment of companies’ actions taken on their own supply chain and beyond to support the wider industry, moving companies from mere risk mitigation for their own supply chain towards being pro-environment and pro-people.
What Palm Oil Shortening do I use and why?
I use Nutiva Organic Shortening which is:
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a creamy blend of red palm and coconut oils
-
100% less cholesterol than butter
-
an organic super-food
-
USDA approved organic
-
fair for life ( a brand-neutral third-party certification program for social accountability and fair trade in agricultural, manufacturing and trading operations as well an environmentally responsible)
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non-GMO project certified
-
kosher
Why does this Keto Dairy-Free Broccoli Cheese Soup call for Low Sodium Broth?
I like to use low sodium broth so that I can control the amount of salt in a recipe. Also, the dairy-free cheese in this recipe also contains sodium so low sodium broth ensures that this soup does not turn out too salty.
Low sodium broths contain about 40-100 mg of salt per serving. Regular broth can contain up to 960 mg of salt!
If you don't have any low sodium broth, use regular broth but omit any additional salt and only add it after the soup is done.
What is Full-Fat Canned Coconut Milk?
Canned coconut milk is NOT the same as the coconut milk that you find next to Almond Milk.
Canned coconut milk is MUCH thicker and can not be replaced in this recipe if you are wanting a thick and creamy soup.
What type of cheese is dairy-free?
I used Follow Your Heart Vegan Cheddar cheese but there are many other brands on today's market.
When looking for Dairy-free cheese, it is usually found in the vegan section of your grocery store and NOT in the dairy section.
How do you make this Keto Dairy-Free Broccoli Cheese Soup?
- Sauté onion in the palm shortening/oil
- Slowly add in the vegetable stock and whisk again to combine
- Add the broccoli and the sauteed onions into the pot.
- Stir in the coconut milk
- Cook covered over low heat for 20-25 minutes but do not bring to a boil (This may cause the milk to curdle)
- Add salt, pepper, smoked paprika and nutmeg.
- Add 1 cup of the soup and combine it with the avocado in a high-speed blender
- Blend until all the ingredients have been broken down
- Return the blended mixture to the pot and stir to incorporate
- Continue to cook the soup on low heat and slowly add the grated cheese a handful at a time and stir to avoid clumps.
- Once all the cheese has been added is melted, remove from heat, and serve immediately
- Refrigerate leftovers after they have cooled and store in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator
Tips, Tricks and Substitutions:
- you can use fresh or frozen broccoli - If using frozen broccoli, it may take a little longer to get the soup to simmer initially
- don't let the soup boil or it may curdle
- feel free to use heavy cream instead of coconut milk if you are not sensitive to dairy
- if you want an even thicker soup, you can add some mashed avocado
- add additional salt and pepper to suit your taste
- I like to add a little hot sauce to my soup to make it slightly spicier
If you like this Keto Dairy-Free Broccoli Cheese Soup, you may also enjoy:
Whole30 Leftover Ham Bone Soup
Dairy-Free Garlic Shrimp Scampi Recipe
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The BEST Broccoli Cheese Soup - Dairy-Free!
This Keto Dairy-Free Broccoli Cheese Soup is just as good (if not better!) than the one served at Panera Bread! Perfectly seasoned broccoli soup with a deliciously cheesy taste...no one will ever know it is dairy-free!
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 8 cups 1x
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon palm oil
- 1 small sweet yellow onion, diced small
- 2 clove garlic, peeled and minced finely
- 2 cups low-sodium vegetable stock (chicken stock may be substituted)
- 13.5 (406 ml) oz canned full-fat coconut milk
- 16 oz (454g) broccoli florets, diced into bite-size pieces
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- 8 oz dairy-free cheddar cheese (such as Daiya)
Instructions
- Sauté onion in 1 tablespoon of palm oil (or olive oil). Once the onion has softened (about 5 minutes) add in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. Slowly add in the vegetable stock and whisk to combine. Add the chopped broccoli to the pot and stir in the coconut milk. Bring the soup to a simmer.
- Cook covered over low heat for 20-25 minutes but do not bring to a boil (This may cause the milk to curdle)
- Add salt, pepper, smoked paprika and nutmeg and stir to incorporate.
- Place 2 cups of the soup in a high-speed blender. Blend until all the ingredients have been pureed. Return the blended mixture to the pot and stir to incorporate
- Continue to cook the soup on low heat and slowly add the grated cheese a handful at a time and stir to avoid clumps.
- Once all the cheese has been added is melted, remove from heat, and serve immediately
- Refrigerate leftovers after they have cooled and store in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator
Notes
- you can use fresh or frozen broccoli - If using frozen broccoli, it may take a little longer to get the soup to simmer initially
- don't let the soup boil or it may curdle
- feel free to use heavy cream instead of coconut milk if you are not sensitive to dairy
- add additional salt and pepper to suit your taste
- I like to add a little hot sauce to my soup to make it slightly spicier
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 20
- Category: Main Meals, Soups
- Method: Stove-top
- Cuisine: Dairy-free American
- Diet: Vegan
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 125
- Sugar: 2
- Fat: 8
- Carbohydrates: 4
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 4
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