Smoky Vegan Broccoli Soup

Step 1

If you are making the tempeh "croutons" - start steaming them before starting on the soup. Then in the last few minutes the soup is simmering, start pan frying the tempeh. See below for instructions.

Step 2

In a soup pot over medium-high heat, sauté the onion and celery in 1/4 cup vegetable broth (or 1 tablespoon oil) for 5 minutes until starting to soften.

Step 3

Add the minced garlic, smoked paprika, chili powder, salt and pepper and sauté 1 to 2 minutes.

Step 4

Add the chopped broccoli and remaining 3 cups of vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 15 minutes until broccoli is tender.

Step 5

Add the non-dairy milk and using an immersion blender, purée the soup until smooth. Alternately, you can carefully transfer the soup to a blender to purée. (You'll likely get a smoother texture with a blender, but I prefer an immersion blender for ease and clean up.)

Step 6

Add the tempeh to a steamer basket and steam for 15 to 20 minutes. (This step is optional, but will help to mellow out the bitterness that tempeh can have.)

Step 7

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon oil, smoked paprika, and chipotle powder. Stir to combine.

Step 8

Add the cubed and steamed tempeh and pan fry for 3 to 4 minutes until golden brown. Flip the pieces over and fry another 3 to 4 minutes. Add another tablespoon of oil when you flip them if the pan is dry.

Step 9

Ladle the soup into individual bowls and top with several tempeh "croutons." (The tempeh croutons will start losing their crunch once they hit the hot soup, so add them just before serving).