Creamy vegan broccoli soup

Ingredients

For 4 servings.

Volume measures: 1 cup = 240 ml; 1 tbsp = 15 ml; 1 tsp = 5 ml. Use gram quantities where provided.

• 2 tbsp olive oil for the soup
• 1 medium onion and 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/4 tsp chilli flakes, optional
• 60 ml vegan dry white wine, optional
• 450 g broccoli, including thinly sliced stems
• 1 can white beans, 425 g, drained
• 140 g raw cashews
• 840 ml vegan vegetable stock, plus more if needed
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, or fine salt to taste, and pepper
• 20 g basil leaves
• 1 tsp soy sauce and 1/2–1 tsp vegan Dijon mustard
• 20 g nutritional yeast
• 1–2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp olive oil for the topping, plus a drizzle to serve
• 70 g pine nuts or chopped cashews
• 60 g vegan panko
• 1/4 tsp optional chilli flakes and 1/4 tsp flaky salt for the topping
• Vegan bread to serve

Step-by-step method

1. Cook onion in the soup oil for about 6 minutes. Add garlic and chilli and stir for another 1–2 minutes.
2. Pour in wine, or a little stock, and scrape the base. Reduce the liquid for about 3 minutes.
3. Add broccoli and stir for 2 minutes. Add beans, cashews, stock, salt and pepper; simmer partly covered for 15 minutes until broccoli softens.
4. For the topping, heat reserved oil and toast pine nuts for 2–3 minutes. Add panko and stir for another 2–3 minutes; season with chilli and flaky salt and immediately remove from the pan.
5. Blend soup with basil, soy, mustard, nutritional yeast and one tablespoon of lemon, in batches if necessary, allowing steam to escape from the jug.
6. Adjust consistency with stock and add lemon or salt to taste. Serve with the crisp topping, a drizzle of oil and bread.