It’s January and it’s cold. Even in Southern California, it’s been coldish. I’m talking days in the 60’s (don’t hate…for us, that’s cold!) and for once, lots of rain! Time to break out the InstantPot and make a big batch of comfort, I mean, soup! Broccoli soup is oh so good when it’s cold outside, and this recipe is hearty enough to call a meal. It’s healthy too! Most broccoli soups call for heavy cream, chicken stock and cheese to make them creamy. My recipe is creamy because I puree lots of veggies! We’re talking onions, garlic, broccoli, cauliflower, and a Japanese yam (or a potato) and then we add brown rice, and vegan chicken, and it’s all cooked to perfection in a broth. The chicken and rice are optional, but they really make this soup into a hearty meal. Better yet, it’s really quick and easy to make. You can make this soup on the stove top, or if you prefer, you can add the ingredients to the instant pot and go do something else while it cooks! 
Any of you guys do the pressure cooking thing? I got an Instant Pot as a Christmas gift, and I have to say I was hooked on it after I made my first batch of perfectly cooked rice in it. In case you aren’t familiar with the Instant Pot, it’s a wonderful new electric pressure cooker. When I make soup, I usually think that it tastes better the next day, after all of the flavors have really settled in. When you cook in a pressure cooker, you get that awesome, rich, day after flavor, in just a few minutes! It’s really kind of amazing, and I’m loving exploring this new world of cooking! You can also make yogurt in it, and I’m so going to try that!
You won’t believe how easy it is to make this decadent soup! You start by sauteing the onion and garlic, and after that’s done, you add the rest of the spices, and the broccoli, cauliflower and Japanese Yam, and the liquids.
You can Saute in the Instant Pot!
If you are using the Instant Pot or pressure cooker method, cook it for 6 minutes (that’s actual cook time, it takes the pot a little while longer to build up pressure). When it’s done, carefully release the pressure per the instructions for your device. (I ACTUALLY read the instruction manual for the Instant Pot! be proud of me, people! I hate reading instructions for electronics!! I really only read these because pressure cookers need to be handled properly. I let my husband read the directions for everything else, and just give me the bullet points… Love him!!)
So when that’s all done, you use an immersion blender to puree it. If you don’t have an immersion blender, you could wait for the soup to cool a bit and then transfer it to a blender.
After it’s all smooth and pretty, you can stir in some cooked brown rice, (you could cook it ahead of time in the Instant Pot, on the stove, or microwave some frozen rice), and some vegan chicken! I use Beyond Meat Lightly Seasoned Chicken strips, and I dice them after they are thawed. The Instant Pot has a warming feature (it will hold your food at temperature for 10 hours!) and I find that if I toss the chicken and rice in there after the cook time is finished, and then I get my table ready, the chicken and rice are ready with the rest of the soup. Or if you are in a hurry, you could heat them separately and then stir them in and serve immediately. I like Beyond Meat Chicken Strips because they are gluten free, and you can buy them at Whole Foods and Target!! It’s so cool that Target is getting so many healthy items! You can use whatever brand you like though, the basic soup recipe is the important part for the flavor!
I garnished with parsley and vegan cheese for the photos. You really don’t need cheese or anything else for this soup, but I have to say that after I tried the styled soup with a little cheese on top, it was RIDICULOUS! Either way, you’re going to be a happy camper with this soup!
I tend to make big meals when I can, so that I have leftovers for my hungry guys, so this recipe is perfect. It yields 8-10 servings, so it will feed a family of 4 twice! (hands clapping!!) You can also freeze it if you like!
Do you have an Instant Pot? Are you loving it? Would you like more recipes for a pressure cooker? What kinds of recipes are you looking for? Leave me a comment and let me know! Also, I’m kind of obsessed with my new toy, and I will be posting more recipes like this one soon, so make sure to subscribe with your email, so you don’t miss a single recipe! Thanks for reading!! Stay warm! 🙂
- 1 Tbls. vegan margarine or vegetable oil
- 1 small white onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, diced
- 64 oz. mushroom broth (such as Pacific Foods Organic Mushroom broth - 2 boxes)
- 1 C water
- 1 C Unsweetened Almond milk, or other unsweetened non-dairy milk
- 2 large bunches of broccoli (4 heads), florets only
- 1 head of cauliflower, florets only
- 1 medium sized Japanese Yam or yukon gold potato, peeled and cut into chunks (diced, if you are cooking stove top)
- 2 C prepared brown rice
- 1 pkg. Beyond Meat Lightly Seasoned Chicken Strips, thawed and diced
- 1 chicken flavored bouillon cube (I use Not-Chick'n by Edward and Sons)
- 2 Tbls. low sodium Tamari (or gluten free lite soy sauce)
- ½ tsp. salt (I use pink salt)
- 3 tsp. nutritional yeast (opt.)
- 1 tsp. Spike seasoning
- dash of black pepper
- Instant Pot Directions:
- Add margarine to stainless steel insert, and press the saute button. When margarine melts, add the diced onion. Saute until softened, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and saute for another minute. Press Cancel on Pot to shut it off. Add broccoli and cauliflower florets, and yam/potato. Add the tamari, salt, pepper, Spike, nutritional yeast, and bouillon cube. Pour the broth, milk, and water into the pot. Secure the lid and press Manual, and then press the (-) button to set the time for 6 minutes. Pot will say On. It will take about 15 minutes to come up to temperature and build pressure. It will cook for 6 minutes and beep when done, at which point it will say LO and a number, which indicates how long the warming cycle has been going. It will stay warm up to 10 hours or until you shut it off. Gently release the pressure by carefully and gradually opening the vent. READ YOUR INSTRUCTIONS and BE CAREFUL not to burn yourself with steam! It is safe to open when the steam stops coming out of the vent and the stainless plug next to it lowers back into the starting position.
- Open the pot, and use an immersion blender to puree the soup. When desired consistency is reached, stir in your cooked brown rice and vegan chicken. If they aren't already warm, wait about 10 minutes before serving.
- Stove Top:
- In a large pot, (at least 6 Qt.) saute onion in margarine or vegetable oil over a medium heat until tender. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Reduce heat and veggies and liquids. Add spices, tamari, bouillon cube, and nutritional yeast. Add liquids. Add lid and simmer until all veggies are soft, about 25 + minutes. Turn heat off, and carefully use an immersion blender to puree your soup. When desired consistency is reached, stir in brown rice and vegan chicken. If Rice and chicken aren't already warm, return to heat for about 5 minutes.
* This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click through, and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission from Amazon. It helps me keep the blog running, so if you do purchase after reading my post, that’s awesome, thanks! Most importantly, I just want to inspire you, and be inspired by you. I never endorse products that I don’t use, or don’t believe in. When I do find something that I’m passionate about, I like to share it with my readers. 🙂
Angel McNall is the author and photographer of High Vibe Lifestyle. For over 20 years, Angel has been teaching people how to live more vibrantly by eating a plant based diet, and using plant based medicine. 
