With a whole new round of winter weather dumping even more snow on southern states this week and temperatures continuing to drop up north, we have just what you need to get warm during this cold snap. Check out our five favorite vegan soup recipes below…all of which can be made in 30 minutes or less!  That means you can have a quick, plant-based, tasty and comforting bowl of soup sitting in front of you before you know it. We bet you’ll feel warmer just reading about them.

To get even more delicious vegan recipes, check out our two cookbooks in our online store and visit our Pinterest page for more plant-based dishes and our favorite vegan restaurants. 

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Hearty Chili

This one is a great candidate for any cook-off. If you enjoy intense heat, try adding one habanero pepper instead of the Serrano pepper.

Two 16-ounce cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained; or a combina­tion of pinto and black beans

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, coarsely chopped

2 medium carrots, finely chopped

2 ribs celery, with leaves, finely chopped

1 medium green bell pepper, seeded and chopped.

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons chili powder 2 teaspoons ground cumin 2 teaspoons dried oregano 2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon salt

1⁄8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or more to taste

16-ounce can tomato sauce

2 medium tomatoes or one 14-ounce can unsweetened Italian tomatoes, coarsely chopped

1 cup vegetable broth

3 fresh Serrano peppers, diced

1 cup cashews

Preparation:

In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, bell pepper, garlic, and chili peppers, cover, and cook for about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add the chili powder, cumin, oregano, bay leaves, salt, and pepper, and stir for 30 seconds. Stir in the beans, tomato sauce, tomatoes, vegetable broth and peppers. Cook partially covered, until thickened about 20 minutes. Stir in the cashews and cook for 5 minutes or until heated thoroughly. Remove the bay leaves and serve immediately.

Cream of Broccoli Soup

Serves 6

1 cup raw cashews

5 cups vegetable stock or vegetable bouillon

2 medium boiling potatoes, unpeeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 bunch broccoli, trimmed and coarsely chopped

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Preparation:

Blend the cashews with a cup of the vegetable stock in a blender for about a minute, until you have a smooth consistency. Place the remaining 4 cups vegetable stock with the potatoes and onion in a large pot. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the broccoli and basil and return to a simmer. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes until the potatoes are tender. Stir in the reserved cashew mixture, the salt, and pepper and bring just to a simmer.

Let the mixture cool slightly. Transfer about half of the soup to a blender and lightly purée. Return the purée to the pot and stir well. Serve immediately.

 

Cream of Cauliflower Soup with Chives

4 leeks, mostly white parts, well rinsed and chopped 

1/2 cup celery root, diced

1/2 cup fennel, diced

2 to 3 tablespoons soy margarine

1 head cauliflower, broken into large florets

6 cups vegetable broth

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

1 cup soy milk creamer

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Cream of Cauliflower is known to many chefs as Crème DuBarry, after a noble of Louis IV’s day. Celery root and fennel add an unusual zing to this version of a traditionally understated recipe.

Preparation:

Cook the leeks, celery root, and fennel in the margarine over medium-low heat in an uncovered large pot for about 10 minutes, until the vegetables become tender. Add the cauliflower and cook for 10 additional minutes. Add the vegetable broth, salt, pepper and thyme, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 30 to 40 minutes, until vegetables are very soft. In a food processor, purée the soup until smooth. Return the purée to the pot, add the non-dairy creamer, and warm on medium until heated throughout. Adjust seasoning to taste, and sprinkle chives over the top.

 

Carrot and Potato Soup

This soup brings a hint of ginger and spice to the popular combination of carrots and potatoes. As always, we recommend using organic olive oil.

A dash of cold-pressed olive oil

3 to 5 carrots, chopped 1 onion, sliced

3 to 5 potatoes, cubed

1 clove garlic, minced

6 cups vegetable stock

1/4 teaspoon powdered ginger

2 teaspoons curry powder A few dashes of tamari Sea salt

Ground pepper

Preparation:

In a soup pot, sauté the onions and garlic in oil. Add the vegetable stock, carrots, and potatoes, and bring to a boil. Lower to simmer and add curry, ginger, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook the mixture until the potatoes are tender. Take out half of the solids, and purée in a food processor or blender. Return the purée to the pot. Heat thoroughly.