Cheezy Loaded Potato Broccoli Soup: Healthy Makeover Recipe (2024)

Cheezy Loaded Potato Broccoli Soup: Healthy Makeover Recipe (1)
This Cheezy Loaded Potato Broccoli Soup is a wellness-inspired bowl to feel good about. Normally a ‘loaded potato soup’ is super rich and calorie-laden. But this flavorful spin is light and energizing – creamy and cozy – with bold pops of cheezy flavor – bright colors.

Broccoli. Potato. Vegan Cheese. Peppery spices + sassy, smoky toppings.

This “Healthy (Delicious) Makeover” recipe is one of many that you will see popping up on my blog as we sink into the (oh so deliciously indulgent) holiday food season.

Two parts to this post: 1 – the recipe. 2 – my fall wellness mission (And I hope you will join me!)..

PART ONE – my soup recipe

It starts with some potatoes. Fresh and pure..
Cheezy Loaded Potato Broccoli Soup: Healthy Makeover Recipe (2)

And some super food broccoli too..
Cheezy Loaded Potato Broccoli Soup: Healthy Makeover Recipe (3)

Cheezy Loaded Potato Broccoli Soup: Healthy Makeover Recipe (4)

And (in a flash) my healthy-delicious soup is served! warm and inviting..
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(Guilt-Free) Cheezy Potato Soup. This creamy soup starts with fresh, delicious russet potatoes. Pure and simple. Then I add some super food broccoli and blend things into a creamy, silky puree with unsweetened non-dairy milk and some savory veggie broth. Simple accents of pepper, salt, chili and (plenty of) nutritional yeast bring the natural potato + broccoli flavors forward.

And since this is a “loaded” potato soup, I top things off with boldly-flavored smoky tempeh “bacon” bits, carmelized onions, diced tomato and some Daiya cheddar cheese. You can “load” the soup however you’d like, maybe some chopped chives, vegan sour cream or maybe a spoonful of spicy salsa turns your taste buds on. My big soup bowl as shown has only around 250 calories. Rich in nutrients like vitamin C, iron, fiber, protein and calcium.

Creamy Potato Soup. This soup conjures up the decadence of a cheezy-loaded-baked-potato, but in reality, it is quite healthy. Low in calories, high in fiber and rich in whole food nutrients. Give it a go, and “spoon cheers” with me to a healthy fall.

Cheezy Loaded Potato Broccoli Soup: Healthy Makeover Recipe (6)

Nutritional info per bowl (5 bowls per recipe)
Calories: 207 calories, Fat: 2g, Carbs: 40g, Protein: 12g, Fiber: 9g, Vita A: 13%, Calcium: 13%, Iron: 10%, Vitamin C: 147%

Cheezy Loaded Potato Broccoli Soup
vegan, makes about 5 large bowls

2 large russet potatoes, peeled/roughly chopped
4-5 cups broccoli (mostly florets)
1 cup almond or soy milk unsweetened/plain
1 cup+ vegetable broth
1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
½ cup+ nutritional yeast (a must for the ‘cheezy’ flavor)
fresh black pepper to taste

toppings:
1 red onion, chopped
1 small tomato, diced

Optional ingredients below are not included in nutritional analysis:

Soup base flavor enhancers – add to taste:
for spicy accents: add cayenne or chipotle powder
for smoky accents: add a few splashes of liquid smoke
for boosting savory saltiness: add splashes of tamari
for brightening up: a few spoonfuls of apple cider vinegar
for richness: olive oil, vegan mayo, vegan sour cream, Earth Balance or vegan creamer

More toppings:
vegan cheese (Daiya brand used), vegan sour cream, fresh chives, sauteed mushrooms, tempeh bacon bits -> recipe or use prepackaged.

Directions:

1. Boil a large pot of water + a few pinches of salt. enough water to cover the potatoes and broccoli.

2. Prep your veggies. Toss your potato into the boiling water. Cover.

3. After about 5 minutes, add in the broccoli and continue boiling until veggies are tender. Remove from heat. Drain water.

4. Saute the chopped onion until it caramelizes – add some salt and pepper and optional spices to enhance the flavor. Toss in the tomato. Add the Daiya cheese over top to melt. Turn off heat. (Saute in oil if desired – I just used a splash of water to keep oil free.)

5. Add the potato, broccoli, non-dairy milk, veggie broth and nutritional yeast to a blender, like a Vitamix. (Immersion blenders also work.) Blend from low to high until smooth. Blend with extreme caution since contents will be quite hot.

6. Add a few scoops of sauteed onion to the blender and blend. Do a taste test and add in the spices, optional flavor enhancers and salt to taste. Add in more liquid for a creamier or thinner texture.

7. You can serve warm from the blender or simmer in a pot on the stove until ready to serve. To serve, add tomato, onions, melted vegan cheese, tempeh bacon bits and whatever else you’d like to “load” your soup with. Serve with some crusty bread or sprouted grain toast. Vegenaise on toast is a nice accent too. Store covered in the fridge and eat within a few days.

PART TWO: My fall wellness mission..

October is here and I am so ready for some crisp fall breezes, candy-colored sunsets, shuffled fall leaves, autumn harvest produce and hazy-twilight moonlit nights. And this year, a fall wellness infusion!.. (why wait until January, right?)

Wellness Inspired. Every fall, summertime breezes away and foamy lattes, apple pie, pumpkin decadence and holiday menus galore swoop on in. And with the hectic holiday season usually comes elevated stress levels, less time to work out, eat right and just BREATHE.

So this year, I’m motivated to do things a bit differently. First off, on my blog, I’ll be amping up the number of healthy-delicious holiday-makeover recipes available to you all.

And personally, I’m hoping to keep some balance in my life as the seasons change. Nothing is worse than powering through these busy months running on fumes and feeling beat, tired, spent and stressed.

So if you want to join me, lets try to amp up wellness.

“Amping up wellness” will be different for everyone. Maybe you want to cook more meals at home, cut back on sugar, skip the Starbucks runs, get more cardio, build muscle, lose a few pounds, ZEN out, laugh more, have more date nights, spend more family time, take some adventures or maybe just breathe a bit deeper.

So, if you want to play along… STOP everything right now and scribble out a list of wellness goals. Go on, I’ll wait. Scribble out at least five things you’d like to do more of these coming weeks. (OK, you can iPhone type them up if you’d prefer.) And keep that list handy – where you can see it everyday and remind yourself to join me in trying to achieve those goals. And if you want to share your goals in the comments I’d LOVE to hear them!

And if you do just one small thing a day to meet those goals – you are on the right track! And BRAVO to you.

Here is my list (it is kind of long..)

1. More Exercise. (Even 20 minutes a day to get my blood flowing!)
2. Drink more water. More water. More water.
3. Less sugar + caffeine as energizers. (More matcha!) 🙂
4. Less stressing + more DE-stressing. SLOW down.
5. More breathing. DEEP breathing.
1a. More exercise (yes, I’m saying that TWICE.)
6. More laughter.
7. More family time. Tech-device-free!
8. Take my vitamins + load up on wellness foods.
9. Get some “Kathy Joy” time at least once a day. (reading, movie, nap, bubble bath..)
10. Dream up more “HEALTHY MAKEOVER” recipes for my amazing blog readers!

My recent Instagrams are proof I’m trying to get there.. (follow me!)..

Cheezy Loaded Potato Broccoli Soup: Healthy Makeover Recipe (7)

I hope you will try to amp up your wellness with me this fall! Lets do it! Together 🙂

And more of that super soup..

Cheezy Loaded Potato Broccoli Soup: Healthy Makeover Recipe (8)

Cheezy Loaded Potato Broccoli Soup: Healthy Makeover Recipe (9)

Cheezy Loaded Potato Broccoli Soup: Healthy Makeover Recipe (10)

Cheezy Loaded Potato Broccoli Soup: Healthy Makeover Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How to improve bland potato soup? ›

Your potato soup is bland? Try adding a little more salt. That's usually the answer to any issue of blandness, no matter the recipe in question. A basic Appalachian style potato soup uses only a handful of simple ingredients, leaning on milk and water and often bouillon to create the brothy soup base.

What is loaded potato soup made of? ›

This creamy soup is a comfort dish ideal for chilly days. It contains all the flavors of a baked potato but can be made in a fraction of the time. Onions, celery, and bacon add powerful flavors to the tender potatoes, while cream, cheddar cheese, and parsley bring the finishing touches.

What can I add to potato soup to add flavor? ›

Add milk, potatoes, Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard, allspice, celery seed, thyme, seasoning salt, dry white wine, cayenne pepper and chicken granules. Allow to simmer and thicken, stirring frequently, until the potatoes are cooked through, approximately 25 minutes.

What can I add to potato soup for flavor without? ›

Use plenty of cream combined with milk, lots of cheddar cheese, garlic, ground black pepper, salt to taste, creamery butter and parsley. Don't forget the potatoes boiled than baked into the soup.

What is a good thickener for potato soup? ›

Add Flour Or Cornstarch

You can thicken soup by adding flour, cornstarch, or another starchy substitute. For the best results, never add flour or cornstarch directly to your soup. If you do, it will clump up on top. Instead, ladle a small amount of broth into a separate bowl and let it cool.

What goes good with loaded potato soup? ›

What To Serve With Potato Soup (16 Perfect Sides)
  • Spinach & Artichoke Grilled Cheese Sandwich.
  • Homemade Artisan Bread.
  • Garlic, Rosemary & Herb Foccacia.
  • Classic Ruben Sandwich.
  • Wild Rice Salad.
  • Walnut Cranberry Kale Salad.
  • Apple & Cheddar Crisp Salad.
  • Autumn Chopped Salad.
May 3, 2023

Is potato soup good or bad for you? ›

Potato soup can provide a number of benefits, including being a good source of fiber, vitamin C, and potassium. It can also be a comforting and satisfying meal, especially during cold weather.

How to make can potato soup taste better? ›

ADD ACID

Fresh lemon juice: this is best to add at the end of cooking, otherwise the lemon flavor can become bitter. Cooking Vinegars: such as balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, or even apple cider vinegar. Hot sauce: helps to add both acid and heat, so you're getting even more bang for your buck.

How do I fix bland tasting soup? ›

Add acidic ingredients.

Foods that have a great deal of acidity, like lemon juice, vinegar, white wine, and tomato puree, can help liven up the flavor of bland-tasting bone and other broths. "The acidity of these ingredients works to complement and enhance the broth's flavors, not mask it.

How can I add flavor to tasteless soup? ›

A little tomato sauce, garlic, salt, and bay leaves while cooking was Patty's recommendation. Barbara said, “I add a beef billion cube, oregano, basil and garlic.” That would definitely spice up the soup. The bullion usually adds a lot of sodium so you get a lot of salty flavor. “Six pepper, sparingly”, Laureen said.

How do you fix bland potatoes? ›

If you don't add enough salt, the potatoes will be bland. It's surprising that such a simple ingredient would make a big difference, but it will. Adding salt to the cooking water also helps the potatoes could faster and break apart better, resulting in fluffier and creamier mashed potatoes.

References

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