Broccoli and Faux Cheese Sauce Soup for One

This little treat doesn’t take long to whip up, and you’ll be glad you did! Broccoli is available most of the year, too. Best of all, the “cheese” sauce makes extra, so plan to drizzle it over a pizza, toast, potatoes, steamed veggies, or scrambled tofu!

For the Soup:

1 TBLSP olive oil

¼ medium sweet onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1 rib celery, chopped

1 cup broccoli florets, chopped

1/3 cup peeled and chopped celeriac (or potato)

1 ½ cup water (or vegetable broth)

½ TBLSP nutritional yeast

Juice of one lemon wedge

Pinch of onion powder

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 TBLSP fresh parsley, minced, plus more for garnish

For the Cheese Sauce:

½ cup almond milk (or other non-dairy milk)

2 teaspoons all-purpose flour (or any gluten-free option--even corn-starch will work)

1 teaspoon non-dairy butter

¼ cup nutritional yeast

1 teaspoon plus 1/3 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Pinch of garlic powder

Pinch of onion powder

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Make the Soup:

1. In a skillet, heat the oil, onion, and garlic over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes.
2. Add in the celery, broccoli, and celeriac, and cook for another 5 minutes.
3. Add the water and nutritional yeast and cook, covered, for about 15 minutes, until the celeriac is fork-tender. Toss the parsley in at the last minute, so it just wilts but doesn’t cook all the way soft.

Make the Cheese Sauce:

1. In a small bowl, whisk the milk and flour together until the clumps are all gone.
2. In a small pot, melt the faux butter over medium heat. Add in the flour and milk mixture, and mix thoroughly.
3. Add in the nutritional yeast and reduce the heat to low.
4. Add the mustard, garlic and onion powders, and salt and pepper, and whisk frequently, until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes.
5. Remove from heat once thick or it will burn.

Assemble the Soup:

1. Transfer the soup to a blender or use an immersion blender, and whirl away until almost smooth.
2. Put it in your serving bowl, and drizzle the cheese sauce over the top. Garnish with chopped parsley.