Vegan Cheesy Smoky Chipotle Potato Cabbage Soup
I had an interesting experience this morning. I tried a new vegan egg product that some people have been raving about. It’s a little out of my wheel house as I try to stay with real, whole food. Food that hasn’t been processed. I believe that a whole food, plant based diet is the optimal diet for us. Any time you start trying to make a whole out of parts (think soy protein isolates which are used in so many processed soy vegan products and are not healthy for us), you have seriously altered food’s relationship to the body.
When I took T. Collin Campbell’s Plant Based Nutrition Certification program, this was the one of the most important thing that I learned. You see, when you start taking food apart, molecularly, the body doesn’t recognize it as food anymore. And it doesn’t respond to it as it would in it’s whole form. So processed food really is the enemy. Even if it is vegan processed food.
Back to the eggs. It would be an understatement if I said I was disappointed. They looked fantastic. Just like scrambled eggs. But the taste…nothing like I remember. Even tossed with beautifully sautéed mushrooms, I found it not to my liking at all. My tastebuds are geared towards real food and all I tasted was fake.
I understand the argument for processed vegan food. They are said to be “transitional” foods for people who are starting on their vegan journey but don’t want to give up their animal based foods. They want chicken substitutions, and meat substitutions, etc. So these products fill a void. Unfortunately, not in a healthy way.
My wish is that people would concentrate on eating real, whole plant based food. The wonderful thing is that the further along you get on your journey, the more you adapt. You no longer miss the heavily salted, heavy processed food. You crave healthy, whole food. When you have an arsenal of good recipes, you don’t need the processed stuff any more.
So you make a cashew cheese sauce. Does it taste like a traditional cheese sauce? No. But it still tastes great. Just in a different way.
Which is how this whole recipe started. I was in the kitchen, making a chipotle cheese spread. I like to have one on hand to satisfy my snacking urges. A couple of crackers with a great cashew cheese spread goes a very long way when you are having a snack attack. I also love to have it on hand to add to potatoes, or pour over other veggies.
At the same time I was making this chipotle cheese spread, I had a huge pot of potato cabbage soup going on the stove. I was so happy with my mushroom miso cleansing soup, I decided to make another version, this time with potatoes and fennel.
The soup was done and tasting delicious. The chipotle spread was done and tasting delicious. And then it happened. I looked at the soup, then back at the spread. Back to the soup and then back to the spread again. I couldn’t resist. I dropped a spoonful of the spread into my bowl of hot soup and oh boy. It was perfection.
So today I am actually bringing you three recipes. The soup, the sauce, and the soup with sauce!
What are your favorite combinations? What are your favorite recipes to keep the snack monster at bay? I would love to hear!
Great Uses for Smokey Cheesy Cashew Spread
- Put it in soup.
- Top baked potatoes with it.
- Use it as a sandwich spread.
- Stir it into veggie noodles for a delicious creamy sauce.
- Spread it on crackers and top with your favorite veggie.
Vegan Cheesy Smoky Chipotle Potato Cabbage Soup
Serves 8
Soup
- 1 large sweet onion, diced
- 3 ribs celery, diced
- 1 large head napa cabbage, sliced into 1/2 in slices (you can use regular cabbage)
- 6 medium potatoes, cubed (I used a combination of yellow and red potatoes with skin on)
- 1 bulb fennel, cut in half then sliced (optional)
- 1/4 cup fresh veggie bouillon (recipe here) or 2 teaspoons dried vegan bouillon
- Himalayan salt and pepper to taste
- Heat a large, heavy pot over medium heat.
- Dry sauté the onion and celery. Add a little water if necessary to prevent sticking.
- Add cabbage, potatoes, fennel and fresh boullion.
- Cover with water so that all veggies are submerged by 1-inch. Add more water if necessary as soup cooks.
- Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
- Remove half the soup to blender and blend until smooth or use an immersion blender to blend. Make sure you leave half unblended.
- To serve, ladle into a bowl and stir in 1 spoonful of the chipotle cheese sauce.
Chipotle Cashew Cheese Sauce
- 1 cup cashews, soaked overnight, drained and rinsed
- 1 lemon, juice from
- 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 cup nutritional flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder
- Place all ingredients in high-speed blender. Blend until smooth.
Penny Doverspike wrote on August 14, 2018
I am allergic to nutritional yeast, what can I use instead.
Kim wrote on January 11, 2017
Hey, first and foremost, really appreciate you. I wish u many blessings, you really are helping us. I’m excited to eat raw, excited to be healthy. The roadblock I’ve been coming into with a lot of these meals are the nuts. I’m allergic, do you have any suggestions in how I can alter the recipe.? What can I replace cashews and almonds with?
Susanne Moore wrote on September 5, 2017
Just a thought, cauliflower rice?
Susan wrote on September 6, 2017
Yum!
Zdenka wrote on January 29, 2016
Hello Susan! ?
I just finished eating this soup I just made.And have to tell you that was the best vegan soup I ever ate.
I am so delighted by the creamy texture and for me is even better then creamy texture made by just regular animal milk or cream.
Thank you for the recipe.
Zdenka.
Susan wrote on January 29, 2016
Hi, Zdenka! I am so happy to hear that. It is amazing what can be made vegan. Cheers!
Chrystal wrote on December 11, 2015
This is awesome! I’m making it tomorrow , soaking my cashews tonight. You always have great food on here. I haven’t made anything I haven’t loved. Thank you so much. I’m transitioning to vegan and you have made it fun and easy.
Susan wrote on January 29, 2016
Hi, Crystal, What kind words! I really appreciate it. It is always good to know people are liking the recipes. Thanks for letting me know. 🙂
Aging Ophelia wrote on December 11, 2015
Good sounding combo– I love when that kind of creative moment occurs; and I find that the more often I’m cooking fresh from scratch using whatever is to hand, the more often it happens. What a lovely looking trio of recipes! Can’t wait to try that cashew spread.
Susan wrote on January 29, 2016
Thanks so much, Ophelia! I love that kitchen “magic” too! 🙂
Laura Black wrote on December 10, 2015
Hey Susan! I’m loving these recipes and I love making cashew cheese spreads. They are awesome! One question though, I’ve rarely used liquid smoke and when I did it was my pre-Vegan days. What is it? And it’s obviously “okay” to use otherwise you wouldn’t have it in your recipe. Could you enlighten me, please?
Susan wrote on December 10, 2015
Hi, Laura, Liquid Smoke is actually made from smoke and water. It is then filtered to remove the offending particles and is considered to be safe in reasonable amounts. You wouldn’t want to over do it but honestly, you don’t need much! A little goes a very long way. Cheers!
Laura Black wrote on December 11, 2015
Thanks Susan! Good to know.
jacqueline wrote on January 26, 2016
And would smoked paprika not work just as well?
Barbara Weotj wrote on December 10, 2015
Hi Susan,
Wow! I haven’t tried this soup yet, but it looks and sounds fabulous — perfect comfort
food for those chilly winter nights. Now you’ve got me so hungry, I might have to make
a batch right now!
Susan wrote on December 10, 2015
Thanks so much, Barbara! I am enjoying it right now. I know you will too! 🙂
Agnes Mulloy wrote on December 10, 2015
Hi, Your link for the veggie bullion does not work.
Thanks,
AM
Jerrilyn wrote on January 12, 2018
hi, making the soup now. looking forward to tasting it, and wondering at what stage you recommend adding the veggie bullion. thanks 🙂
Susan wrote on December 10, 2015
Thanks for letting me know! It’s updated now. 🙂