Potato Broccoli Bisque with Carmelized Onions

I love creamy, thick soups in the fall - especially if I know they don't have actual cream in them so I can eat as much as I want without feeling guilty. One way to achieve that really thick "bisque-y" consistency is with potatoes. I tried this potato-broccoli soup and loved it, especially with the carmelized onion/tomato topping and a little squirt of balsamic vinegar. Plus, it's really easy. All you need is a pot and a blender!

"Cheesy" Potato Broccoli Bisque

Ingredients:

-2 large Russet potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped

-5 cups broccoli florets

-1 1/2 cups soy milk (unsweetened)

-1 1/2 cups vegetable broth

-1 1/2 tsp salt (maybe more, to taste)

-2/3 cup nutritional yeast flakes

-fresh black pepper to taste

-1 tsp chipotle Tabasco sauce

-1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

-1/8 tsp liquid smoke

-1 tsp apple cider vinegar

Ingredients for topping:

-1 small red onion, roughly diced

-1 medium tomato, diced

-3/4 tsp salt

-2 tbsp olive oil

-1/4 cup shredded vegan cheese (optional)

Method:

Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add some salt. Once boiling, add potatoes and cook for 5 minutes. Then add broccoli and cook until it's all cooked through and a bit soft, maybe an additional 10-12 minutes. Remove from heat and drain in a colander.

Put vegetable broth, soy milk, and yeast flakes in a blender and slowly add the veggies, one cup at a time, blending after each addition until totally smooth. Once all veggies are added, pour soup into the large pot you cooked your veggies in and keep on stove over low heat to keep warm. At this stage, add the salt, pepper, Tabasco, cayenne, liquid smoke, and cider vinegar. If it's too thick, add about 1/3-1/2 cup more veggie broth.

In a small saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat until it's shimmering. Add the chopped onion and salt and stir around on med-high heat for 5-8 minutes until it's looking carmelized. Add in the tomato and stir around until it's as carmelized and warm as you want.

Serve soup with a few tablespoons of the tomato-onion mix and a sprinkle of vegan cheese on top and a squirt of thick balsamic vinegar, and some crusty bread!