Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 medium leeks, (white and pale green parts only, chopped)
  • 1 1/2 cups diced carrots ((about 3 medium carrots))
  • 1 1/2 cups diced celery ((about 3 medium celery stalks))
  • 3 garlic cloves, (minced)
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 (12 ounce) bottle brown ale
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme ((or 1 tablespoon fresh))
  • 2 cups vegetable broth, (divided)
  • 1 cup raw cashews, (soaked in water 4-8 hours, rinsed, and drained)
  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes
  • 2 tablespoons vegan Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon vinegar based hot sauce ((such as Tobasco or Crystal))
  • 1 tablespoon prepared mustard
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/2 medium baguette, (cut into 1 to 2 inch cubes)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 garlic clove, (minced)
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • Salt to taste
  • Chopped fresh chives

Instruction

  • Coat the bottom of a large pot with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and place it over medium heat.
  • Give the oil a minute to heat up, and then add the leeks, carrots and celery.
  • Cook the veggies, stirring frequently, until they begin to soften up, about 10 minutes.
  • Add the garlic and cook it for about 1 minute, until very fragrant.
  • Sprinkle the flour into the pot. Stir it well to form a paste that coats the veggies. Continue stirring and cooking the mixture for about 2 minutes.
  • Stir the beer and thyme into the pot. Raise the heat and bring the beer to a simmer.
  • Cook the beer and veggies at a low simmer for about 5 minutes, until the liquid reduces by about half, stirring frequently and scraping the bottom of the pot with a spoon to prevent the veggies and flour from sticking.
  • Stir in 1 cup of the broth. Raise the heat and bring the liquid back up to a simmer.
  • Allow the mixture to simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the veggies are soft.
  • While the soup simmers, prepare the croutons. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  • Stir the olive oil, garlic, and smoked paprika together in a large bowl.
  • Add the bread cubes and stir well to coat them with the mixture.
  • Arrange the bread cubes on a baking sheet and sprinkle them with salt.
  • Place the baking sheet into the oven and bake the croutons until lightly browned and crispy, for about 8 to 10 minutes.
  • When the soup has finished simmering remove the pot from the heat.
  • Place the cashews into the bowl of a food processor with 1/4 cup of the remaining vegetable broth.
  • Blend the cashews to a smooth paste, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed, and drizzling in additional broth as needed.
  • Ladle about half of the veggies from the pot into the food processor bowl, and then blend them with the cashew mixture until smooth.
  • Add the cashew-veggie mixture to the pot, along with any remaining vegetable broth. You can also thin the soup with extra broth or water if you'd like.
  • Stir in the nutritional yeast, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and mustard.
  • Place the pot back over medium heat and bring it back up to a simmer while stirring.
  • Once it gets to a simmer, remove the pot from the heat.
  • Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste. Be generous with the salt — it will help make the soup taste cheesy.
  • Ladle the soup into bowls and top with chives and croutons. Serve.