Dairy Free Cheesy Broccoli
Broccoli and cheese is one of those classic comfort food combinations that can feel totally off-limits when you're avoiding dairy — but this recipe proves otherwise. The magic here is a silky sauce built from blended raw cashews, unsweetened plant-based milk, and nutritional yeast, which together create a rich, savory coating that genuinely delivers on the cheesy promise. Smoked paprika, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, and a squeeze of lemon juice layer in depth and brightness, so the sauce tastes complex rather than like a sad substitute. Tapioca starch is the secret weapon that gives it that glossy, clingy texture you want clinging to every floret. The broccoli itself is blanched just until tender and vivid green, so you get a little bite alongside the creamy sauce. It comes together in about the time it takes to boil a pot of water, and it serves four — making it an easy weeknight side or a crowd-pleasing addition to any table.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the broccoli
- 1 lb broccoli florets (about 1 large head, cut into bite-sized pieces)
- ½ tsp salt
For the cheese sauce
- ¾ cup raw cashews
- 1 cup unsweetened dairy free milk
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp tapioca starch
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp salt, plus more to taste
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- ¼ tsp black pepper, plus more to taste
Instructions
- 1
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the broccoli florets and cook for 3–4 minutes, until bright green and just tender when pierced with a fork but still holding their shape. Drain in a colander and set aside.
- 2
While the water heats, place the cashews in the blender with the dairy free milk, nutritional yeast, tapioca starch, Dijon mustard, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, lemon juice, and black pepper. Blend on high for 60–90 seconds until completely smooth with no visible cashew pieces.
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