Vegan Carrot and Tomato Cashew Bisque with Old Bay Croutons
This vegan bisque owes its cozy creaminess to cashews, and is loaded with veggies and herbs. It’s easy to whip up and so comforting, especially when topped with Old Bay-seasoned croutons.
Equipment
- Baking sheet
- Large pot
- Immersion or standard blender
Ingredients
Old Bay Croutons
- 1/2 baguette
- 2 tbsp vegan butter melted
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp Old Bay seasoning
Bisque
- 2 tbsp vegan butter
- 2 large carrots chopped
- 1/2 large yellow onion chopped
- 2 stalks celery chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- pinch crushed red pepper
- 1 tbsp flour
- 1 (14oz) can fire roasted diced tomatoes
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 1 large bay leaf
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- 1/2 cup raw cashews softened*
- 1 cup water
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- salt to taste
- freshly ground pepper to taste
Instructions
Old Bay Croutons
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Slice up half of a baguette into crouton-sized pieces and add to a large bowl. Toss with melted vegan butter, garlic powder, and Old Bay seasoning.
- Add croutons to a lined baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes, stirring/flipping halfway through.
Bisque
- In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat and add carrots, onion, celery, garlic, and crushed red pepper. Cook 5-7 minutes until vegetables are soft and the edges of the onions are just beginning to brown. Mix in the flour and allow to cook another few minutes.
- Add the tomatoes, vegetable broth, bay leaf, parsley, and thyme. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Make the cashew cream while that cooks. Add cashews, water, and nutritional yeast to a blender and blend until very smooth.
- Add the cashew cream to the pot after 20 minutes, bring to a simmer, and cook another 10 minutes until thickened. Turn off the heat and remove the bay leaf.
- Use an immersion blender to blend the bisque until the whole pot is smooth and creamy. (If using a standard blender, allow the mixture to cool some before pouring into blender in batches)
- Taste and add salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste. Ladle into bowls and top with the Old Bay croutons.
Notes
*to soften cashews, let them sit in very hot water for 20 minutes