Add vegan butter and olive oil to a pan. Once the butter melts, add garlic and sliced onions. Saute till the onions turn translucent.

Then add broccoli florets. Saute for a minute. No prior blanching, or steaming required for broccoli.

Now add the blanched almonds, nutritional yeast, salt and pepper. Continue to saute for another minute.

Add water or vegetable stock. Mix, cover, and cook for 8-10 minutes on medium flame. The broccoli florets should become soft.

Use a hand blender to make the puree. Be careful to not scrape the bottom of your pan if using the hand blender. Chef tip - Transfer to another bowl or vessel and then grind it or blend it in a blender jar in batches, once it cools down.

Transfer the puree back to the pan. If you feel the need, add water gradually to get the right soupy consistency. Keep the flame on low to medium. Then add the vegan cheddar cheese. Keep stirring as you add the cheese and cook till the cheese melts. It will take a couple of minutes for the cheese to melt completely. The more cheese you add, the thicker it will get. Check and adjust the seasoning as needed. Chef tip - Increase the flame a little bit and cover the pot with a lid for 2-3 minutes to make the cheese melt faster.

Pan-fry or air-fry remaining broccoli florets with salt, pepper, and chilly powder in chili oil till they become crisp. Garnish it with crispy broccoli florets, leftover chili oil from the pan, some cheddar cheese, and croutons. Serve hot or warm.