Creamy Vegan Potato Leek Soup that is made without cream but using magical cashews instead. It’s dairy free, gluten free, good for you deliciousness with lovely notes of fresh thyme and bay simmered in a homemade veggie stock. Instant pot and slow cooker methods included.
Vegan Potato Leek Soup
An easy and hearty potato soup with a leek base, carrots and veggie broth traditionally pureed until super creamy and silky but without the addition of heavy cream. Dairy free, no oil, as healthy as can be but also comforting to the max, this soup is simply the best!
During the colder months of the year there’s nothing the body craves more than a warming, comforting, steaming hot bowl of soup, especially if potatoes are involved. But don’t be surprised if you find yourself making this one all year long like the finest timeless chowder. Sprinkle some caramelized leeks over the top and be still my heart!
About the Leeks
- Leeks – A part of the allium family that includes garlic, shallots and onions, leeks contain a bunch of good for you sulfur compounds with health benefits. From protecting against cancers to lowering blood pressure and the LDL (bad) cholesterol levels to eye health, leeks most definitely earn their VIP spot in the whole foods pantry.
- Do you use the green part of leeks? You’ll notice that most recipes only call for the white and pale green parts of the leeks to be used, I’d like to argue that the dark greens are also edible and have plenty of flavor. They are definitely worth adding into this soup if you are going to caramelize them first. No sense in wasting something perfectly good and delicious.
- Soup Color – If you’d rather your soup be a lighter golden color then use mostly the white part of the leek and reserve the green tops for caramelizing and to use as a garnish.
Vegan Potato Leek Soup FAQ
- How to make the soup chunky? For a chunky texture reserve about a third of the caramelized leeks and some of the cooked potatoes to add back into the soup after you puree the rest. Lightly mash the reserved potatoes before mixing back it.
- What can I use instead of cashews? To make the soup nut free you can use a 15oz can of white beans instead of cashews.
- Can I use coconut milk instead of cashews? You could but I do not recommend. Coconut milk has a certain flavor and you really want something neutral here that won’t overpower the delicate flavor of the leeks and potatoes.
- Can you freeze the leftovers? Absolutely yes, store the leftover soup in freezer proof glass containers for up to 3 months. Remember to thaw it out before reheating. It also keeps well in the fridge for 3-4 days but let’s not kid ourselves tough, there won’t be any leftovers.
- Which potatoes should I use? Yukon gold potatoes are always my top choice for creamy soups, a quick scrub and rinse is all they need and in the soup they go. Russet potatoes would be fine in a pinch but they need to be peeled first as their skins are quite tough and will turn your soup a not so golden brown.
Soup Toppings + Add Ins:
- caramelized leeks
- steamed asparagus or roasted broccoli florets
- chive blossoms, scallions + fresh dill
- crispy smoky tempeh bits
- a drizzle of cashew or coconut cream
- stir in some baby kale at the end
- serve with crusty bread or potato flatbread.
How to Make Vegan Potato Leek Soup:
- Start by slicing up your leeks and rinse well in a bowl of cold water.
- Sautee the leeks until caramelized and remember to reserve some for garnish.
- Add carrots, cashews, potatoes, herbs and spices + the veggie stock. Simmer until the potatoes are tender.
- Puree the soup in until silky smooth and creamy.
- Serve garnished with caramelized leeks, fresh herbs and a drizzle of cashew cream.
P.S. If you made this soup please come back here to rate it, snap a photo and tag me with #VeggieSociety on Instagram. ~ Florentina Xo’s
Vegan Potato Leek Soup
Healthy and creamy this vegan potato leek soup is made with the addition of cashews instead of cream and flavored with fresh thyme and bay leaves simmered in a homemade veggie stock.
Servings 6 people
Calories 197kcal
Ingredients
- 1 extra large leek (or 2 medium size ones)
- 2 lb golden potatoes diced
- 1 large carrot (sliced into rounds)
- 3/4 cup raw cashews or 1 cup cashew cream
- 1 leaf bay (use 2 if they are small)
- 8 sprigs fresh thyme
- 7-8 cups vegetable stock (low sodium)
- 1/2 tsp turmeric (optional for color)
- 1-2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- sea salt + black pepper to taste
Toppings Ideas:
- caramelized leeks, scallions, fresh chives + dill, chili flakes, chive blossoms, hemp seeds etc...
Instructions
- Cut the root ends off of the leeks then cut them in half lengthwise. Thinly slice them and add to a large bowl of cold water and rinse well. Allow them to sit for a few minutes for the dirt particles to fall to the bottom of the bowl. Scoop the leeks out using your hands and transfer to a clean bowl.
- Meanwhile preheat a heavy bottom stock pot over medium flame. Sauté the leeks in a light drizzle of olive oil ( use a splash of water, veggie stock or white wine for WFPB & Plantricious diets) and a pinch of sea salt until wilted and they start to caramelize at the edges. You might need to add more liquid so keep a close eye on them.
- Optional: reserve about 1/3 of the caramelized leeks for garnish or to add back into the soup if a chunky texture is desired. In my opinion this really takes the soup over the top.
- Add the carrots, bay, thyme and cashews and give everything a good stir. Add the potatoes then pour in the vegetable stock.
- Bring the soup to a simmer and cook about 20 minutes or until the potatoes and carrots have softened. Stir in the nutritional yeast and turmeric at this point if using it. (If a chunky texture is preferred, reserve some of the cooked potatoes and gently mash them before adding back into the soup).
- Carefully transfer the soup to a powerful blender and puree until smooth and creamy on the hot liquid setting. Work in batches if needed and be mindful of the escaping steam.
- Adjust seasonings to taste with sea salt and black pepper then serve garnished with the reserved caramelized leeks, scallions, chives or fresh dill.
- Optional: Finish with a drizzle of cashew cream if desired.
Slow Cooker Method:
- Add all the soup ingredients except the herbs for garnish to a slow cooker and cook on low for 6-7 hours. Transfer to a blender and puree until smooth. Garnish with the reserved herbs and a drizzle of cashew cream.
Instant Pot Method:
- Press the saute button on the Instant Pot and when the display reads hot add a splash of veggie stock and the leeks. Stir and cook until wilted and start to caramelize at the edges.
- Add the carrots, potatoes, cashews, bay and thyme. Stir in the veggie stock. Put the lid on the pot and set the “ steam release “ knob to the “ sealing “ position.
- Press the “ Pressure Cook or Manual “ button and the “ + - “ button to choose 8 minutes. Let the pot naturally release the pressure for 15 minutes then manually release the remaining steam.
- When the pin in the lid drops you can open it and discard the bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Carefully transfer the soup to a blender together with the nutritional yeast if using and puree until smooth. Season to taste with sea salt and serve garnished with the fresh herbs.
WFPB + Plantricious
- Omit oil and saute the leeks in a splash of water or veggie stock for compliance.
Notes
- Soup Color - If you would like to give your soup a brighter golden color make sure to only use the white and pale green parts of the leeks and add 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric into the soup.
- Nut Free - To make the soup nut free you can use a 15oz can of white beans instead of cashews.
- Storage - refrigerate any leftovers for up to 5 days or freeze in freezer proof containers up to 4 months.
Nutrition
Calories: 197kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 44mg | Potassium: 834mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 2050IU | Vitamin C: 22.5mg | Calcium: 82mg | Iron: 6.7mg
Environmental Information
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There are no carrots in the ingredient list.
You’ll need one large carrot Darlene, sliced or diced, your call 🙂
How is it possible that it has 1281 mg. of sodium. I suspect it should actually be less than 200 mg of sodium per serving.and the total for the entire 6 servings is 1281 mg. of sodium. Could you please clarify? THANKS in advance!
Hi Betsy, you are correct, it is an error in the nutrition calculator that it doesn’t recognize homemade no sodium/ low-sodium veggie stock. So if you were to use a regular store bough stock the sodium would be very high indeed. I manually corrected that so just keep in mind that any extra salt you might add to the soup would increase the sodium content. Hope you enjoy the recipe ~ Florentina
Do I use the green part of the leeks?
yes, you can use the entire leek, it all has lovely flavor.
should i peel the potatoes?
If you are using golden potatoes there’s no need to peel them, just scrub and rinse well.
Insanely tasty and creamy soup, I’d say probably the best potato leek soup I’ve ever made, I’ll be keeping this on rotation even in the summer time. It’s that good people!!!
I’m sure this is just a given, but do you remove the thyme stems and bay leave before blending?
yes 🙂