This easy creamy vegan potato leek soup recipe is a combination of creamy potatoes and sweet onion leeks for a comforting, low-fat, gluten-free, dairy-free soup without nut cream or coconut milk.
If you love easy stovetop soups like our amazing veggie French lentil soup, creamy vegan asparagus soup, or creamy red lentil soup, here's another vegan soup recipe to add to the list!
Table of Contents
Why You'll Love This Recipe
✔ Fuss-free, one-pot recipe with 7 simple ingredients.
✔ Low-fat, healthy version of vegan potato soup.
✔ Make ahead for quick lunches or portable meals.
Ingredients, Notes, and Substitutions
Potatoes. Use thin-skinned potatoes such as Yukon gold, red, baby, or other golden potatoes for a no-peeling option with a creamy texture (with added fiber). If you use thicker-skinned russet potatoes, peel them before dicing them.
Nutritional yeast. Cheesy, savory, and umami flavor and essential B vitamins are all in a quarter cup of "Nooch." If you want a healthy substitution for nutritional yeast, add 2 teaspoons of mustard powder or a teaspoon of Dijon mustard for flavor.
Thyme. Toss in fresh thyme sprigs and remove the stems before you puree the soup. How's that for simple? Add 1 teaspoon of dry thyme if you don't have fresh.
Vegetable broth. Use good quality vegetable broth or vegetable stock cubes. I used 6 cups, but you may add more if you find the soup too thick. You can also use vegan chicken broth or chicken stock cubes.
Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients with measurements plus recipe instructions.
Recipe Variations
- Add a can of cannellini beans or other white beans for extra protein.
- Broccoli, fresh or frozen, is great in this recipe. And if you are short on potatoes, use cauliflower.
- To make chunky potato leek soup, cut the potatoes into small cubes. Remove a little of the soup to puree it and leave the rest unblended.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Heat a large pot or Dutch oven to medium heat. Add the leeks and ¼ a cup of vegetable broth or water. Simmer for 10 minutes. Stir a few times so they cook evenly. Mix in the garlic and black pepper.
Step 2: Stir in the potatoes and mix them with the veggies. Then add nutritional yeast, vegetable broth, bay leaf, and thyme stems.
Step 3: Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.
Step 4: Remove the soup from the heat. Fish out the bay leaf and thyme stems. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup. Mix in the chives and serve.
Pro Tips
Start with clean leeks. Cut the stem end and the green tops, then slice the leeks lengthwise. Rinse them thoroughly.
Cook the potatoes until they are nearly falling apart (think mashed potato done). This is the key to making creamy soup.
Taste first, then add salt and additional pepper. Nutritional yeast is quite salty, as are some kinds of vegetable broth. Remember: You can always add salt, but it’s a challenge to reduce it.
Serving Suggestions
Creamy potato soup is a satisfying meal for lunch or a light dinner. Serve it with crusty whole wheat bread or add a flavorful grain or a vegan mixed bean salad for satisfying and complete meatless meals.
Another option I've used for stretching this recipe the next day is adding cooked, shaped pasta. This is especially handy if you also have leftover pasta.
Frequently Asked Questions
Store vegan potato leek soup in an airtight container for 5 days. Reheat it on the stove or in the microwave.
Potato leek soup freezes well. Allow the soup to cool to room temperature, then place it in a tightly covered container. Freeze for up to 3 months.
To make this recipe in the Instant Pot, set the Instant Pot to Sauté and follow the instructions as written. Once you add the potatoes, turn off the Instant Pot. Be sure to clear the bottom of the Instant Pot once you add the broth. Then cook the soup on High Pressure for 10 minutes and allow another 10 minutes of natural release. Then puree and finish the soup per the instructions.
More Vegan Soups We Love
Do you have a question or recipe request or need a cooking tip? Leave a comment below or contact Denise. I’m here to help! If you want more healthy vegan recipes, please subscribe to my newsletter or follow me on Facebook or Pinterest for the latest updates.
If you make this recipe, please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating. It’s much appreciated!
👩🏻🍳 Recipe
Easy Creamy Vegan Potato Leek Soup
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Ingredients
- 3 large leeks - white and light green parts chopped
- 3 cloves garlic - minced or pressed
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 ½ pounds potatoes - scrubbed and diced (see notes)
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- 2 sprigs thyme - or 1 teaspoon dry
- 1 medium bay leaf
- ¼ cup chives - chopped
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Sauté the leeks. Heat a medium to large soup pot to medium-high heat. Add the leeks with ¼ of a cup of water or vegetable broth. Cook the leeks at a low simmer until the liquid is evaporated and the leeks are soft and translucent. About 10 minutes.
- Add garlic and pepper. Mix in the garlic and pepper. Stir for about 30 seconds.
- Coat the potatoes. Mix in the potatoes, garlic, and pepper. Stir for a minute to coat the potatoes and heat them a little.
- Add broth, nutritional yeast, bay leaf, and thyme. Add the broth and gently use a wooden spoon to clean the bottom of the soup pot for any stuck-on ingredients.
- Cook the potatoes. Adjust the heat so that the soup is slowly simmering. Cover the pot and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 15-20 minutes.
- Puree the soup. When the potatoes are tender, remove the soup from the heat. Remove the bay leave and the thyme stems. Use a hand-held immersion blender or transfer portions to a regular blender (use a large blender if you have one) to puree the soup to a creamy consistency.
- Finish the soup. After blending, mix in the chopped chives. Taste and season with salt or additional black pepper. Heat the soup for a few minutes if desired. Serve hot.
Video
Notes
- Use thin-skinned potatoes such as Yukon gold, red, baby, or other golden potatoes for extra fiber and flavor. Peel thicker-skinned potatoes such as russets.
- Taste first, then add salt and additional pepper. Nutritional yeast is quite salty, as are some kinds of vegetable broth.
- If the soup is too thick after blending, add more vegetable broth. To thicken the soup, simmer it over medium heat for a few minutes.
- To make this recipe in the Instant Pot, set the Instant Pot to Sauté and follow the instructions as written. Once you add the potatoes, turn off the Instant Pot. Be sure to clear the bottom of the Instant Pot once you add the broth. Then cook the soup on High Pressure for 10 minutes and allow another 10 minutes of natural release. Then puree and finish the soup per the instructions.
- Variations for this recipe include adding fresh or frozen broccoli or cauliflower. For extra protein, add white beans with the potatoes.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimation only.
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