Vegan Leek and Potato Soup
This vegan leek and potato soup is creamy, healthy, and only takes 40 minutes to make. This soup packs a rich, hearty, mouth watering flavor, despite not using any dairy ingredients.
Leek and potato soup is the ultimate comfort food. It’s full of hearty carbs from the potatoes, which is balanced by the fresh kick of leeks. And it is oh so creamy!
That creaminess usually comes from … well … cream. But I found the perfect way to add creaminess to a vegan leek and potato soup: cashews! Cashews are full of healthy fats, and when blended up they have a similar richness to heavy cream. They make this soup rich and soothing, while still being vegan and healthy.
I recommend serving a bowl of this soup on a cold evening, topped with some garlic and rosemary gluten-free croutons.
What You’ll Need
Make sure to check out the recipe card at the bottom of the page, as it has the exact quantities for all of the ingredients.
- Olive oil
- Garlic cloves
- Leeks
- Russet potatoes
- Sea salt
- Black pepper
- Vegetable broth – You can use low sodium for a healthier soup.
- Bay leaves
- Cashews – Make sure the nuts are both raw and unseasoned.
- Fresh rosemary
Why Russet Potatoes?
Russets are the perfect potato for a creamy soup, such as this one. Because russets are so high in starch, they add a thickness to the soup.
How to Make Vegan Leek and Potato Soup
This recipe has rich and complex flavors, but only takes about 40 minutes to make. Here’s how.
Sauté leeks and garlic. Heat the oil in a large pot or dutch oven, then add the leeks and garlic. Sauté until the leeks are tender, which will take about 4 minutes.
Add the potatoes. Put the potatoes in the pot, and add the salt and pepper. Sauté for 2 more minutes.
Add the broth. Pour the vegetable broth into the pot, and add the bay leaves. Stir to combine, and bring the soup to a boil. Lower the heat until the soup is simmering, and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Finish. Stir the cashews into the soup and cook for a minute, then pour the soup in a blender. Blend on high speed until the soup is completely smooth. Serve the soup, and garnish with rosemary.
Tips for Success
Here are a few things you can do to make sure that your vegan leek and potato soup is creamy, flavorful, and perfect.
- Wash the leeks. Leeks require more washing than the average vegetable, because they get a lot of dirt and grit in between their layers. Wash them thoroughly to make sure that your soup isn’t gritty at all.
- Use a good quality broth. This soup doesn’t have a lot of ingredients, so using a good quality vegetable broth can make a huge difference. A great broth will take this soup to the next level.
- Don’t overcook the cashews. You want to cook the cashews for a minute before blending the soup, but don’t cook them more than that. If you cook the cashews for too long, they’ll lose some of the flavor and texture that makes this soup so similar to the dairy versions.
How to Store Vegan Leek and Potato Soup
You can keep this soup in the fridge for up to 4 days. Just make sure to store it in an airtight container, and then reheat on the stove top or in the microwave.
Can This Recipe Be Frozen?
Sure! Put the soup in an airtight container and freeze it for up to 1 month. Defrost in the fridge or the microwave before reheating.
More Creamy Vegan Soup Recipes:
- Creamy Chili Roasted Pumpkin Soup
- Super Healthy Green Detox Soup
- Curried Cauliflower & Squash Soup
- Roasted Red Pepper & Tomato Quinoa Soup
Vegan Leek and Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves , minced
- 4 leeks , cleaned & thinly sliced
- 3 cups cubed white potato , about 2 – 3 medium russet potatoes
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt & pepper
- 4 cups vegetable broth (low sodium if desired)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 cup raw cashews
- Fresh rosemary to garnish
Instructions
- Heat the oil in large saucepan or dutch oven. Add garlic and leeks and saute until the leeks start to soften, about 4 minutes.
- Add the potatoes and season with salt and pepper. Saute another 2 minutes.
- Add broth and bay leaves and stir to combine. Bring the soup to a boil, then turn down to simmer and cook until potatoes are just tender, about 15 – 20 minutes. Stir in cashews and cook another minute.
- Transfer the contents of the soup into a blender. Blend on high until smooth and creamy. Pour into bowls and garnish with chopped rosemary.
Notes
Nutrition
shop this post
share what you make
Tag #simplyquinoa on Instagram with your creations! We love sharing what you make with the community. We can’t wait to see!
follow on instagram
Absolutely perfect in every way. Made it in the instant pot and it tasted like it had been simmering all day. Used Edward & sons “Not Beef” cube for the broth and added some broccoli stems I had hanging around in the fridge as well as lots of fresh dill. Perfectly creamy goodness.
So happy you enjoyed it!! Love the additions you made 🙂
Would I be able to use a can of coconut milk in place of some of the veggie broth and then use veggie broth to get to 4 cups?
Definitely! It will affect the flavor, but I think it would still be delicious 🙂
This is the second time I’ve made this recipe. Love it! I soak the cashews 15 min in water I’ve boiled . Then I add some of the potatoes and broth to the drained cashews to blend them add it all to the soup to blend again
This soup unfortunately did not come out right when I made it. The texture was gummy and rather thick. My potatoes may have been too large for the rest of the soup. I have added nutritional yeast to the soup and hope to use it as a cheese sauce for another recipe tomorrow!
It might also be the cooking time of the potatoes and/or the type of potatoes used! I have overcooked this before and it comes out super gummy. I think cooking just until the potatoes are fork tender is the way to go!
Was looking for a dairy free version and discovered this one. I’m not vegan so used chicken stock. The only things I would change would be to add the cashews along with the potatoes to allow them to soften a bit more (other recipes I’ve used give them a soak) and an increase in the amount of leeks (at least 4 cups sliced). Otherwise it was a lovely soup for a dairy free friend.
Love those additions!
Hi , I just reading your blog it’s very interesting and healthy recipes I am interested to cook some of them , my daughter change her diet to be vegan 3 months ago because of her health she is 27 years old and she has arthritis rheumatoid and we really believe one day she will be completely cure from this disease, if she eat healthy food and gluten free. Thanks for your recipes
Keep us posted on how you enjoy everything!
[…] Creamy Vegan Potato Leek Soup […]
Leek and potato soup is green.
Not the ones I’ve typically seen 🙂 Usually it’s white when I see it!
Sunflower seeds can make a nice cashew sub, though they don’t get quite as smooth. They add a bit more of their own flavour but it adds a nice umami touch to a lot of dishes. Nut-free folks should consider experimenting with them.
Amazing thank you so much! I”ll have to give that a try 🙂
Hi- love all your recipes. Are you supposed to remove the dried bay leaf before your purée? Thank you.
Yes! 🙂 thank you! Updating now!