Easy Vegan Potato Leek Soup (Chunky OR Smooth)
Combine the flavors of creamy potatoes with delicate leek and thyme for a more-ish easy potato soup. Best of all, this easy potato soup recipe uses under 10 ingredients, can be enjoyed chunky or smooth, and is gluten-free, dairy-free, low-fat, and naturally vegan!
Servings 4 bowls
Calories 255kcal
Ingredients
- 25 ounces potatoes new potatoes, yukon golds (check FAQs)
- 11 ounces leek
- 6 cups vegetable stock
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoon dairy-free butter or olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt or to your preference
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper or to your preference
- 1 sprig fresh thyme and/or rosemary, coriander, tarragon, herbes de Provence.
- 1 bay leaf
Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the vegetables
- Leeks can be very dirty as the sand/dirt gets stuck between the layers, so you'll want to clean them thoroughly. To do this, I like first to chop away the tough dark green outer layers of the leek (not all are super tough, so only remove the hardest bits) that I won't be using (they can be kept to make future veggie stock).Then, slice the remaining leek right down in slices to almost the root, add these to a sieve/colander and rinse well to eliminate any dirt between the layers.You could also slice the leek lengthways before chopping for even easier dirt removal - but I find this unnecessary as you can just agitate the leek slices when rinsing.
- To prepare the potatoes, rinse them thoroughly and then roughly chop them into 1-inch pieces.
- Roughly chop or mince the garlic.
Step 2: Sauté the vegetables
- Add the dairy-free butter (or oil)* to a large pot and heat over medium until melted, then add the leek, thyme, bay leaf, salt, and pepper, cover with a lid, and cook for a few minutes, occasionally stirring, to soften the leek.
Step 3: Simmer the vegan potato leek soup
- Add the potatoes and stock and mix well. Bring the leek & potato soup to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender (usually between 10-18 minutes, but this will vary based on how much soup you're making, the size of the potato chunks, etc.)
- Remove the bay leaf, and any hard herb stems from the soup. The vegan potato leek soup is then ready to enjoy!
Step 4: Optional - blend into a smooth potato soup
- If you want a creamy, smooth leek and potato soup, you can either use a handheld stick blender directly in the soup pot OR use a blender.To blend, add the soup in batches (never more than halfway up the jug), making sure to allow steam to leave the blender.I like to pull a little of the un-blended potato soup to one side, blend the rest and then combine the two.
How to store
- Fridge: keep any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for between 5-7 days.Freezer: store in containers or freezer-safe bags (in individual portions) for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw in the fridge before reheating.To reheat: use a microwave or the stovetop until piping hot
Video
Notes
- The potatoes: feel free to leave them with their skin off or peeled. I like the additional nutrients from the skin. However, if you want a super smooth homemade potato soup, it may be best to ditch the skins.
- * If you want an oil-free/low-fat option, you could add a little water to the pan to help 'steam' the leek instead of butter/oil. Though, it won't be as flavorful.
- Feel free to use a combination of all vegetable stock or vegetable stock and water (for less sodium). I use homemade stock so I can control the sodium levels but still get the maximum flavor in the leek and potato soup.
Nutrition
Serving: 1Bowl | Calories: 255kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 2068mg | Potassium: 898mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 2232IU | Vitamin C: 45mg | Calcium: 73mg | Iron: 3mg