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!
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.
Check the blog post above for tons of serving and topping options!