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This healthy and creamy vegan potato leek soup recipe is hearty, quick and so easy to make. In addition, it's gluten free, plant based, perfect for meal prep, or weeknight dinners.
I like soups that are filling, satisfying, and hearty so this vegan potato leek soup is great. You only need a few ingredients but it has a lot of flavors.
If you love creamy soups like this, you should also try my red lentil soup, split pea soup, vegan lemon rice soup, vegan broccoli potato soup or cauliflower soup. They are an easy way eat veggies and also quick to make for busy nights.
Before we jump into the recipe, let's talk about how you can customize it and learn some tips.
How to select leeks
- You should select leeks with the longest white and light green parts because the dark green parts are too fibrous to eat. This way, you will get a lot more for your money as well!
- Even though I don't recommend adding the dark green parts, you can use them in homemade veggie stock. You should also aim for picking leeks that are not yellowed. They should be crisp, firm and fresh as well.
It is important to pick good leeks because it is the main ingredient in this creamy and delicious vegan dish. If you have never tried leeks, this recipe is perfect because it's so easy and flavorful.
How to prepare leeks for vegan potato leek soup
Leeks have a lot of dirt and sand in them so you need to wash them well. I will show you how you can clean them so you will be sure not to have dirt in your soup!
How to cut leeks
- First, you need to slice off the root of the leeks and then cut the dark green parts off. Remove the outer skin.
- You can slice the leek in half lengthwise or keep it whole and then slice it ½ inch thick.
How to clean leeks
- First, you will need to submerge the cut leeks in a bowl of cold water and then mix it around. This way you can make sure to get all the dirt and sand.
- Next, scoop the leeks out of the bowl with your hands. You can transfer the leeks to a colander to give it one final rinse. And then you can dry the leeks using a kitchen towel.
How to make vegan potato leek soup
Ingredients
Leeks
Leeks have onion flavor but a lot milder. When leeks cook, they have a sweeter taste so it works great in this soup.
Potatoes
Potatoes make this soup creamy and also filling, I usually use yukon gold but you can use russet or a different variety if you prefer.
Onion
I like using yellow onions because I find they caramelize better. But you can use white onions if that's what you have.
Garlic
Garlic gives great aroma for this dish but it's not over powering. If you want, you can also more or less garlic cloves.
Fresh Herbs
A mix of fresh herbs makes this dish so I don't recommend subbing for dry herbs. We will use a combination of thyme, rosemary, and also oregano.
Coconut Milk
To achieve a creamy texture and taste, we will be adding a little bit of canned full-fat coconut milk. You can use light coconut milk but the soup will not be as creamy.
Oil & Salt
I like using avocado oil for my cooking but you can use coconut or olive oil. I also like adding pink Himalayan salt but feel free to swap for regular sea salt.
How to make it step by step
- First, we will start by sautéing onions and leeks until soft. After that, you can add the potatoes, garlic, salt, and fresh herbs and sauté a little bit longer.
- When the potatoes are softer, we will add the water or vegetable broth and then cover. You will cook it until the potatoes are tender.
- Now, we will add the coconut milk and then cook it for another a couple of minutes.
- You can enjoy the soup like this but I like reserving a cup of the soup and then blending the rest. You can use an immersion blender or a food processor to blend it.
How to make this dairy free soup creamy
Since we will be adding coconut milk at the end of cooking, this will make this potato leek soup recipe very creamy. Adding coconut milk makes it very smooth but doesn't give the coconut flavor.
What does vegan potato leek soup taste like
Leeks are like onions but much more mild flavor. After they cook, they get very soft and almost sweet. Combined with fresh herbs and potatoes, this soup tastes amazing!
Tips & Variations
- Leftovers will taste even better the next day so just add some water and heat up on the stovetop.
- If you want your soup to be more chunky, don't blend it as much.
- I like serving it with some lemon wedges because a little bit of tangy flavor really works.
- Always adjust to taste! You will probably need to add more salt to taste since this soup has mild flavors.
How to store potato leek soup
When stored properly, potato leek soup will last 2-3 days so just place it in an air-tight container and then store it in the fridge.
It also freezes well up to 3 months. Allow it to cool before freezing and then portion it into freezer-safe containers.
It takes 30 minutes to put this delicious, filling and satisfying vegan dish on the table. It is also:
- Easy & Hearty
- Cozy & Comforting
- Dairy-free & Gluten-free
- Meal-prep & freezer friendly
- Healthy & Delicious!
More plant based potato recipes to try
- BEST VEGAN POTATO SALAD (EASY)
- BUTTERNUT SQUASH CURRY (VEGAN & HEALTHY)
- EASY NICOISE SALAD RECIPE (VEGAN)
- ROASTED POTATOES RECIPE (AIR-FRYER OR BAKED)
- VEGAN SPLIT PEA SOUP (STOVETOP OR INSTANT POT)
- AVOCADO POTATO SALAD
So, did you make this? I’d love for you to leave a comment and rate the recipe. You can also share your photo of the recipe on Pinterest and tag me on Instagram using @avocadocentric or #avocadocentric! xo, Selin
PrintVegan Potato Leek Soup Recipe (Healthy & Creamy)
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 servings 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Cook
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This healthy and creamy vegan potato leek soup recipe is hearty, quick and so easy to make. It's gluten-free, plant-based, perfect for meal prep, or weeknight dinners.
Ingredients
- 5- 6 medium size yukon gold potatoes (diced)
- 4 large leeks (diced and cleaned well)
- 1 small yellow onion (diced)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 4 to 4,5 cups of water or vegetable broth
- ½ cup full-fat coconut milk
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme
- 1 tsp fresh rosemary
- 1 tsp fresh oregano
- 1 tbs oil (avocado oil, olive oil or coconut oil)
- 1 tsp salt (more to taste)
- pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat a large pot over medium heat and add oil. Once hot, add diced onion and leeks, cook until softer for about 5 minutes.
- Add the diced potatoes, garlic, fresh herbs, and salt. Cook for another 3 to 4 minutes. Keep stirring so the garlic doesn't burn.
- When the potatoes are a little softer, add the water or vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes until potatoes are tender.
- Add the coconut milk into the pot and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Turn off the heat.
- For chunky soup, set aside a cup or more of the soup before blending. Use an immersion blender or a food processor, blend the soup until you reach the desired consistency. After blending it, add the reserved soup back to the pot.
- Garnish with fresh thyme and pepper. Serve with lemon wedges.
Notes
For leftovers, add some water and heat up on the stovetop.
Always adjust to taste! Add more salt if needed.
Clean the leeks according to the post to get all the sand and dirt out.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 373
- Sugar: 7.5g
- Sodium: 1543.9mg
- Fat: 10.6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 63.8g
- Fiber: 7.8g
- Protein: 9.4g
- Cholesterol: 5mg
Keywords: how to make potato leek soup, creamy potato leek soup recipe, vegan potato leek soup, dairy-free potato leek soup
Great recipe with step by step instructions. I adjusted recipe slightly to accommodate the ingredients on hand (no thyme) and it still was delicious! Thank you!
★★★★★
I am so glad that with the adjustments this recipe still turned out delicious! Thanks for giving it a try 🙂
Newly vegan here. Is there something we can use instead of coconut milk to give the soup that creamy texture?
I haven't tried it, but you can try using 1/2 cup of soaked raw cashews and blend it with 1 cup of water then add it to the soup for the creamy texture if you don't want to use coconut milk. Let me know how it goes!