Vegan Potato Soup – WellPlated.com

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This easy Vegan Potato Soup is both rich and creamy. Made with potatoes, a secret cauliflower sneak, and some game-changing extras that put it into the running with the best baked potato soup I’ve ever eaten, this simple vegan soup recipe is exceptionally comforting, nutritious, and healthy.

A bowl of easy vegan potato soup with croutons

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Vegetable soups like this one (and this Vegan Pumpkin Soup) are simple to make, healthy, and great leftover.

Cooking a huge pot on the weekend to enjoy throughout the week sets you up for your best life.

I don’t know about you, but my “best life” soup is thick and creamy, tastes decadent, and is healthy too.

This vegan potato soup recipe check all of the boxes, no butter, cream, or cheese required.

While I love my Crockpot Potato Soup and Instant Pot Potato Soup, I especially love that this recipe is simple enough to make on your stovetop.

Start it when you get home from work, and you’ll be in tasty business in no time.

(For a vegan soup in the slow cooker check out Crockpot Butternut Squash Soup or Crockpot Lentil Soup.)

Two bowls of healthy vegan potato soup

5 Star Review

“Delicious, creamy, AND healthier version of a comfort soup.”

— Gina —

A Creamy Soup without Dairy

This time of year, the dropping temps cry out for comforting soups (like this Instant Pot Tomato Soup).

And when you are eating soup several days a week, it’s nice to have nutritious options (this Vegan Potato Leek Soup is another favorite).

Skipping the dairy (like heavy cream and cheese) means you save on extra saturated fat and calories that would otherwise pile on to a nutritional bowl of vegetable goodness.

How to Thicken Soup without Dairy

  • Use raw cashews in lieu of cream. Blended raw cashews are silky in texture, add body to a soup, and provide healthy fat to make it satisfying. You can’t taste them!
  • Don’t use too much liquid. You can always add more vegetable broth to slowly reach the level of thickness you desire. But once you add too much, it’s nearly impossible to take it away.
  • Generous amounts of vegetables. Don’t hold back on the potatoes and cauliflower. The more solid vegetables you start with, the thicker your purée will be.
Classic cegan potato soup without coconut milk and topped with chives and croutons

How to Make Vegan Potato Soup

The simple ingredients in this soup are impactful and make a big difference in its complexity.

You’ll be astounded at the way small additions (like the soy sauce and lemon juice) give you phenomenal results.

I also love how many vegetables are in this soup. It tastes like a better version of a classic baked potato.

Plus, once the cauliflower and carrots are puréed, they disappear, and the vegetable skeptics are none the wiser.


The Ingredients

  • Potatoes. You can use russets or Yukon gold potatoes here. I tested this soup (and this Instant Pot Potato Soup) both ways, and we were equally happy with the results. Potatoes are a wonderful source of antioxidants, vitamin C, and potassium.

Market Swap

While I have not tried this substitution personally, I think you could swap the regular potatoes for sweet potatoes for a fun twist on the classic recipe that’s also packed with vitamin A.

  • Cauliflower. This recipe uses half cauliflower + half potatoes but tastes just as creamy as if you used all potatoes because the cauliflower is so mild in flavor. Plus, cauliflower contains many of the vitamins and minerals you need (like being high in vitamins C, K, and B6) and it offers fiber and antioxidants.
  • Carrots. They give the soup a beautiful orange color while also being packed with beta-carotene, biotin, and potassium. (If you love carrots, don’t miss this Roasted Carrot Soup).

Market Swap

Looking for other veggies to toss in? Parsnips are a great option since they have a similar flavor and texture that’s similar to carrots.

  • Cashews. Not only do blended cashews make the soup thick and rich, but cashews are antioxidant powerhouses and full of plant proteins, copper, and magnesium, which are important for energy production and bone health. Plus, since the cashews are blended smoothly, this recipe even pleases those cynical about the sight of nuts.

Dietary Note

If you have a nut allergy, you can technically omit the cashews from the recipe. The soup will not be as rich or creamy but nonetheless delicious. You could also try swapping the cashews for a can of coconut cream or coconut milk.

  • Soy Sauce + Smoked Paprika + Lemon Juice. These unexpected, impactful additions are truly what makes the soup special and so DELISH!

Ingredient Note

While it’s an optional addition, I love the “cheesy” flavor that nutritional yeast gives the soup. (See all my recipes using nutritional yeast here.) You could also sprinkle your serving of soup with your favorite vegan cheese if desired.

The Directions

Cashews soaking in water
  1. Soak the cashews in water (this makes them easier to blend).
Diced vegetables in a Dutch oven
  1. Sauté the onion, carrots, and celery.
Vegetables being stirred in a pot
  1. To the veggies, stir in the garlic, potatoes, and cauliflower. Cook until the potatoes are fork-tender.
Vegetables in a pot
  1. Pour in the broth, soy sauce, and spices. Let simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
Creamy vegan potato soup in a blender
  1. Drain the cashews, and add them to a blender. Pour in part of the soup (fill the blender about halfway), and blend until smooth. Return the blended soup back to the pot. Repeat with the remaining soup ingredients.

TIP!

We prefer this soup puréed entirely to keep it smooth and extra thick. If you prefer a vegan chunky potato soup instead, simply don’t purée it a second time after the cashews are added.

  1. Once all of the soup is back in the pot, add the nutritional yeast and lemon juice. Serve warm with desired toppings. ENJOY!

Dietary Note

Because this soup does not use flour as a thickening agent, it is a great vegan soup recipe that also happens to be gluten-free.

Two bowls of the best vegan potato soup recipe

Storage Tips

  • To Store. Refrigerate potato soup in an airtight container for up to 5 days. 
  • To Reheat. Rewarm leftovers in a Dutch oven on the stovetop over medium-low heat. Soup may also be gently warmed in the microwave.

Meal Plan Tips

  • Peel and chop the potatoes up to 1 day in advance, and store them in a bowl of cold water in the fridge.
  • Chop all other vegetables up to 1 day in advance, and store them in separate airtight storage containers in the refrigerator.

What to Serve with Vegan Potato Soup

Round out your meal with one of these decadent vegan treats for dessert:

Two bowls of high protein vegan potato soup with cashews

Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe

  • Blender. It is better to make this vegan potato soup with a high-powered blender like a Vitamix (this one is ideal); if your blender isn’t as powerful, you may need to blend the cashews for longer. (This more economical blender is also great.)
  • Dutch Oven. The perfect vessel for making soups on the stovetop.
  • Ladle. My favorite tool for transferring soups to bowls and storage containers.

The Best Dutch Oven

This beautiful kitchen tool works wonderfully for so many recipes, and it will last a lifetime.

A bowl of vegan potato soup with croutons

Did you make this recipe?

Let me know what you thought!

Leave a rating below in the comments and let me know how you liked the recipe.

Easy vegan potato soup is the rich and creamy hero we all need to feel cozy this winter season (along with this Vegetarian Chili!).

Frequently Asked Questions

Can You Freeze Vegan Potato Soup?

Potato soups can become grainy once frozen and thawed, so I don’t recommend freezing this soup (or if you do, be aware of the texture change). 
If you need to freeze it, store leftovers in an airtight freezer-safe storage container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

How to Add Protein to Vegan Soups

**Not Tested** If you’re looking to make this a high-protein vegan potato soup, you can try adding 1 can of cannellini beans to the soup before blending. Additional vegetable broth may need to be added since the beans will likely thicken the soup. A crumble of tempeh or seitan bacon would also be a great way to add a smidge of extra protein too.

Can I Make Vegan Potato Soup with an Immersion Blender?

Sure! Add additional vegetable broth as needed to reach your desired consistency.

Can I Use Cashew Milk Instead of Whole Cashews?

No. While non-dairy milk, like cashew milk, is great in most vegan recipes, for this creamy vegan potato soup, whole cashews are best since they give the soup body and richness that cashew milk alone won’t do.

  • ½ cup raw cashews
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion diced
  • 3 medium carrots peeled and diced
  • 3 celery stalks diced
  • 3 cloves minced garlic about 1 tablespoon
  • 1 ½ pounds russet potatoes about 3 medium or 2 large, peeled and cut into ¾-inch dice
  • 1 medium head cauliflower cut into florets
  • 4 cups low sodium vegetable broth
  • 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt plus additional to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper plus additional to taste
  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast optional; will give the soup a “cheesy” note
  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • For topping: chopped green onions or chives tempeh bacon, croutons, vegan sour cream, or vegan cheese shreds

  • Place the cashews in a medium bowl and cover with room-temperature water. Let them soak while you prepare the rest of the soup.

  • In a Dutch oven or large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 3 minutes.

  • Stir in the garlic. Then, stir in the potatoes and cauliflower. Saute until the potato chunks soften slightly, about 8 minutes.

  • Add the broth, soy sauce, paprika, salt, and pepper. Bring to a steady simmer.

  • Let the soup simmer until the potatoes and cauliflower are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.

  • Drain the cashews and place in a high-powered blender or a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Ladle in several scoops of the soup (be careful to only fill the blender about halfway, however, as hot soup can splatter). Puree until smooth, then transfer back to the soup pot.

  • Puree the rest of the soup, either by transferring it to a blender in batches or with an immersion blender. Return all of the soup to the pot, then stir in the nutritional yeast and lemon juice.

  • Taste the soup and adjust the salt and pepper as desired. The amount of salt you need will vary based on the broth you use. Serve hot, topped with chopped green onions, tempeh bacon, and/or croutons as desired.

  • TO STORE: Refrigerate potato soup in an airtight storage container for up to 5 days. 
  • TO REHEAT: Rewarm leftovers in a Dutch oven on the stovetop over medium-low heat. 
  • TO FREEZE: Potato soups can become grainy once frozen and thawed, so I don’t recommend freezing this soup. 

Serving: 1(of 4)Calories: 399kcalCarbohydrates: 60gProtein: 12gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 2gPotassium: 1546mgFiber: 10gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 8149IUVitamin C: 90mgCalcium: 97mgIron: 4mg

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