Author: This Vegan Potato Leek Soup tastes a little fancy, but it's one of my favorite easy comfort foods. Think mellow, sweet leeks, buttery Yukon Gold potatoes, and a silky texture that's just begging for a piece of crusty bread. All the cozy French-inspired flavor, with surprisingly little fuss!
My Secret to Ultra-Creamy Potato Leek Soup
Yukon Gold potatoes do most of the creamy work here. They blend into such a lovely, velvety soup that you don't need flour, a roux, or lots of cream. Just a little splash at the end and, oh my, SO good! Honestly, washing the leeks is the fussiest part, and even that only takes a minute. The rest is a straightforward sauté, simmer, and blend. I love having some now and freezing a few portions for a future cozy dinner.
Why This Vegan Potato Leek Soup Is a Hit
- Ultra-creamy without a roux: Yukon Gold potatoes give the soup its silky texture, with no flour and just a little vegan cream.
- Fancy flavor, easy cooking: Sweet, mellow leeks, garlic, and herbs make this taste special, but the method is a simple sauté, simmer, and blend.
- Enjoy now, freeze some for later: Have a cozy dinner tonight and save a few portions for a day when you don't feel like cooking.
Ingredients for Vegan Potato Leek Soup
- Leeks: Leeks have a mild onion flavor that's perfect with creamy potatoes. Use the white and light green parts for the soup and discard the dark green (or you can save them for making vegetable broth).
- Vegan butter: I love using my homemade vegan butter, but store-bought vegan butter or olive oil works too.
- Garlic: Three cloves add savory flavor without overpowering the delicate leeks.
- Yukon Gold potatoes: Yukon Golds have a naturally buttery texture, and the starch in the potatoes helps thicken the soup as it's blended.
- Vegetable broth: Use your favorite store-bought broth or homemade vegetable broth.
- Bay leaf and thyme: Just enough to add depth to the soup without making it taste herbaceous.
- Vegan heavy cream: For an extra-rich finish. Full-fat canned coconut milk also works, though you may notice a little coconut flavor. Or use plain homemade cashew cream without sweeteners or flavorings. For a lighter soup, choose unsweetened oat, soy, or cashew milk.
- Fresh chives: For a little fresh flavor and a pop of green on top.
How to Make Vegan Potato Leek Soup
- Wash the leeks: Swish the sliced leeks in cold water, then scoop them out, leaving the grit behind. Sandy soup is definitely not what we're going for!
- Build the soup: Soften the leeks and garlic, then add the potatoes, broth, and seasonings. Let everything bubble gently until the potatoes are soft enough to blend.
- Blend briefly: Take out the bay leaf and puree just until the soup is smooth. An immersion blender makes this easy to do right in the pot.
- Finish and enjoy: Add your cream or plant milk, check the seasoning, and get your bowls ready. A sprinkle of chives makes a lovely finishing touch.
Tips and Variations
- Don't rush the leeks: Give them the full 8 to 10 minutes to soften. This brings out their mild, delicate flavor and makes them meltingly tender.
- Go easy with the blender: I prefer an immersion blender because I can stop as soon as the texture is right. Continuing to blend after the soup is smooth can turn those lovely potatoes gluey. A regular blender works too; follow the hot-soup precautions in the recipe card and avoid prolonged blending.
- For a lighter option: Use unsweetened soy milk or another unflavored plant-based milk instead of cream. Or replace the cream with about 1 cup of cooked, drained white beans or silken tofu for extra protein. The soup won't be quite as rich and silky, but it will still be delicious!
- Make it oil-free: Sauté the leeks and garlic in a splash of vegetable broth or water instead of vegan butter or olive oil.
What to Serve with Vegan Potato Leek Soup
A big ol' piece of crusty bread is my favorite for dipping into this soup! Add a salad or something with a little protein, and you've got a lovely dinner. Here are a few ideas:
- Vegan garlic bread: Warm, garlicky bread and creamy soup? Yes, please!
- Olive Garden Salad: A simple salad with a tangy dressing adds a fresh bite alongside the silky soup. Toss in some roasted chickpeas for extra protein.
- Avocado cashew Caesar salad: For something a little more substantial, add crispy tofu or vegan chicken.
- Chickpea Salad Sandwich: Add a satisfying sandwich on the side for a little extra protein and a more filling lunch.
Storage, Freezing, and Reheating
- Refrigerator: Let the vegan potato leek soup cool, then transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. It will thicken as it chills.
- Freezer: Freeze the cooled soup in an airtight freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Reheating: Warm on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in the microwave. If the soup is thicker than you'd like, stir in a splash of vegetable broth or plant-based milk until it's creamy again.
If you try this Vegan Potato Leek Soup recipe, let me know by leaving a comment and rating it. I'd love to hear what you think. Share your creation in the It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken Community (this is where we're all hanging out now!) or tag @itdoesnttastelikechicken on Instagram.
Bon appetegan!
Sam Turnbull.
(click stars to vote)
Vegan Potato Leek Soup
Creamy, cozy, and surprisingly simple, this Vegan Potato Leek Soup is rich, velvety, and packed with delicate leek flavor. Made with simple ingredients and blended until smooth, it's an easy comforting soup that's perfect for chilly days.
Servings: servings
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Ingredients
- 4 large leeks, white and light green parts only, sliced
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter, or olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
- 2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup vegan heavy cream, or unsweetened plant-based milk
- 2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Clean the leeks: Slice the leeks and place them in a large bowl of cold water. Swish them around to loosen any dirt, then lift the leeks out of the water and drain well in a strainer.
- Sauté: Heat the vegan butter or olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the leeks and garlic and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the leeks are soft.
- Simmer: Add the potatoes, vegetable broth, bay leaf, thyme, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Partially cover and continue to simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are very tender.
- Blend: Remove the bay leaf. Using an immersion blender, blend until smooth and creamy. If using a standing blender, carefully blend the soup in batches, filling the blender only halfway so that the soup doesn't erupt. Stop blending as soon as the soup is smooth; overblending can make the potatoes gluey.
- Finish: Stir in the vegan cream. Taste and adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed.
- Serve: Ladle into bowls and garnish with chopped chives, flaky salt, and freshly ground black pepper if desired. Serve with crusty bread.
Notes
Cream options: Vegan heavy cream makes the soup especially rich. You can also use full-fat canned coconut milk (it may add a subtle coconut flavor) or homemade cashew cream (omit any sweeteners or flavorings). Unsweetened oat, soy, or cashew milk also work well for a lighter soup.
Oil-Free Option: Use a splash of vegetable broth or water instead of vegan butter or oil when sautéing the leeks.
Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Freezing: Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheating: Warm gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat or microwave until heated through. If the soup thickens after chilling, stir in a splash of broth or plant milk.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving (recipe makes 6 servings) | Calories: 238kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1382mg | Potassium: 798mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1545IU | Vitamin C: 38mg | Calcium: 65mg | Iron: 3mg
Ann says
I am eating this soup as I type. Made it for the first time tonight, and it's outstanding! Made as written. Thank you so much!!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Yay!! So happy you're enjoying it, Ann! Thank you so much for the lovely review 💚
Annette says
This was terrific but I used silken tofu instead of the cream. I doubled the recipe and used a whole block. Very smooth and creamy
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Ooh, love that idea, Annette! So happy the silken tofu worked beautifully for you! Thanks for sharing your twist on the recipe 🙂
Shelley says
Yet another winner, Sam! I recently subscribed to a vegetable delivery service and included this week were 4 leeks and 900g of potatoes. I knew I wanted to make a potato leek soup so I was gobsmacked when I looked to see if you had a recipe for it and your recipe contained those exact amounts. Are you in cahoots with Misfit Garden NZ? 😂 I wish you were. That'd be amazing. Anyway, the soup was delicious. I forgot to add the soy milk/cream and it was still perfect
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Haha, Shelley, that’s some impressive soup destiny! 😂 What perfect timing. So happy you loved it, even without the milk or cream!
Leila says
Thyme makes this soup. The flavor is deep and it is easy to make. In 30 min supper is ready.
Nathalie says
I had a few potatoes that needed to be made into something, so I hunted for a soup recipe and found this one. It is fabulous! I added a couple tablespoons of fresh dill, as someone did in one of the comments, and it was perfect!
Sam says
Tried this soup last night, and it was super tasty! Added some fresh dill and a squeeze of lemon juice at the end. I think this is a new favourite - thanks for the recipe!
Sam Turnbull says
Wonderful!
Christiane says
Soup season is here! Very easy recipe. Excellent!
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you loved it! 🙂
Amanda says
I made this soup for the first time today and it is delicious! I just wish I had bought some nice crusty bread to go with it
Sue says
Great soup! I skipped the celery (because I dislike cooked celery almost as much as I dislike nutritional yeast). I also skipped the bay leaf and thyme (because I'm that lazy) but added garlic salt, which was a great choice. I only had 2 leeks and I wish I had more to really up the leek flavor. I did not peel the potatoes (again, lazy.) I used my immersion blender in the cooking pot, jumping around from chunk to chunk but left quite a few potato chunks for yummy fun. It wasn't until bedtime that I noticed the splattered bits of soup on my shirt. Oh well, as I said, it was fun.
Everyone in the house loved this soup!
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you enjoyed it, Sue 🙂
Johanna B. says
The perfect soup for winter or any cool, rainy days (which we have a lot of here in Scotland :D). It's easy to make and really yummy. There really isn't much else I could say, go and try for yourself.
Sam Turnbull says
Haha! Perfect!
Selene says
This soup is amazing, I cooked it today and I love it already, It's so tasty and easy. Thank you for this recipe.
Sam Turnbull says
You're most welcome, Selene! Thrilled you love it 🙂
rory says
another delish (and easy) recipe! i just made the leek and potato soup and am sipping it from a mug as i post this comment. simple, wholesome, and home-cooked food that tastes really good makes me happy; and i am so happy right now! 🙂 thank you!!
Sam Turnbull says
Awww! SO happy you're so happy! 😀
Amanda says
We really liked this recipe. It's super easy and flavorful. I added carrots to mine. Next time I think I will add some white beans as well for a little protein. Yum!
Sam Turnbull says
Yay! So happy you liked it Amanda 🙂
Kathleen Dunford says
I'm going to make this today, sounds yummy. Xx
Sam says
I hope you love it!
Srivani McIntosh says
Yummy... I love Leek & Potato soup... so this post was a perfect opportunity to make some! Thanks Sam. This is a great and simple recipe. I actually didn't peel the potatoes, just scrubbed them very well - there are so many nutrients in the skin and it still blends up extremely well; and truth be told, I just plain HATE peeling potatoes! I also added a bit of dill at the end - just because I love dill. 🙂 Our 21 month old daughter LOVED the soup, she ate 2 servings!
Sam says
Ha! Absolutely, if you hate potato skin peeling, don't do it! So happy you and your daughter loved the recipe! Thanks for continuing to come back and leave comments Srivani. I know other readers love knowing how the recipes turn out. 😀
Linda @ Veganosity says
Potato leek soup is one of my favorites. I usually use almond milk so the coconut milk in yours has my attention.
Sam says
Oh yes it's so yummy! Very rich and creamy when you use coconut milk 🙂
Jenn S. says
Yum! I love a good potato soup! I always tend to make soups when food is running low in our house too. It's so easy to throw in whatever odds and ends are left from the week. Love it!
Sam says
Yes, exactly! A great way to rescue the remaining veggies, and it's always so satisfying!
Full of Beans says
Sam!
What a fun post - I love how you write
Sam says
Aww shucks! Thank you so much 🙂
Neil says
Nice, I love potato soups. Spuds are so adaptable and delicious. The Sorrel is sprouting in our garden and I was thinking that it would be a great ingredient to use in your next tater creation.
Sorrel tastes a lot like lemon and really nails the spring taste buds.
Cheers,
Hedgerow Guy
Sam says
Yum sorrel sounds yummy! I love lemony flavours.