When the cold weather comes, we all get that craving for a warm, cozy dinner. The appeal of something hot, creamy, and starchy becomes impossible to resist. Well, get ready to be delighted, because this homemade Creamy Loaded Potato Soup is just the dish you need!
Potayto, Potahto
The world of potatoes is more diverse than you might think. There are starchy potatoes that fall apart easily, and waxy ones that hold their shape. Of course, there are also all-purpose potatoes that are a little of both. So which variety should you use for this soup? Well, we want our potatoes to break down into a smooth and creamy texture. Therefore, we use the same varieties as our Creamy Mashed Potatoes: Yukon Gold, Russet or Idaho.
Spring a Leek!
The secret to our potato soup recipe is leeks. We use these tasty alliums in place of their more assertive cousin, onion. Leeks have a more subtle flavor, which means they don’t overpower the potatoes. They’re also in season during Fall and Winter, which is the perfect time for this soup.
How to Prepare Leeks
This section is for those of you who haven’t worked with leeks before. Firstly, remove the dark green tops (however, don’t waste them – they are great for making veggie broth, pasta sauce or minestrone). You should now have the white “stalk” and the very light green base of the leafy parts. Wash the leeks well to remove any dirt. Finally, slice them up and get ready to cook!
Homemade Creamy Potato Soup
Start by melting the vegan butter in a pot and sauté the garlic, leeks, celery and carrot (think of it as a leek mirepoix). This step is complete when the leeks are soft and translucent. However, be careful not to overcook the leeks, which can make them mushy and slimy. At this point, sprinkle in the smoked paprika, salt, pepper, and all-purpose flour, stirring until the veggies are coated and there are no lumps.
Smoked Paprika gives us the delicious smoky flavor that non-vegan recipes achieve using bacon.
Next, mix in the potato. Make sure it’s chopped into small cubes (roughly 1/2 an inch to 1 inch / 1.25 cms to 2.5 cms) because you want it to cook quickly. Then pour in the veggie broth and bring the ingredients to a boil and immediately reduce to a simmer. Cook the soup until the potatoes are soft enough to squash with the back of a wooden spoon. At this point, remove the soup from the heat.
Smooth Moves
Fun fact: oat milk gives the soup a decadent creamy texture due to a special type of fiber called beta-glucan.
After you let the soup cool for about 10 minutes, add the oat milk and cheesy nutritional yeast and stir. Then blitz the soup ingredients with a countertop or immersion blender. Either way, be careful not to burn yourself with the hot liquid. You can blend the potato soup for more or less time, depending on whether you want it totally creamy, or a little chunky.
Lock and Load
To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and get ready to load it up. After all, it wouldn’t be a loaded potato soup without toppings! We chose vegan sour cream, grated vegan cheese, green onions (you could also use chives) and a smoked paprika. You could also add some crispy “tempeh bacon” crumbs to complement the soup’s creamy potato texture (our friends over at Sweet Simple Vegan have a great recipe).
Thanks for checking out our Creamy Loaded Potato Soup. If you try it, please let us know what you think with a comment and rating. Every bit of feedback helps make the blog even better!
If you’re in the mood for more comforting soup, you might like our Sweet Potato Curry, 16 Bean, and Butternut Squash varieties.
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Creamy Loaded Potato Soup | Vegan
- Total Time: 45 to 50 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
This creamy and decadent loaded potato soup has the warmth and nourishment you crave in cold weather. Don’t wait – it’s time for homemade potato soup!
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons dairy-free butter
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 large leeks (4 cups – white and light green “stalks” only), well washed and finely sliced
- 2 celery sticks, finely chopped
- 1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
- 2–3 teaspoons smoked paprika (alternatively use chipotle powder)
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour
- 2.25 lbs / 1 kg Yukon Gold, Russet or Idaho potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped (1/2 to 1 inches / 1.25 cms to 2.5 cms cubes)
- 5 cups vegetable broth
- 2 cups oat milk
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- Salt and pepper, to taste
To serve (top your soup with some or all of these):
- vegan sour cream
- grated vegan cheese
- green onions or chives
- smoked paprika or chipotle powder
- tempeh bacon crumbs
Instructions
- Place a large pot over medium heat, melt the butter and sauce the garlic, leeks, celery and carrots until leeks are soft and translucent.
- Sprinkle in the smoked paprika, flour and a pinch of salt and pepper, stir until the vegetable are coated and there are no lumps.
- Pour in the vegetable broth and bring the ingredients to a boil and then immediately reduce to a simmer. Cook the soup until the potatoes are soft enough to squash with the back of a wooden spoon, around 20 minutes. Remove soup from the heat.
- Let the soup cool for around 10 minutes, then add the oat milk and nutritional yeast, stir to combine. Taste the soup and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Blend the soup using an immersion blender or countertop blender. Blend the soup to your desired consistency.
- Creamy potato soup: blend the soup until smooth.
- Half smooth/half chunky creamy potato soup: blend half of the soup until smooth.
- Chunky creamy potato soup: blend a quarter of the soup or don’t blend at all!
- If you used a countertop blender, return the blended soup to the pot, stir to combine (if the soup is a little too thick, add a little vegetable broth until your desired consistency is achieved). Reheat if needed.
- Serve the soup hot, loaded with your favorite toppings (dollop of vegan sour cream, sprinkle of grated vegan cheese and green onions/chives, a pinch of smoked paprika/chipotle powder and tempeh crumbs). Feel free to use all or some of these toppings! Enjoy!
Store any leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge and consume within 3 days! Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop as needed. You may need to add a splash of vegetable broth if the soup has thickened too much. If the soup is a little too thick, add a little vegetable broth until your desired consistency is achieved.
Notes
- If the soup is a little too thick, add a little vegetable broth until your desired consistency is achieved.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 to 30 minutes
Keywords: creamy potato soup, loaded potato soup, homemade potato soup
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