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A thick, creamy, hearty and delicious vegan potato soup loaded with veggies. Ready in just about 30 minutes, it’s perfect for a weeknight. Grab a spoon and dig in!
I love soup! I could seriously eat it every day.
This is a really easy recipe that comes together quickly. And this Vegan Potato Soup is so thick and rich with no cream and no flour!
Ingredients you need
Ingredient notes and substitutions
Potatoes ~ Just like for my Vegan Mashed Potatoes, I like gold potatoes for this soup. They are creamy and hold their shape well. I prefer to peel them, but you don’t have to.
Veggies ~ Onions, carrots and celery create lots of flavor. And I love corn and potatoes together.
Kale ~ I never miss an opportunity to add leafy greens to a recipe. They are so nutritious! Kale is a sturdy green that holds up well and doesn’t get mushy, even in soup.
Swiss chard and collards are great choices, too. You can also use spinach if you like, but know that it will get very soft and a bit slimy.
Broth ~ I always use low-sodium vegetable broth. Use your favorite, either store-bought or homemade vegetable broth.
Herbs and spices ~ Dill and celery salt are a must for me in potato soup. That’s the way my mom always made it when I was growing up.
Dried thyme, rosemary, sage, or Italian seasoning would all work, as well.
And what soup is complete without a few dashes of sriracha or hot sauce on top?! Optional, but so good!
You could also add a tablespoon or two of nutritional yeast for a bit of a cheesy vibe, if you like.
Milk ~ Use light coconut milk for creamy consistency without the coconut flavor. Full fat coconut milk will taste of coconut, which is great in curry soup, but I don’t recommend it here.
You could also use soy milk, almond milk, or oat milk. Be sure to choose an unsweetened, plain variety.
How to make the recipe
Sauté the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic until the onions are soft and translucent (1). Add the spices, diced potatoes (2) and broth. Simmer until the potatoes are fork-tender, about 15 minutes (3).
Purée about ⅓ to ½ of the soup with an immersion blender (4). Alternately, you can carefully transfer part of the soup to a blender, purée it and then pour it back into the pot.
You can purée more of the soup if you like a smoother texture…or less (or even none) if you like it really chunky.
Add the chopped kale and corn (5) and stir to combine (6).
Garnish individual bowls with a few drops of hot sauce or freshly cracked black pepper, if desired.
Storage and freezing
Fridge: Allow any leftovers to cool before transferring to an air-tight storage container. It will keep well in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
Freezer: Or you can transfer it to a freezer-safe container and freeze it for up to 6 months.
Reheat: This vegan potato soup will thicken as it sits, so you may need to add a bit more broth when reheating.
Pro tips and tricks
~ Chop the potatoes evenly into bite size pieces. I prefer to peel the potatoes, but that is personal preference.
~ Sauté the dried herbs and spices in a bit of fat to release their natural oils and bring out more flavor.
~ Simmer until the potatoes are fork tender, but not mushy.
~ Potatoes tend to be quite bland on their own. Use salt and pepper generously.
~ Purée about ⅓ – ½ of the soup for a thick, creamy soup that still has texture. I find this easiest to do with an immersion blender. Alternately, you can carefully transfer part of the soup to a blender, purée, and then return it to the pot.
~ If you like a thinner soup, you can add additional vegetable broth or non-dairy milk.
~ Taste and adjust seasoning before serving. Add more salt/pepper, a tablespoon or two of nutritional yeast for a savory, somewhat cheesy flavor, or a few dashes of hot sauce for a nice kick.
~ To make this vegan potato soup oil-free, use water or broth to sauté instead of oil. You could also sauté in a bit of coconut milk, which brings healthy fat to help coax out the other flavors.
FAQs
I like gold potatoes for soup. They are creamy, but retain their shape well. Red potatoes also work well.
I like to peel the potatoes, but you don’t have to. Scrub the potatoes really well and remove any eyes or black spots.
They key to a flavorful dish is to start adding flavor at the beginning. Sautéing the spices and dried herbs in a little bit of fat helps to release their natural oils and increase their flavor. Make sure to do this before adding the broth to the soup. Use salt and pepper generously. If the soup is done simmering and you still find it a bit bland, I like to add a tablespoon or two of nutritional yeast and several dashes of hot sauce.
Most potato soups are thickened with a roux (flour and oil or butter) or cream. This vegan potato soup uses neither of those. Puréeing part of the soup itself creates a creamy texture without the need for anything else.
More vegan potato recipes
- Herb Roasted Potato Arugula Salad
- Bombay Potatoes and Peas
- Veggie Potato Fritters
- Vegan Potato Salad
- Breakfast Hash Browns and Veggie Skillet
- Vegetarian Cottage Pie
I hope you love this recipe as much as we do! If you tried it, please use the rating system in the recipe card and leave a comment below with your feedback.
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Vegan Potato Soup with Kale
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil use water or broth for an oil-free option
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 2 ribs celery diced
- 1 carrot peeled and diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon dried dill
- ½ teaspoon celery salt
- ¾ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper or to taste
- 4 cups diced gold potatoes peeled (about 5-6 medium size)
- 3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- ½ cup frozen corn kernels or fresh if you have it
- 1 cup chopped kale ribs and stems removed
- ½ cup unsweetened, plain non-dairy milk or to taste, optional
- a few dashes sriracha or hot sauce optional
Instructions
- Heat the oil over medium heat in a soup pot on the stove. Sauté the onion, celery, and carrot until the onion is soft and translucent, about 4 to 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic, dill, celery salt, salt and pepper and sauté 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the potatoes and broth and stir to combine. Increase the heat to high to bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender.
- Using an immersion blender, puree about ⅓ – ½ of the soup to create a thick creamy base. (Alternatively, take about 2-3 cups of the soup and purée it in a blender and then return it to the soup pot).
- Add the corn and chopped kale, stir to combine, and simmer 5 more minutes to heat through and soften the kale.
- Take off heat and add the non-dairy milk, if using.
- Serve with a few dashes of sriracha or hot sauce if desired.
Notes
Storage/Freezing Allow any leftovers to cool before transferring to an air-tight storage container. It will keep well in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Or you can transfer it to a freezer-safe container and freeze it for up to 6 months. The soup will thicken as it sits, so you may need to add a bit more broth when reheating.
This recipes makes about 7 cups. One serving estimated at about 1 ¾ cups. If you add more or less broth/milk, depending on how you like the consistency of your soup, nutritional facts will vary.
Becky says
What kind of fat do you add to flavor the potato? My husbands biggest complaint when I try new vegan recipes is that they are bland sometimes. We need to stay away from too much salt.
Jenn Sebestyen says
I make it exactly as it says in the recipe. A drizzle of olive oil to sauté is the only fat needed. There isn’t much salt in this recipe, but plenty of flavor. Of course, you may season to your liking.
Viji says
One of my favorite soups. I add 1 potato and substitute cauliflower for the rest to make a healthier version and add a can of whatever beans I have on hand (kidney, black beans etc ). A dash of sriracha to spice it up.
best soup and easy to boot.
Jenn Sebestyen says
Thank you, Viji. So glad you enjoy it!
Chris says
I made this tonight and it was great! My husband and I ate the whole pot of soup!! He said and I quote; “this soup is so pleasant to eat”. I did not have dill or celery salt so Jenn, thanks for telling me I could use Thyme and Oregano. I used a 1/2 tsp of each. I will make this one again for sure.
Comfort food at its finest!
Jenn Sebestyen says
Wonderful to hear, Chris! Thank you!
Blanca says
We never have enough this is a delicious exquisite soup, my family loved it thanks
Super fantastic out of this world soup
Jenn S. says
Thank you, Blanca. So happy to hear you love it!
Leah says
To start I cooked a few slices of bacon in the dutch oven. Then I followed the recipe to the letter and then crumbled the bacon on top when I served it. It was a great addition of flavor for my meat loving, dairy/gluten free family of four!
Jenn S. says
That’s great, Leah! So happy you all loved it! I might have to try that with tempeh bacon next time – sounds yummy!
Mel says
Awesome soup. I added mushrooms and used chicken cubes. Didn’t add milk. It was great
Jenn S. says
Glad you liked it. Thanks, Mel!
Lindsey says
Totally not soup season here in the Midwest, but I literally googled, “recipes with potatoes & coconut milk” (lol— had a craving) and I stumbled upon this recipe. 🙌 Genius blend of ingredients with amazing flavor. I happened to have all ingredients (with the exception of corn & celery salt). Since I happen to be growing kale in my vertical garden, I knew this recipe would be perfect!!! Me, my husband, and my dad (…my dad, who happens to be visiting from out of town) ALL loved it. Delicious, hearty and satisfying for THREE VERY DIFFERENT people, personalities & tastebuds. Omg….SO GOOD! … and happy that I doubled the recipe, having leftovers. 😉 Random recipe success finding! I’ll have to check out more of your recipes. THANK YOU!! ❤️
Jenn S. says
Random recipe success is the best! HaHa! Thank you, Lindsey! This comment makes me so happy. FYI: I’m in the midwest too and we eat soup all year long. I just love it so much! I hope you find some more recipes here to love too! Enjoy!
Sophie says
Love this recipe! I have made it a few times and it comes out great every time. thank you!
Jenn S. says
Awesome to hear. Thank you, Sophie! I love soup season!
Antonetta says
Thank you for this recipe! I did make it in the instant pot [manual 6 min; natural release] and I also added a little Better than bouillon no-chicken base; out turned out great! 😊 Thank you!!!
Jenn S. says
That’s great, Antonetta! I’m so happy you loved it. And thanks for the tips on the Instant Pot!!
Jennifer C says
This soup is so good! My husband and daughter both love it! I usually double or triple the recipe because we always love it better the next day. Thank you for creating such a wonderful soup recipe
Jenn S. says
Oh, thank you so much! Glad you are all enjoying it! I love making huge batches of soup, too. I eat them all week…even for breakfast sometimes. Thanks again!
Nikki Lynch says
I really like this soup and make all the time. Family really likes it also have to double and I might have a bowl left for lunch the next day.
Jenn S. says
Aw, that’s so great to hear, Nikki! Thank you!
erica says
This is so delicious. Have you done this in a pressure cooker/instant pot? If so, for how long?
Jenn S. says
I’ve never done it that way, so I’m not sure. It’s so quick and easy as is…it will probably take you just as long in the IP since it takes awhile to come to pressure. Let me know if you try it though.
Kim says
Can this be put in the freezer for later?
Jenn S. says
I have never tried freezing it, but I don’t see why you couldn’t it. You might need to add a little extra liquid when reheating. Let me know if you try it.
Nikki Lynch says
Made tonight for dinner and it was really good.
Jenn S. says
That’s awesome, Nikki! I’m so glad you liked it. Thank you!
Juan E says
holy toledo batman i just made this and it was delish! i’m new to cooking so i didn’t improvise. i just made it as per the instructions and it came out better than i ever would have thought possible. thank u for sharing!!
Jenn S. says
Oh, yay, that makes me so happy! Thank you Juan! Enjoy your weekend!