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This creamy vegan potato soup is easy to make in 40 minutes and delicious served with your favourite toppings!

Overhead view of a bowl of creamy potato soup topped with sour cream, bell pepper, bacon, scallions and red onion. There are small dishes of red pepper and red onion beside the bowl.

Why Make this Recipe

If you’re looking for a creamy and comforting dairy-free soup that’s easy to make, you’re going to love this potato soup recipe!

Potato soup is a comfort food classic and it’s even better when served with baked potato-inspired garnishes like sour cream, vegan cheese and green onions.

This soup can be made smooth and creamy, or half-blended for some chunky potato goodness, both ways are yummy and satisfying!

There’s nothing better than a big bowl of soup during the Fall and Winter months, so as soon as those temperatures drop, whip up this cozy soup for a healthy, tasty meal. Served with everyone’s favourite toppings, it’s sure to be a huge hit!

Highlights

  • Vegan (dairy-free).
  • Budget-conscious simple ingredients.
  • Family-friendly meatless meal idea.
  • Enjoy as a main dish, starter or side dish.
  • Ready in 40 minutes.
  • One-pot meal.

Ingredient Notes

All of the ingredients gathered for making a vegan potato soup recipe. Each ingredient is labelled with text and the list can be found on the corresponding blog page.

Please see the recipe card at the end of the post for the complete ingredient list with measurements and detailed instructions.

  • Butter: Use vegan butter for a dairy-free and vegan recipe. Otherwise, any butter works. You can substitute 3 tbsp olive oil and a generous pinch of salt, but butter provides the best flavour for this recipe!
  • Shallot: I really like shallot for this recipe but you can use red onion if you don’t have shallot available.
  • Celery: You’ll need a couple stalks of fresh celery for the flavour base.
  • Garlic: You’ll need fresh garlic though you could substitute 1 tsp garlic powder if that’s what you have available.
  • Flour: You’ll need all-purpose flour to create the thick and creamy base for the soup. This can be substituted with gluten-free all-purpose flour.
  • Vegetable Stock: Any homemade or store-bought stock or bouillon works.
  • Old Bay Seasoning: Old Bay Seasoning is easy to find in stores or online. You can substitute cajun seasoning, or 3/4 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp celery salt, 1/8 tsp dry mustard, 1/8 tsp black pepper and a pinch of nutmeg, cinnamon and cayenne.
  • Smoked Paprika: Adds a bit of smoky flavor to the soup.
  • Potato: You’ll need russet potatoes. The amount doesn’t have to be exact so 3 large/average-sized russet potatoes are perfect.
  • Non-Dairy Milk: Any non-dairy milk works though unsweetend cashew milk or almond milk work well.

Step-by-Step with Photos

Step 1: Melt Butter & Saute Veggies

In a large dutch oven or any heavy-bottomed soup pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the shallot, celery and garlic and cook for about 4 minutes, stirring frequently.

Shallot, garlic and celery cooking in melted butter in a large Dutch oven with handles. There is a wooden spoon and dish towel beside the pot.

Step 2: Add Flour

Add the flour and cook the mixture for another 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

Celery, shallot and garlic cooking in a butter and flour mixture in a large soup pot with handles.

Step 3: Add Vegetable Stock

Next, add the vegetable stock and whisk to fully incorporate the flour until it’s smooth and any clumps have been broken up and mixed in.

A creamy beige mixture with bits of celery, shallot and garlic in it cooking in a large soup pot with handles. The mixture is the base of a vegan potato soup.

Step 4: Add Remaining Ingredients & Simmer

Add the rest of the ingredients – potato, stock, milk and seasonings- bring the mixture to boil then reduce the heat until the soup is gently simmering.

Simmer it for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally to avoid any sticking to the bottom or a film forming on top.

Chunks of potato cooking in milk and vegetable stock in a large soup pot with handles.

Step 5: Mash or Blend

You have a few options for this step. You can use a potato masher or immersion blender direcly in the pot, breaking the potatoes up/blending until you reach your desired consistency.

You can blend or mash it all for creamy potato soup or leave it half-blended for a chunkier texture.

Using a potato masher in a large soup pot of creamy potato soup.

I like to transfer a couple of scoops to a blender, blend until smooth then pour back in with the blended portion but any of those methods work well.

Wooden spoonful of creamy potato soup held over a pot of potato soup.

Once blended or mashed, stir well and adjust the seasoning if needed. You can also stir in a squeeze of lemon juice for a bit of brightness if you like.

That’s it! Serve your soup as is or with any of the topping suggestions listed below and enjoy!

Angled view of a bowl of creamy potato soup topped with sour cream, vegan bacon bits, finely chopped scallions, red onion and bell pepper.

Topping Ideas

  • finely chopped fresh parsley
  • croutons
  • vegan bacon bits, tempeh bacon, coconut bacon or store-bought vegan bacon of choice
  • thinly sliced scallions
  • grated vegan cheddar cheese
  • nutritional yeast – you can also stir this into the soup at the end for a cheesy flavour
  • vegan sour cream
  • vegan cream cheese
  • plain vegan yogurt
  • cashew cream
  • diced bell pepper
  • diced red onion
A spoon scooping into a bowl of creamy potato soup topped with bell pepper, green onion, bacon and sour cream.

FAQs

What can I use instead of Old Bay seasoning?

If you can’t find Old Bay seasoning, you can substitute cajun seasoning, or 3/4 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp celery salt, 1/8 tsp dry mustard, 1/8 tsp black pepper and a tiny pinch each of nutmeg, cinnamon and cayenne.

What kind of milk should I use?

I would suggest store-bought or homemade unsweetened almond milk or cashew milk though you can also use soy milk or another non-dairy milk you enjoy.

You can use light coconut milk or carton coconut milk for the milk but the soup will have a bit of coconut flavour to it. If you’d like to use coconut milk, I’d suggest carton coconut milk or 1 can of light coconut milk and then adjusting the consistency with extra stock or water, if needed.

Can I make potato soup gluten-free?

Yes. To make this recipe gluten-free, use gluten-free all-purpose flour such as Bob’s Red Mill instead of all-purpose flour.

Variations

  • Add up to 1 cup of corn before or after mashing or blending the soup.
  • Swap half of the potato for cauliflower to make potato cauliflower soup.
  • Old Bay Seasoning does contain some heat but if you want a little more spice, you can add up to 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper.
Overhead view of two bowls of creamy potato soup topped with sour cream, diced bell pepper, red onion and scallions. There are small dishes of chopped bell pepper, scallion and green onion beside the bowls of soup.

How to Store

  • Let the soup cool before storing.
  • Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
  • Reheat in a pot on the stovetop or in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each interval, until heated through.
A spoonful of creamy potato soup on a spoon held by a hand. There is some sour cream in the soup and a few bits of green onion and bell pepper.

More Hearty Soups

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Angled view of a bowl of creamy potato soup topped with sour cream, vegan bacon bits, finely chopped scallions, red onion and bell pepper.

Creamy Vegan Potato Soup

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  • Author: Deryn Macey
  • Prep Time: 15 mins
  • Cook Time: 26 mins
  • Total Time: 41 minutes
  • Yield: 6
  • Category: Soup
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegan
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Description

Enjoy this easy potato soup for a warm and comforting meal any night of the week. Load it up with toppings and it’s sure to be a hit!

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup plant-based butter (60 g)
  • 2 shallots, diced 
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour (60 g) 
  • 2 cups vegetable stock (500 mL) 
  • 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 3 large russet potatoes (about 780 g)
  • 3–4 cups unsweetened non-dairy milk (1000 mL)

Topping Ideas

  • diced red bell pepper
  • vegan bacon/tempeh bacon/coconut bacon
  • green onions
  • diced shallot or red onion
  • grated vegan cheese
  • cashew cream or sour cream or yogurt

Instructions

  1. Saute Aromatics: In a dutch oven or large pot, melt the butter over medium heat then add the shallot, celery and garlic. Cook for 4 minutes, stirring constantly.
  2. Add Flour: Add in the flour and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring constantly. 
  3. Add Stock: Stir in the vegetable stock and whisk until the flour is completely incorporated and the mixture is smooth with no clumps.
  4. Add Remaining Ingredients: Add the old bay seasoning, salt, smoked paprika, potatoes and 3 cups of milk, and stir to combine.
  5. Simmer: Heat until boiling then reduce the heat to until gently simmering. Simmer for 15-20 minutes uncovered, until the potatoes are very tender. Stirring often to prevent sticking and a film from forming on top. 
  6. Mash or Blend: When the potatoes are tender, blend or mash the soup to your desired consistency using an immersion blender, blender or potato masher. You can blend or mash all of it for a completely creamy soup or you can blend or mash half the soup for a chunkier texture. If needed, stir in the additional cup of milk to adjust the thickness. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if needed.
  7. Garnish & Serve: Scoop into bowls and garnish each with your desired toppings. Enjoy!

Notes

Shallots can be swapped for 1/2 cup diced red onion. Unsweetened almond milk or cashew milk or cream is suggested for the milk. You can use coconut milk but the soup will have a light coconut flavour.

Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each interval.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/6th of recipe
  • Calories: 241
  • Sodium: 690 mg
  • Fat: 9 g
  • Carbohydrates: 35 g
  • Fiber: 3 g
  • Protein: 5 g

Keywords: vegan potato soup, creamy vegan potato soup

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