This easy and delicious creamy vegan potato soup recipe uses simple ingredients and is ready in minutes! It's full-bodied, creamy and filling and is gluten-free and dairy-free! Perfect for vegetarians and vegans!
At first glance, you may think, "how can a cream soup be vegan?" Read on to learn the secret...
This recipe came to me years ago during a snowstorm when the electricity was out, the milk in the refrigerator was bad and all we had in the house was a bag of potatoes and a gas stove.
There was no time to experiment with making a "no cream" version, so I had to wing it.
This recipe is the result of three days with no electricity, but I still make it--even when the lights are on! It's a favorite soup any time of year!
Why this recipe works
This basic five ingredient vegetarian potato soup recipe is the epitome of healthy eating and the perfect recipe for both vegetarians and vegans: it doesn't contain any chicken stock, vegetable stock, milk, cream cheese, flour or cornstarch but it still tastes delicious!
- Versatile: you can season this healthy potato soup to suit your taste buds! Add in some fresh herbs like fresh parsley, ground thyme, green onions, leeks, shallots
- Simple stove top method: requires no food processor or blender (you can make this in a slow cooker, but the total time of the recipe is less than 30 minutes, so the preferred method is stove top in a large soup pot or Dutch oven)
- Flexible texture: you can make this chunky or creamy
- Flexible seasonings: dress up this simple recipe to your liking by adding aromatics, spices, or herbs!
Here's what you'll need
The base of this vegetarian potato soup recipe is simple and perfect for a cold winter night or as a comfort food if you're not feeling well. If you want a more flavorful soup, see "Variations" below and in the recipe card notes.
I've found the best potatoes for this recipe are russet potatoes (also known as Idaho potatoes.) Russets are not waxy like red potatoes and Yukon gold potatoes; russets tend to dissolve better, which helps create the creaminess in this homemade potato soup.
- 3 lbs. large russet potatoes (this makes about 4 bowls of soup)
- water
- salt
- black pepper
- Seasonings of your choice: plain potato salad is great when you're feeling puny, but if you want to add more seasonings and spices, see "Variations" below
That's it! No coconut milk, flour, cornstarch, butter or dairy.
What makes the "cream" in this vegetarian soup recipe
The secret "ingredient" to this creamy vegetarian potato soup recipe is potato water. Yep! The starches in the potato water act as a thickening agent! Once you boil, drain and dice potatoes, reserve some of the cooking water.
How to make this easy potato soup recipe
First thing is to rinse and peel away the thin skin, then slice or dice potatoes; place in a large pot, cover with water and bring to boil.
Once the potatoes are fork tender, drain them and reserve the potato water in another bowl
Return cooked potatoes to the large stockpot and mash all or part of the potatoes with a fork or potato masher - NOTE: this step determines the texture and thickness of your creamy base; if you want it chunky, do not mash all of the potatoes - leave some of the potato chunks for texture. If you want it super creamy, mash all the potatoes.
On medium low heat, add the reserved potato water in one cup increments until it reaches your desired consistency
Once you've gotten the consistency how you like it, season with a teaspoon salt, a teaspoon pepper and add any fresh herbs (or dried herbs) to the soup
Garnish this 5 ingredient vegetarian potato soup with vegan cheese or your favorite sharp cheddar cheese, a little vegan butter, green onions, vegan bacon bits, fresh parsley or cilantro
Tips
Soup too runny? Continue to cook it on low heat, stirring constantly, until some of the moisture is cooked out
Want it thicker? Add a cornstarch slurry (see recipe notes below) or throw in a dollop of vegan sour cream
Too thick? Add more potato water until you get the texture you desire; another option is to add in a little non-dairy milk
If you want it silky smooth, use a hand emulsifier or immersion blender. Start by adding only one cup of potato water then use the emulsifier to smooth the potatoes; repeat process until desired consistency is reached
Recipe FAQ
Russet, or Idaho potatoes work best. They are high in starch and non-waxy so they dissolve well in the water. This helps create a "creamy" base for the potato soup.
Thicken the soup by adding a slurry - using either flour or cornstarch. A slurry is ½ cup liquid (usually water) with about 2 tablespoons of flour or starch. Mix these together in a measuring cup and add it to the potato soup.
Flour thickens at a lower heat than cornstarch, so if you use a flour slurry, add it on low heat; if you add a cornstarch slurry, turn the heat up when you add it.
Variations
I recommend adding seasonings and/or herbs in ½ teaspoon increments; you can always add more but you can't take it out!
You can add any aromatics, seasonings or herbs to this recipe: seasoned salt, onion powder, garlic powder, thyme, oregano, bay leaf, red pepper flakes, green onions, leeks, shallots, or marjoram. The options are endless, so play with the recipe however you like!
Storage and reheating
This is a great soup recipe anytime of the year! You can make it in advance up to 3 days. Refrigerate in an airtight container or freeze up to 6 months. To reheat, allow to come to room temperature, then reheat in a large stockpot on medium-high heat.
Soup may thicken upon storage, so you may have to add a little water upon reheating. Serve a warm bowl of soup with a side of crusty bread and a crisp salad!
I hope you find this simple, 5 ingredient vegetarian potato soup recipe enjoyable and versatile! It's a great soup during the Fall months or any time of the year!
Related recipes
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- Vegetable Soup
- Black Bean Soup
- No Cream Creamy White Bean Soup
- Southern Cornbread Dressing
- Steakhouse Baked Potatoes
- How to Fix Over Salted Foods
If you make this recipe, please scroll down and leave a rating and comment! I love to hear from you!
📋 Recipe
Creamy vegetarian potato soup
Ingredients
- 3 lbs. potatoes russets; peeled and cubed
- water (potato broth) See Recipe Notes Below (reserved potato water from the boiled potatoes)
- salt and pepper to taste
- Seasonings of your choice: ½ teaspoon - oregano, marjoram, thyme, parsley, seasoned salt
Instructions
- Peel and cube potatoes3 lbs. potatoes
- Add chopped potatoes to large stockpot and add water to cover; bring to boil
- Once potatoes are fork tender; drain and reserve the potato water in a large bowl; return drained potatoes back to the pot you boiled them in
- With a fork or potato masher, mash all or some of the potatoes (see recipe notes)3 lbs. potatoes
- Add 1 cup of reserved potato water and cook for 10 minutes; if it's too thick, add a little more potato broth; repeat until you get the desired consistency you wantwater (potato broth) See Recipe Notes Below
- Season to taste with salt, pepper or seasonings of your choicesalt and pepper to taste, Seasonings of your choice: ½ teaspoon - oregano, marjoram, thyme, parsley, seasoned salt
I'd love to hear from you!