Vegan Leek & Potato Soup

This creamy Vegan Leek and Potato Soup is warming, satisfying and delicious. Buttery leeks with delicate herbs and creamy potatoes make this soup perfectly creamy and tasty. Vegan and gluten-free.

Warming and filling, this soup is perfect for a tasty lunch or light supper. It's super easy to make and just happens to be vegan and gluten-free. Buttery leeks and fluffy potatoes are cooked with fresh thyme and bay leaf then blended to make a thick and creamy comforting soup.

This soup takes a little longer than most of my soups but it is so worth it. I always like a garnish or two on my soups so I add sunflowers seeds, chives and a drizzle of vegan yoghurt to finish it off. We love to have this with some good crusty bread too.

What Do I Need?

• Leeks - You'll need 3 medium leeks for this soup. Look for firm leeks that have as much white and light green as possible. Stalks should be crisp and firm. Select smaller leeks for the best taste. Avoid stalks that are withered or have yellowed tops.
• Potatoes - Go for a fluffy potato, Maris Piper or Russet potatoes if you are in the US work best. I always peel the potatoes for this soup.
• Vegetable Stock - To keep this soup vegan and gluten-free I use a vegan and gluten-free stock, of you can get a stock that is low sodium that's great too.
• Herbs - I use fresh thyme and one dried bay leaf. They are delicate enough to not overpower the soup.
• Onion and Garlic - I add onion and garlic to this recipe. I also add a stalk of celery and a tiny pinch of grated nutmeg.

How to Make Vegan Leek and Potato Soup

This is just a quick visual guide, please see the recipe card for the full instructions.

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the chopped onion and celery and cook for a few minutes. Next, add the chopped leeks. You will need to cook these until they are soft and creamy, it will take at least 20 - 30 minutes but it's worth it.
2. Next, add the potatoes.
3. Now add the stock, a pinch of grated nutmeg, bay leaf and thyme, and simmer until the potatoes are cooked. Once they're cooked blend the soup.

Tips for Making the Best Vegan Leek and Potato Soup

• Make sure and give the leeks a good clean. Leeks are grown covered in loose soil so you can often find soil and grit in amongst the leaves. You can find a step by step guide here, on how to clean leeks.
• Gently saute the leeks and stir them often. Don't let them go brown or burn!
• Use a floury potato, such as Maris Piper, for your soup. This will result in the best soup, waxy potatoes will result in a more gloopy soup.
• Don't over blend the soup, this can result in the soup becoming gloopy. A quick blend done in quick pulses with a handheld blender is all it needs. If you have any lumpy potatoes left after you can use a potato masher to mash them. However, I'm not averse to finding a little creamy nugget of potato in my soup!
• This is a thick soup, if you prefer it to be thinner you can add more stock or a little water to loosen it up a bit. You can also add a tablespoon of your favourite vegan sour cream if you want to make it even creamier.

FAQs

Can You Freeze Leek and Potato Soup? Yes, you can. To freeze, wait for the soup to cool and then place in freezer bags or suitable containers and freeze. Use within 3 months. For best results defrost the soup in the fridge the night before then reheat on the hob. You may need to add a little water to loosen it up.

How Long Will This Soup Last For? This soup will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat on the hob until it is piping hot.

Do I Have to Blend this Soup? No, you don't have to blend it, you can absolutely leave it as is.

More Tasty Lunch Inspiration

We love soup for lunch and my Spicy Carrot and Lentil Soup is one we make a lot, it's also the most popular soup recipe on my blog. Looking for something less spicy try my Easy Vegetable Soup. or my Vegetable Barley Soup, both delicious and easy to make. If you have any leftover potatoes then these Crispy Baked Potato Wedges are always a good idea! If you fancy something more substantial then this Red Pesto Pasta is really tasty and easy to make.

Have you made this Vegan Leek and Potato Soup Recipe? Rate it and leave me a comment below to let me know what you think!

Vegan Leek and Potato Soup

A creamy Vegan Leek and Potato Soup, warming, satisfying and delicious. Buttery leeks with delicate herbs and creamy potatoes make this soup perfectly creamy and tasty.

5 from 9 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Lunch

Cuisine: Soup

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Servings: 6

Calories: 161kcal

Author: Michelle Alston

Ingredients

• ▢ 2 tbsp olive oil
• ▢ 1 medium brown onion peeled and finely chopped
• ▢ 3 medium leeks cleaned, slice the white and very pale green parts.
• ▢ 1 stalk of celery finely chopped
• ▢ 600 g floury potatoes (approx 2 cups in the US) peeled & cubed
• ▢ 2 cloves of garlic minced
• ▢ A small pinch of finely grated nutmeg optional
• ▢ 1.4 litres of vegetable stock (2 pints) (gluten-free, vegan & low salt)
• ▢ ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
• ▢ ½ tsp sea salt
• ▢ 6-8 sprigs of fresh thyme
• ▢ 1 dried bay leaf

For the garnish

• ▢ 1 tbsp finely chopped chives optional
• ▢ 1 tbsp sunflower seeds optional
• ▢ 1 or 2 tbsp vegan yoghurt plain is best (optional)

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Instructions

• To clean the leeks: Remove the rough outer layer of the leeks, slice the leeks lengthways and open each leek like a fan, under a running tap let the water run through the layers for a minute or two to get rid of any grit or soil. Then slice the leeks using the white and some of the very pale green parts of the leeks.
• Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the onion, celery and leeks, cook over medium for about 30 minutes until they are soft. Stirring often.

  Add the garlic and cook for a minute.

  Next add the potatoes, stock, thyme bay leaf and a small pinch of freshly grated nutmeg. Season with salt and black pepper, bring to the boil and then simmer for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked.
• Remove the bay leaf and any stems of thyme. Using a handheld blender, blend the soup quickly, in quick pulses. Be careful not to over blend the soup.
• Serve immediately. Top with chopped chives, seeds and yoghurt if you wish.

Notes

• Leeks - thoroughly clean the leeks. Remove the rough outer layer of the leeks, slice the leeks lengthways and open each leek like a fan, under a running tap let the water run through the layers for a minute to get rid of any grit or soil. 
• Potatoes -  It's important to use the right potato for this soup. A floury potato is best, choose Maris Piper or Russets. Waxy potatoes will result in a gluey soup.
• Blending the soup - Use a hand-held blender, and blend the soup in brief pulses. Do not over blend the soup, this will result in a gloopy soup. If there are any lumps of potato left I would use a potato masher to break down the potato.
• Storing/Freezing/Reheating - Any leftover soup can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat the soup on the hob until piping hot, you may need to add a little water to loosen it up a bit. You can freeze this soup, leave the soup to cool then transfer to suitable containers and freeze for up to 3 months. For best results, defrost in the fridge overnight then reheat on the hob until piping hot. Again, you may need to add a little water to loosen up the soup.
• Nutritional Information - is approximate and is calculated using an online nutrition tool. It is based on one serving.
• Measurements - I weigh all my ingredients using an electric scale, all measurements are metric. Cup measurements are approximate.

Nutrition

Calories: 161kcal | Carbohydrates: 26.8g | Protein: 2.7g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 0.7g | Sodium: 172mg | Potassium: 526mg | Fiber: 3.8g | Sugar: 3.7g | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 2mg

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*This recipe was first posted January 21, 2016, it has now been updated with new photos, more recipe information, nutritional information and expert tips.