Vegan Potato Soup

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This vegan potato soup is loaded with hearty, warming, and comforting flavors! This recipe combines creamy potatoes, savory onions and celery, and sweet carrots, all simmered together until tender. Finish everything off with a splash of non-dairy milk or heavy cream and your favorite garnishes for an ultra-satisfying bowl.

❤️ Why you’ll love this recipe

• Hearty and filling: This soup is loaded with chunky potatoes and vegetables, meaning it will satisfy even the biggest of appetites.
• Easily customizable: You can add any of your favorite hearty vegetables or spices to tailor the recipe to your liking.
• Budget-friendly: This vegan potato soup is made with inexpensive and easily accessible ingredients, so you don’t have to worry about food costs breaking the bank!
• Perfect for all seasons: Although this recipe is great as a warm and comforting dish during colder months, it’s still light enough for the spring and summertime!

If you love comforting vegan soup recipes, you should really check out our chickpea soup, butternut squash soup, vegan split pea soup, or lentil soup.

🍲 Chunky vegan potato soup

This vegan potato soup is our plant-based take on a classic potato soup recipe. It’s a comforting dish that has roots in many different cuisines, each having its own variation based on local ingredients and tastes.

Our rendition is packed with creamy potato chunks, tender carrots, onions, and celery, all simmered in a rich vegetable broth. We love the herbaceous elements of dried thyme and rosemary to add a hearty, aromatic, and comforting finish.

Even though this soup’s texture is intended thick and chunky, you can still easily adjust it to suit your preferences. Or, test out our 4-ingredient potato soup for a fully smooth version! 

Enjoy this easy vegan potato soup warm and garnished with a sprinkle of fresh parsley, shredded vegan cheddar, or tofu crumbles. Pair it with a slice of dairy-free bread or a sandwich for the ultimate meal!

🥔 What are the best potatoes for potato soup? 

If you’re unsure about which potatoes are best for soup or only have one type available, keep this potato guide in mind:

• Russet potatoes: Known for their high-starch content, russets break down well while cooking and thicken the soup, offering a creamy consistency.
• Yukon Gold potatoes: These are all-purpose potatoes with a perfect balance of starch and moisture. Yukon Golds hold their shape well in soups and have a naturally buttery flavor that enhances the dish.
• Red potatoes: Have a waxy texture that holds up well in soups. Their thin skin adds color and additional texture to the dish, so don’t worry about peeling!
• Fingerling potatoes: With a firm, waxy texture, fingerlings hold their shape in soup. Their unique shape and variety of colors can also add visual appeal.
• White potatoes: Similar to Yukon Golds in texture, but with a slightly milder flavor. They are a good choice if you want the other flavors in your soup to stand out.
• Sweet potatoes: While not a traditional choice, sweet potatoes can be used for a unique flavor profile. They provide a sweet contrast to savory ingredients and are packed with nutrients like beta-carotene and vitamin C.

Remember, there are no wrong choices here! Your choice of potato depends largely on the texture you want in your soup. Mix and match different varieties to find your perfect blend!

🌱 Isn’t all potato soup vegan?

Contrary to what you may think, most potato soup recipes contain ingredients like butter, milk, cream, and chicken broth. However, here are a few simple swaps we’ve made to this dish completely plant-based:

• Oil: We use olive oil instead of butter for sautéing the vegetables.
• Milk: We swap regular milk (or cream) with soy milk or vegan heavy cream. But, feel free to use any plant milk you prefer.
• Broth: Instead of using chicken broth, we still made the flavors pop by using high-quality vegetable broth or stock powder.

🛒 Ingredients & substitutions

• Olive oil: EVOO adds a subtle fruity aroma and rich taste to the soup. You can also use vegan butter, avocado oil, or any neutral vegetable oil.
• Mirepoix: Onions, carrots, and celery add depth of flavor and heartiness. Feel free to use more or less of each depending on what you have available.
• Seasonings: We use garlic, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves to enhance the savory and aromatic flavors. Feel free to experiment with sage, oregano, basil, parsley, nutmeg, or any other spice you prefer.
• Vegetable broth: Use store-bought or homemade vegetable broth or stock powder. You can substitute it with water in a pinch for a more economical option.
• Potatoes: We typically use Yukon Gold taters for their buttery flavor and balanced starch-to-water ratio. Peeling them creates a much creamier soup, but you can leave the peel on to incorporate more fiber.
• Salt & pepper: Don’t be shy with the salt here! Potatoes generally need a lot of seasoning. If you are sensitive to heat, reduce the black pepper slightly.
• Non-dairy milk: Both vegan heavy cream and soy milk are our top choices for adding a creamy texture and richness to the soup. If you don’t have either on hand, try oat, pea, or cashew milk.
• Garnishes: Brighten your soup up with garnishes like fresh parsley, green onions or chives, vegan shredded cheddar, and tofu crumbles.

For a complete ingredient list and step-by-step guide, scroll down to our recipe card.

📝 How to make vegan potato soup

Step 1: Sauté the mirepoix

Heat the olive oil in a large pot, then sauté the diced onion, celery, and carrots and cook them until they are tender and soft. This builds the foundation of flavors for the soup, so be patient and cook the veggies low and slow so they don’t burn.

Step 2: Add the aromatics

Throw in the minced garlic, dried thyme, and rosemary, and give everything a stir to let it mingle together and become fragrant.

Step 3: Simmer the soup

Once the herbs and garlic are nice and fragrant, add the vegetable broth, potatoes, and bay leaves. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and let the soup simmer until the potatoes are tender.

Step 4: Mash the potatoes

When the potatoes are fork-tender, use a potato masher to mash some of the potatoes in the pot. This will thicken the soup and give it a chunkier texture, but you can also use an immersion blender or regular blender if you prefer a smoother soup.

If you only have a regular blender, remove about a third or a half of the soup, blend it, then add it back to the pot with the rest of the soup.

Step 5: Add the cream

Stir in the plant milk or vegan heavy cream (you can make this as the soup is simmering or in advance). Heat the soup for another few minutes, then remove the bay leaves and season it with salt and pepper.

Serve your vegan potato soup immediately with chopped parsley, green onions, vegan cheddar shreds, tofu crumbles, sour cream, etc. Happy eating!

If you have questions about this vegan potato soup recipe, check out our FAQs or leave a comment down below!

🍞 What to serve with vegan potato soup

What could be better than a quick and easy vegan potato soup? Vegan potato soup with sides! Try some of these comforting options:

• Dairy-free bread or sourdough
• Kale Caesar salad
• Air fryer quesadillas
• Air fryer zucchini or green beans
• Vegan garlic bread
• Vegan tuna sandwich

🌡️ Storage & reheating

For any leftover vegan potato soup, follow these simple storage and reheating tips:

• Fridge: Let the soup cool completely, then store the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
• Freezer: This soup freezes well too! Just let it cool, then transfer it to a freezer-safe container and it should keep well for up to 3 months. Just note that the texture of the potatoes will change slightly, but it’s still delicious nonetheless.
• Reheating: Reheat your vegan potato soup in a pot over medium until warm. If the soup has thickened too much during storage, add a bit of water, milk, or vegetable broth to thin it out.
• Prep ahead: You can prep all the veggies ahead of time and store them in the fridge for a few days. If you’re using vegan heavy cream, you can also blend it in advance and store it in the fridge.

♻️ Variations

• Spicy: Add a pinch of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes for a kick. You can also add in some Sriracha or Valentina for a tangier flavor.
• Cheesy: Stir some nutritional yeast or vegan cheese right into the soup for a cheesy, umami-rich twist.
• Leeks: Replace half of the onions with leeks for a more classic potato leek soup.
• Mushrooms: Add sliced mushrooms to the soup for a meaty texture and flavor. You can also roast mushroom slices with tamari for a bacon-inspired garnish. 
• Corn: Add fresh or frozen corn kernels for a sweet, vibrant, and juicy crunch.
• Herbaceous: Stir in a handful of fresh herbs, like dill or thyme, at the end.

🧑‍🍳 Top tips

• Uniform dicing: Dice the potatoes and other veggies into similar-sized pieces to ensure even cooking and tenderness.
• Start slow with seasonings: You can always increase the herbs and seasonings to your taste, but you can’t take them away! Start small and adjust from there.
• Add the milk last: Make sure to stir in the non-dairy milk or vegan heavy cream at the end of the cooking process for the creamiest, silkiest texture.
• Thin it out: If the soup becomes too thick after blending the potatoes or adding the non-dairy milk, you can thin it out with extra vegetable broth or water.
• Mash the potatoes: Don’t skip the step of mashing or blending some of the potatoes. It releases more starch, giving the soup a thicker, creamier texture.
• Blend the soup: To achieve a smoother texture, blend the soup with an immersion blender or in a regular blender depending on what you have available.
• Blender safety: If you’re using a regular blender, blend the soup in batches and make sure the lid is secure. Remember to let the soup cool slightly so the pressure doesn’t build up.

💬 FAQ

🍴 More comforting recipes

If you loved this easy vegan potato soup, be sure to check out our other comforting vegan recipes like these:

• Vegan Chili: The best vegan chili you will ever try!
• Vegan Tortilla Soup: A Mexican classic made plant-based.
• Vegan Fava Bean Soup: High-protein soup made quick and affordable. 
• Sopa de Frijoles: A dish inspired by Northern Mexican cuisine with big, bold flavors.