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Vegan Potato Leek Soup

Vegan Potato Leek Soup – This is my favorite recipe made healthy and easy featuring tender potatoes, mellow flavored leeks, and simple herbs served chunky or pureed into creamy deliciousness!

top down view of creamy vegan potato leek soup in a bowl with items surrounding.

Why We Love This Recipe!

It’s a simple, one-pot meal! This easy soup is made with only 6 basic ingredients and cooks in 1 pot for easy cleanup. Plus, it’s ready in 30 minutes!

It’s naturally healthy! Made without cream, this potato leek soup recipe is dairy-free and low fat with an oil-free option, and is 100% vegan and gluten-free!

When you’re looking for a quick weeknight meal, this creamy one-pot vegan soup brimming with potatoes and leeks is a comforting, cozy meal. It’s also great for meal prepping, and freezes well too!

top down view of ingredients used to make the best vegan potato leek soup.

Best Potato Leek Soup Ingredients

Here are notes about each ingredient, including ideas for variations and substitutions.

Potatoes – My favorite potatoes for this soup are Yukon gold potatoes, but russet potatoes work too. Feel free to peel your potatoes, especially if you want an ultra-creamy soup. Leaving the skin on does have its nutritional benefits, but may not blend up as smooth. But if you’re like me, a little chunkiness is welcome!

Leeks – Use 3 medium-sized leeks, or 2 large, using the white and light green parts only. When prepping leeks, be sure to rinse them well under cool running water to remove any sand or dirt that has become lodged between the leek sheaths. Here’s a handy visual guide on How To Cut & Clean Leeks. Healthy Tip: When sauteing the leeks use water instead of oil to make an oil-free soup.

Herbs – I used dried thyme, but a few fresh sprigs would be great too. I’ve also made this soup with one of my favorite herb blends for soup, herbes de Provence, which is fantastic as well. You also find this herb in my Potato, Leek & White Bean Soup. And don’t forget to add a little parsley to the soup before serving, it adds a bright, fresh flavor!

Liquids – Use vegetable broth, water, or a combo of the two. I used 1 tsp of this organic Better Than Boullion veg paste (affiliate link). Tip: For the most flavor using all vegetable broth will yield the most flavorful broth.

healthy vegan potato leek soup simmering

How To Make Vegan Potato Leek Soup

Here is a quick overview of the steps with a few photos for reference. You can find the full printable recipe card below.

  • Saute: Start with the leeks by sauteing them for 7 – 10 minutes. When ready, they’ll be soft and tender. Tip: Make sure to keep an eye on the temperature so they don’t burn.
  • Simmer: Now we bring it all together by adding the potatoes, herbs, bay leaves, liquids and salt, let simmer for 15 minutes. Will be ready when potatoes are soft and tender.
  • Puree: Finally, soup is done! Either eat as is (as shown below left) or puree your soup (below right) using an immersion blender or food processor. Feel free to find that happy medium between chunky and smooth!
potato leek soup simmering in a pot and pureed

How Long Will Leftovers Keep?

Leftovers will keep for 5 – 6 days in the refrigerator, stored in a covered container. Simply re-warm on the stovetop or the microwave. Because it stores so well, it’s great for weekly meal prep.

Can You Freeze Potato Leek Soup?

Yes, vegan potato leek soup freezes well for up to 2 months! We love to freeze this soup using individual small containers that are freezer-safe. And when ready, just pull it from the freezer and warm it up for a warm and cozy meal. You can also freeze larger portions in large ziplock bags or containers.

top down view of freshly pureed vegan potato leek soup in a pot with items surrounding.

Serving Suggestions

More Healthy Soup Recipes!

Looking for more ways to use potatoes or leeks? See all Potato and Leek recipes on TSV, you may find a new favorite!

side angle view of creamy vegan potato leek soup in a bowl with items surrounding.

If you try this vegan soup recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment and rate it below. I love to hear what you think, or any changes you make.

Print

CREAMY VEGAN POTATO LEEK SOUP

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 24 reviews

Simple and hearty, vegan potato leek soup is blended into creamy smoothness and ready in 30 minutes for a healthy and delicious meal!

  • Author: Julie | The Simple Veganista
  • Prep Time: 5 min
  • Cook Time: 25 min
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: Serves 4
  • Category: Entree, Soup
  • Cuisine: Vegan

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil or 1/4 cup water (for water saute)
  • 3 medium leeks (use white and light green parts only)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 22 1/4 lbs. potatoes, cubed 1/2 inch (peeled or with skin on)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme or Herbes de provence
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
  • mineral salt, to taste
  • 1/4 cup chopped parsley, to garnish

Instructions

Prep: Leeks, start by removing and discarding the root ends and thick dark green parts. Cut the leeks in half lengthwise and rinse each half under cold water, pulling apart the layers to remove any sand or debris nestled inside, slice the leeks crosswise. Alternatively, slice the leeks, then put in a colander and wash well under running water. Should yield 4 – 5 cups. Cut potatoes into 1/2 inch cubes. Feel free to peel the potatoes or leave the skin on (I left the skin on).

Saute: In a large dutch oven or pot, heat the oil/water over medium heat. Add the leeks and cook, stirring frequently, until soft and wilted, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic in the last 5 minutes of cooking the leeks. Adjust the heat as necessary so as not to brown the leeks.

Simmer: Add the potatoes, broth, bay leaves, herbs, salt to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer on low for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork-tender.

Puree: Remove the bay leaves, and puree the soup using a hand-held immersion blender until smooth (or leave a little chunky). Alternatively, use a regular blender to puree the soup in batches. Taste for seasoning. 

Serve: Serve warm with chopped parsley, crispy chickpea croutons, and a side of crusty artisan bread.

Notes

Store: Leftovers can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 1 week in an airtight container. It’s also freezer-friendly and can be stored in the freezer for up to 2 – 3 months. Defrost the soup in the refrigerator for 12 hours or so and reheat on the stovetop over medium heat until warm. Alternatively, warm in the microwave.

Feel free to eat this soup chunky, partially chunky, or fully pureed. There is no wrong way to enjoy potato leek soup!

Blending Tip: If using a regular blender to puree the soup, fill the blender cup no more than halfway and leave the hole in the lid open to let any heat escape. It may take two batches to complete.

Updated: This recipe was originally published in January 2019. It has been retested and updated with new photos and helpful tips in Dec 2021.

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34 Comments

  1. Gabrielle Rahme says:

    This is my go to potato leek soup recipe! I love how it tastes rich and decadent, yet still healthy! Thank you for your amazing recipes! This soup is proof that you don’t need cream or butter to add richness

  2. Lovvved this! Thank you for sharing! So few ingredients and such a wholesome taste. :)






    1. I’m getting over a stomach flu and read leeks are prebiotic and help build up your gut bacteria. Gave this a shot and WOW, AMAZING. It’s creamy and not so intense in flavour to upset my recovering body. Definitely, when I’m back to normal, I’m going to add some garlic and some carrots and green lentils to add protein and more vitamins. Thanks for a great, simple recipe.






  3. Perfect and easy! Just what i wanted in a leek soup. I liked the flavor with just the leeks. I was going to put a little cream cheese in my husband’s because he likes creamy soups but he said it didn’t need it. :D






  4. Stephanie B says:

    This soup is AH-mazing! So easy to make. Budget friendly, waistline friendly but best of all it’s really delicious. I made it the first time on Friday night. And then again on Sunday night. Lunch for the week!
    The only thing I modified was adding about 3/4 cup of nooch right before blending.
    Filing this one under favourites.






  5. Would the soup taste funny with the addition of carrots? It just so happens I have a whole lot of potatoes and carrots and I’m trying to figure out what to do with them

    1. Julie | The Simple Veganista says:

      Not at all, it may change the color a little after pureeing, but will still be delicious! If you have some cabbage on hand, you can make a variation of this Cabbage, Potato and White Bean Soup (replace the celery with carrots or just add more carrots and potatoes). Hope that helps. :)

  6. Big fan of this recipe. Thank you for providing one without a bunch of coconut cream or blended cashews; sometimes vegetables really can stand alone, without a bunch of added fat, and be hearty and delicious.

    I had one mega-leek (like 45 cm long!) and four pretty hefty yukon gold potatoes. I added three cloves of garlic and used fresh thyme. After realizing that I accidentally added too much water, I actually included a cup of dried green lentils, knowing that I was going to blend them anyway. I like that they give the soup a protein boost. Actually, thinking about it, it seems like I’ve almost made your leek, potato, and white bean soup? Lol, whatever, it was delicious, and I wouldn’t have arrived at something so tasty without your framework.

    I ended up with about 3.5 liters of soup and since I’m only feeding myself, I’m stoked these will keep in the freezer, ready to warm me throughout the season.

    Thanks for the recipe!






    1. Julie | The Simple Veganista says:

      Thank you Tina for the great comment and inspiration! I think you’ve inspired me to make another version of this using lentils. I usually make my pureed soup with red lentils, but green would be amazing too. Enjoy the remaining soup and the season! Cheers :)

  7. This is amazing and super easy to make!!! Thank you so much for this, Julie!!!






  8. I usually do recipes exactly as they are the first time and then tweak from there to our taste with spices and such, but I so rarely start without any onion or garlic? Do you find them too overpowering for the other ingredients? Is there a health-related reason? I’m really not trying to be disrespectful in any way, I’ve just never started a soup without either, so was wondering if it is a flavour thing and I’m ruining delicate flavours in other soups that I make.

    Thank you!

    Becca

    1. Julie | The Simple Veganista says:

      Hi Becca, the leeks are in the onion family, just a mildly flavored onion. They are so wonderful and I love using them in recipes whenever I can. As for the garlic, you can add a couple cloves of minced garlic if you like. I just didn’t add it here as I think it’s fine without it, but it definitely won’t hurt and will add another layer of flavor. Enjoy the soup, it’s so good. I think you’re going to love cooking with leeks! :)

  9. Perfect for the holiday weekend. I made this to take to a family gathering and everyone loved it. I also took your vegan french onion dip. Got rave reviews. :)






    1. Julie | The Simple Veganista says:

      What a great recipe to share with everyone! so glad it was a hit. Cheers :)

  10. You always create yummy soups! I’m going to make this one this week. I’m making roasted chickpeas now, and also the carrot and sweet potato soup.
    I love how you explain the hows of what you do, including your beautiful photos.
    Could you please make a vegan onion soup recipe? Thank you!






    1. Julie | The Simple Veganista says:

      Thank you Renee! I ❤️ soups.
      I would love to work on an onion soup, thanks so much for the suggestion – sounds yummy!
      Enjoy your soup and roasted chickpeas! Cheers :)

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