The Best Creamy Vegan Potato Leek Soup Recipe

This vegan potato leek soup recipe is one of our all-time favorites, especially when we can make it with homegrown potatoes and leeks from the garden! It’s thick, creamy, cozy, absolutely delicious, and happens to be gluten-free too. And if you prefer your potato leek soup on the chunky side, you can simply skip blending it.

The soup is also freezer-friendly – meaning it is the perfect way to preserve some of our homegrown harvest, while simultaneously stocking the freezer with nourishing pre-made meals for seasons to come. I hope you love our creamy vegan potato leek soup recipe just as much as we do!

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RELATED: Want to make it homegrown? Don’t miss our guides on how to grow leeks and how to grow potatoes in containers. And if you like this soup, you’ll also love our roasted cauliflower soup recipe or our roasted tomato basil soup!

Ingredients

YIELD: This recipe makes about 3 quarts (12 cups) of potato leek soup. We doubled the recipe to get nearly 6 quarts of soup, so that’s what you’ll see in the photos!

• 3 large Leeks – the bulb portion only (white and light green part) 
• 2 to 2.5 pounds yellow or white potatoes (about 5-7 medium large potatoes). Choose creamy, rich varieties like Yukon Gold or German Butterball for the best flavor. We also use fingerling potatoes from the garden.  
• 1 cup chopped celery (about 3 to 4 stalks)
• 1 medium yellow sweet onion, diced
• 4 cups vegetable broth (1 quart container, low sodium). We often use homemade vegetable broth or concentrated “better than bouillon” paste mixed with water to achieve the same volume. 
• 1 cup water
• 1 can (12-14 ounces) of unsweetened full-fat coconut coconut milk from the can, or crème fraîche (Do not use regular dairy milk – it’s prone to curdling when boiled).
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 3 Tbsp olive oil and/or butter
• 2 Tbsp fresh thyme, or 1.5 to 2 tsp dry thyme
• 2 Tbsp fresh sage
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp sea salt (or more to taste)
• black pepper, to taste
• Optional: 3 Tbsp nutritional yeast
• Optional: fresh chives or chopped parsley as topping

Expert Tip: How to Wash Leeks

Since they’re grown partially underground, leeks are notoriously dirty or sandy. Dirt especially likes to hide in the leaf creases at the top of the bulb where it transitions to leaves. So, give that area extra attention as you wash and prep your leeks!

To clean especially dirty leeks, try this trick (if needed): fill a large mixing bowl with cool water, and add the cut leek slices into the bowl as you go. Swish them around; the sand and dirt will settle to the bottom of the bowl. Then, scoop out the leeks with your hands (leaving the dirty water in the bottom undisturbed) and transfer them into a colander for a final rinse. We don’t usually find the need to do this with homegrown leeks however. 

Instructions

1) Prep Leeks

• Wash your leeks well, and then cut off the dark leafy green tops along with the firm root end. Peel away and discard any extra loose or battered outer leaves.
  
  
• Next, slice the leeks into thin rounds.

TIP: We’re only going to use the white and light green bulb portion in this recipe, but that doesn’t mean the leafy green tops need to go to waste! Consider making dried leek powder – an awesomely sweet and herbaceous onion-like powder.

2) Sauté Leeks, Onion, Garlic and Celery

• Heat a large stock pot on the stovetop with 3 tablespoons of olive oil (or butter). Then add the sliced leeks and chopped onion, celery, and diced garlic.
  
  
• Sauté for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally – until the onions and leeks soften and become semi-translucent.  
  
  
• In the meantime, prep the potatoes. Wash and cut them into approximately 1 to 2 inch pieces. (Be sure to make them bite-size if you don’t want to blend the soup at the end). We don’t bother peeling our potatoes since potato skins contain a ton of vitamins, minerals, fiber and other nutrients!

3) Add Remaining Ingredients

• Once the leeks, onions, and garlic have softened, add the potatoes, fresh chopped herbs, whole bay leaves, salt and black pepper to the pot. Stir to combine.
  
  
• Saute for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
  
  
• Next, pour in the vegetable broth, water, coconut cream (or crème fraîche) and optional nutritional yeast. Bring the soup to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Continue to simmer until the potatoes are very soft and falling apart, about 15 to 25 minutes (depending on potato variety and size). If you don’t plan to blend the soup, cook until the potatoes are fork-tender but not falling apart.

4) Blend (Optional)

Some folks like to leave their vegan potato leek soup on the chunky side, while others prefer it it super creamy and smooth. The choice is yours! You can either fully blend your soup, blend just a portion (to help it thicken while retaining some texture), or skip blending altogether.

• Before blending or serving, remove the bay leaves first.
  
  
• Blend the soup until you reach your desired consistency. We find it easiest to use our favorite hand-held immersion blender to blend the soup right in the pot. Or, you can carefully transfer the soup into a standard blender (in batches if needed).
  
  
• After blending, you can allow the soup to simmer a little longer (about 5 to 10 minutes) to help the flavors develop and to further reduce or thicken the soup if desired.
  
  
• Give your soup a final taste-test, and add more salt and/or pepper if desired.

Serve and Enjoy

Now it’s time to dig in! We love to serve our creamy potato leek soup alongside a slice of crusty homemade sourdough bread or fluffy sourdough focaccia with a sprinkle of fresh garden chives or parsley on top.

The soup stays good for up to a 5 days stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container, or you can freeze leftovers. See freezing tips below.

To change things up and add more texture, we often add other vegetables (e.g. chopped kale, bok choy, zucchini, or other seasonal veggies) to our potato leek soup when we re-heat leftovers, using the thick creamy soup more like a base or soup starter. I also like to add white beans for a pop of protein!

Can you freeze potato leek soup?

Yes! In fact, we intentionally make extra large batches of vegan potato leek soup so we can enjoy a few bowls now, and have plenty left to freeze as well. On those cool days of winter, there’s nothing better than pulling a container of homemade soup out of the freezer for a quick, cozy, easy meal!

To freeze, allow the soup to cool first and then pack into freezer-safe containers of choice. We love these durable reusable BPA-free quart containers. To reduce the risk of freezer burn, fill the containers nearly full – but be sure to leave about 1/2 to 1 inch of headroom to allow for expansion.

Potato leek soup will stay good in the freezer for up to a year or longer, though it’s best quality if enjoyed within 6 months.

Defrost in the fridge the day before use (or for a few hours on the counter the same day) and then re-heat on the stove.

Is potato leek soup good for you? 

It absolutely is! Even more so by leaving the potato skins on. Potatoes are naturally free of fat and cholesterol, and are an excellent source of vitamin C and potassium. They even have a bit of protein and fiber too! Leeks are rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory plant compounds, as well as vitamin A, C, and K plus iron and manganese. Not to mention all the additional vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients we get from the other ingredients in the soup.

Bon Apetit!

Thanks so much for following along and trying our creamy vegan potato leek soup recipe! Please leave a review to let us know how you liked it. Also feel free to ask questions or just say hi in the comments below, and spread the love by sharing this post. Enjoy!

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Creamy Vegan Potato Leek Soup

A creamy vegan potato leek soup recipe that is cozy, comforting, nutritious, and absolutely delicious. It's easy to make, and we love to freeze extras for future easy meals. Blend it smooth or serve it chunky!

5 from 13 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Course Main Course, Soup

Servings 3 quarts

Equipment

• Stock pot (soup pot)
• Immersion blender (or blender)
• If freezing extras, freezer-safe storage containers

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 3 large leeks (white and light green bulb portion only)
• 2-2.5 pounds yellow or white potatoes
• 1 cup celery, chopped (about 3-4 stalks)
• 1/2 medium sweet yellow or white onion, chopped
• 4 cups vegetable broth (low sodium, 1 quart container)
• 1 cup water
• 1 can coconut cream or coconut milk (approximately 12-14 ounces, sub heavy cream if desired)
• 3 gloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
• 3 Tbsp olive oil or butter
• 2 Tbsp fresh sage leaves, chopped
• 2 Tbsp fresh thyme (1.2 to 2 tsp dry)
• 2 leaves bay
• 1 tsp sea salt
• black pepper, to taste
• 3 Tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)
• fresh chives or parsley chopped at serving time (optional)

Instructions

 

• Wash leeks well to remove any hidden dirt. Thinly slice leeks, light green and white bulb portion only. (Save the green tops to dehydrate into powder! or, compost)
  
• Add olive oil to large stock pot, and then add leeks along with chopped onion, garlic and celery.
  
• Saute for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally until the onions and leeks soften and become semi-translucent.
  
• Wash and cut potatoes into approximately 1 to 2 inch pieces. We don't bother peeling them, but suggest removing any scabs, blemishes, or especially tough skin portions. (If you don't plan to blend your soup, be sure to cut into small bite-size pieces)
• Add the potatoes, fresh herbs, salt and pepper into the pot with the cooked leeks, garlic, onion and celery. Saute for 5 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent burning.
  
• Next, pour in the vegetable broth, water, coconut cream, and optional nutritional yeast. Bring the soup to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Continue to simmer until the potatoes are soft and falling apart, about 15 to 25 minutes – time can vary depending on variety and size of potatoes. (If not blending, cook until potatoes are fork-tender but not falling apart)
  
• Use an immersion blender to blend the soup until your desired consistency is reached. Or, carefully transfer the soup into a blender and blend in batches as needed. (Or you can blend only a portion, or skip blending and serve it chunky.)
  
• Serve your potato leek soup nice and warm, preferably alongside a slice of crusty homemade sourdough bread or fluffy focaccia. Top with optional chopped fresh chives or parsley.
  
• This soup stays good for 5 days stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container, or a year in the freezer.
  
• Freeze in freezer-safe containers of choice. Allow it to cool before freezing, and leave 1/2-1 inch of head space. Defrost in the fridge and reheat on the stove.

Keyword creamy potato leek soup, potato leek soup recipe, vegan potato leek soup

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