Maybe you have noticed if you have ever scanned our soup category that I lean more towards thick creamy soups or stews.
I have nothing against a brothy soups, I just like my soup to have a little more bite. I need it to fill me up and not have me looking for a second dinner 30 minutes later!
I have loved potato soup for as long as I can remember! It wasn’t until I was a teenager that a family friend taught me how to easily clean leeks. Up until that point I just didn’t add them to potato soup or anything else because they were a sandy, dirty, hassle. Soak them in cold water and all the dirt and sand falls to the bottom of the bowl!! GENIUS!
Now I wouldn’t dream of making potato soup without leeks.
A lot of people only use the white part of the leek in soup recipes, but I use the WHOLE thing! Even though it gives my soup a green tent, who cares! Leeks have so many health benefits, so I say, use the whole dang thing!
This vegan Potato Leek Soup is one of my all time favorite soups, and it so easy to make! This soup is super healthy and very filling, making it the perfect easy comfort food any time you have a carving!
INGREDIENTS:
6 medium russet potatoes, peeled and diced
3 medium leeks
8 cups water, divided
1 teaspoon Vegetable Better Than Bouillon
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/2 cup unsalted cashews
2 teaspoons dreid thyme
1-2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 bay leaves
DIRECTIONS:
Place cashews in a microwave safe container, covered with water. Microwave for 3 minutes. If you do not have microwave you soak the cashews in hot water for a few hours or even bring them to a boil in a small pot for a few minutes. Drain cashews once soft and set aside.
Leeks are pretty hard to get clean, but I have a trick to help you clean them! Fill a large bowl with cold water. Dice the dirty leeks into rings, greens included, and drop them in the bowl of cold water . Let them float in the cold water for a few minutes, swooshing them around with your hands a few times, and the dirt and sand will fall to the bottom of the bowl. And just like that, you have clean leeks!
Heat a large pot over medium heat, adding a few teaspoons of oil or vegan butter to the bottom of the pan ( you can omit the oil if you are oil free) along with a teaspoon of Better than Bouillon. Add the leeks to pot and let them cook until they become soft. Leave the leeks in the pot and fill it with 6 cups of water. Allow the water to come to a boil then add the potatoes. Let the potatoes cook unit they are soft and can be pierced with a fork. Turn the heat off on the stove.
Once the potatoes are soft, use a slotted spoon to scoop out the potatoes and leeks from the pot and transfer them to a blender or food processor, along with a few cups of the boiling liquid. Blend unit the potatoes and leeks are fairly smooth, I often just pulse mine because I still like some chucks of potatoes in my soup. Just blend until you reach your desired consistency. Return the mixture back to the pot with the remaining boiling liquid.
Add the soaked cashews along with 2 cups of water, garlic, thyme, salt, pepper, and nutritional yeast to a blender or food processor. Blend unit completely smooth. Pour the mixture into the pot with the potatoes and stir well. Turn the stove back on to medium/ low heat and add in the bay leaves. Let the soup simmer, stirring occasionally for 20-20 minutes.Remove the bay leaves before serving.
Garnish with basil or more thyme and serve.
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