This vegan leek and potato soup is creamy, comforting, and full of classic flavour without using dairy, cream, or coconut milk. Floury potatoes create a naturally velvety texture, while gently cooked leeks add sweetness and depth. Serve it chunky for a rustic meal or blend it until smooth for a dairy-free version inspired by French vichyssoise.
Leek and potato soup is one of those simple recipes that feels deeply satisfying. It is warming, mellow, and filling, yet it relies on only a handful of affordable ingredients. The traditional French version, vichyssoise, is usually made with butter, milk, and cream, but this vegan leek and potato soup keeps the same comforting character without any dairy.
Many dairy-free leek and potato soup recipes use coconut milk for richness, but this recipe leaves it out. Coconut milk can be delicious in many soups, but here it can overpower the delicate flavour of the leeks. Instead, the creaminess comes from floury potatoes and a small amount of oat milk stirred in at the end.
Why You Will Love This Vegan Leek and Potato Soup Recipe
- It is rich, mellow, and comforting without being heavy.
- This easy vegan soup makes a filling meal with very little effort.
- The main ingredients are inexpensive and easy to find.
- It is dairy-free, gluten-free, nut-free, and vegan.
- It works well for lunch, dinner, meal prep, or taking to work in a thermos.
Depending on where you live, you may know this soup as leek and potato soup, potato leek soup, or vichyssoise. In France, vichyssoise is traditionally served chilled and blended until silky smooth. This version can be served hot or cold, smooth or chunky, depending on your preference.
How to Clean Leeks
Leeks often hold soil between their layers, so it is important to wash them thoroughly before cooking. A little careful preparation makes a big difference to the final soup.
- Trim away the very dark green tops, as these parts are tough and fibrous. Keep the white and pale green sections.
- Slice off the roots at the white end. Cut down the length of each leek and remove the tough outer layer.
- Cut the leeks in half lengthways.
- Rinse the cut side under running water, gently separating the layers with your thumbs to wash away any dirt.
- Shake off excess water.
- Slice the leeks thinly before cooking.
Ingredients
This vegan potato leek soup uses simple ingredients, but the result is deeply flavourful and satisfying.
- Leeks – Choose firm, straight leeks with plenty of white and pale green parts. These are the tender sections used in the soup.
- Potatoes – Floury potatoes are best because they soften beautifully and help thicken the soup. Maris Piper, King Edward, Desiree, russet potatoes, and similar floury varieties work well.
- Garlic – Adds a deeper savoury flavour.
- Olive oil – Used for sautéing the leeks. You can use a mix of olive oil and vegan butter if preferred.
- Vegetable stock – A good vegetable stock gives the soup a rounded base flavour.
- Bay leaf and nutmeg – These seasonings add warmth and subtle depth. Use nutmeg sparingly so it does not overpower the soup.
- Oat milk – Stirred in at the end for extra creaminess. Other unsweetened non-dairy milks can also be used.
- Salt and pepper – Essential for balancing the delicate leek and potato flavours.
See the recipe card below for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
How to Make Vegan Leek and Potato Soup
- Prepare the leeks by trimming, washing, and slicing them. Peel and cube the potatoes, then mince the garlic.
- Warm the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the sliced leeks and stir. Reduce the heat to medium-low and sauté until the leeks are soft, translucent, and lightly golden.
- Add the garlic and cook for another minute, stirring until fragrant.
- Add the potatoes, vegetable stock, bay leaf, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
- Check the potatoes by pressing a cube against the side of the pan with a fork. If it breaks apart easily, the soup is ready.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the oat milk.
- Serve the soup chunky, mash it lightly for a thicker rustic texture, or blend it with a stick blender until smooth.
- Finish with vegan cream, olive oil, truffle oil, chopped chives, and black pepper if desired.
This is a summary. Please see the recipe card below for full instructions.
Serving Suggestions
This vegan leek and potato soup is satisfying enough to serve as a main meal with crusty bread, but it also works beautifully as a starter. Serve it hot for a cosy lunch or dinner, or chill it and serve it as a dairy-free vichyssoise.
If serving the soup cold, season it generously because cold food often needs a little more salt and pepper to taste balanced. For a thinner, elegant soup, add extra oat milk. For a thicker family-style bowl, keep it rich and hearty.
For a special finish, add a small swirl of truffle oil. Its earthy flavour pairs especially well with potatoes and leeks.
Variations
- If you enjoy the flavour of coconut milk, you can use it instead of oat milk for a richer soup.
- Add nutritional yeast for a subtle savoury, cheesy note.
- Replace some or all of the potatoes with white beans, such as butter beans or cannellini beans, for a higher-protein variation.
- Add a squeeze of lemon juice at the end if you want a little brightness.
Making Ahead and Storage
This soup is ideal for making ahead. Store it in a covered container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. If preparing it in advance, make the soup up to the blending stage but leave out the oat milk. Stir the oat milk in when reheating for the best texture.
Reheat gently in a pan over low heat, stirring often until hot. You can also reheat it in the microwave, but stir well to make sure the soup heats evenly.
This vegan leek and potato soup can also be frozen. For best results, freeze it before adding the oat milk, then stir the milk in while reheating. If the soup separates after thawing, simply whisk it together as it warms.
FAQs
Yes, if you are serving the soup chunky. Cut the potatoes into small cubes so the skins do not dominate the texture. Potato skins add a slightly earthier flavour. For a smooth, velvety soup, peel the potatoes first because the skins can make the soup feel bitty.
Potatoes can become gluey when over-blended. Use the correct ratio of leeks to potatoes, avoid adding extra potatoes, and blend only until the soup is smooth. A stick blender used briefly usually works well.
Yes. Sauté the leeks and garlic using the sauté function, then add the potatoes, stock, and seasonings. Cook on high pressure for 15 minutes, allow a 5-minute natural release, then quick release. Stir in the oat milk and serve chunky or blend until smooth.
Recipe
Vegan Leek and Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 600 g leeks, white and pale green parts only, thinly sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 400 g floury potatoes, cubed
- 900 ml vegetable stock
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 200 ml oat milk
Garnishes
- Vegan cream, olive oil, or truffle oil
- Chopped fresh chives
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pan. Add the leeks, stir for a minute, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Sauté for 10 to 15 minutes, until soft, translucent, and only lightly golden.
- Add the garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
- Add the potatoes, vegetable stock, bay leaf, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Stir well and bring almost to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are completely tender.
- Check the potatoes with a fork. When they are soft, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the oat milk.
- For chunky soup, serve as it is or mash lightly with a potato masher. For smooth soup, blend with a stick blender or transfer carefully to a blender in batches. Do not over-blend.
- Serve with vegan cream, olive oil, or truffle oil, then finish with chopped chives and black pepper.
Instant Pot Instructions
- Use the sauté function to cook the leeks and garlic as described above.
- Add the potatoes, stock, and seasonings. Cook on high pressure for 15 minutes.
- Allow the pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes, then quick release. Stir in the oat milk and serve chunky or blend smooth.
Notes
- For a chunky soup, cut the potatoes into small, even cubes and slice the leeks thinly.
- If the soup is too thick, add a little more oat milk.
- Use floury potatoes rather than waxy potatoes for the best creamy texture.
- Blend only as much as needed to avoid a gluey texture.
Nutrition
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More Healthy Soup Recipes
If you enjoy this vegan leek and potato soup, you may also like these vegan and gluten-free soup ideas.
- Spiced Pumpkin and Sweetcorn Soup
- Creamy Broccoli and Almond Soup
- Roasted Beetroot and Walnut Soup
- Tomato, Lentil and Butternut Squash Soup
Feedback
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