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Vegan Potato Leek Soup

Name: Vegan Potato Leek Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1 pound Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cubed (, other potatoes work but I love the flavor of these for this recipe); 2 leeks (, chopped (discard the dark green parts)); ¾ cup chopped celery; 2 garlic cloves (, finely chopped); Drizzle of oil or broth to sauté; 4 cups veggie broth (, low sodium if needed); 2 sprigs fresh thyme; 1 bay leaf; ½ - ¾ teaspoon sea salt; 1 cup raw cashews (, see note); 2 teaspoons lemon juice; 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper; Chives; Potato chips (, optional but fun!)

By Sophia DeSantis, Reviewed by Anjali Shah on July 31, 2025

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This thick and creamy Vegan Potato Leek Soup is hands down my favorite soup recipe. It’s dairy-free and comes to life from chopping board to bowl in just 40 minutes using a base of Yukon gold potatoes, fresh leeks, and cashews for flavor and richness. You’ll wanna bookmark this one!

Top view of two white soup bowls on a dark blue towel topped with chopped chives

Winter is when I get creative with soup recipes! My boys always request their favorite vegan asparagus soup because it’s bright green, like their favorite superhero “The Hulk”. But when asparagus vanished from the store, I doubled the leeks and threw in some cashews to create this creamier version.

Table of Contents hide

👩🏽‍🍳 Why I Love This Recipe

🍽 Serving Suggestions

🧊 Storage Directions

❓Recipe FAQs

🍲 More Creamy Soup Recipes!

📋 Recipe Card

The result? An intense leek flavor full of vegetable richness with a smooth, creamy texture that my little testers love just as much. Now, I always stock up on leeks to make my cookout classic vegan Colcannon potatoes and other recipes.

👩🏽‍🍳 Why I Love This Recipe

I never thought leeks would become a regular in our kitchen, but here we are. My husband has always been a fan and loves them in cozy meals like pies and casseroles, but the kids needed a little warming up to them. That light onion flavor was a no at first, but once I started adding them to soups like this one and their favorite Hulk soup, everything changed. Now they ask for “those fancy green onions” all the time. My youngest even helps wash them, which melts my heart every time. Who knew vegetables could become this exciting? I just love that I get to add more vitamins and minerals into their diet with this nutrient-rich vegetable!

Ok, enough about leeks, and let’s talk about the recipe. It’s super easy! All I do is sauté the vegetables and simmer with veg broth for roughly 25 minutes until the spuds are fork tender, then blitz with soaked cashews until smooth and creamy. Season and serve. See, I told you it was easy! It’s amazing how a few leeks, potatoes, celery, herbs, veg broth, and cashews can create such rich flavors in one bowl.

This recipe proves that plant-based eating never means sacrificing flavor. The cashews provide healthy fats and protein, making this soup surprisingly filling for growing boys. I love that the soup reheats beautifully for lunch throughout the week, though it rarely lasts that long in our house! Best of all, I can serve it to my lactose-intolerant friend who has been missing those creamy-based soups. It’s so comforting I could eat it all year round!

🥘 Ingredients

To make this creamy and cozy potato leek soup, here’s what I grab from my kitchen:

Veggies: I use Yukon gold potatoes, leeks (I always cut off the tough dark green parts), chopped celery, and fresh garlic.

Liquids: Veggie broth is my go-to for the base, and I use either a little oil or broth to sauté the veggies.

Seasonings: A mix of fresh thyme, a bay leaf, sea salt, ground black pepper, and a splash of lemon juice brings out all the flavor.

For creaminess: Raw cashews are the secret here. Once blended, they make the soup super velvety without any dairy.

🔪 How To Make

This potato leek soup recipe is seriously so easy to throw together! Here’s how I make it when I’ve got hungry kids and not a lot of time:

Sauté the veggies: I add the potatoes, leeks, celery, and garlic to a big pot with a little oil or broth. Then, I cook everything until it starts to smell really good and the veggies soften up a bit.

Wooden spoon mixing chopped leeks and potatoes in a black pot on a wooden surface

Add the broth and seasonings: I pour in the veggie broth and toss in the thyme, bay leaf, and a pinch of salt. Then, I bring everything to a boil, cover the pot, and let it simmer gently until the potatoes are nice and tender.

Wooden spoon mixing a broth with potatoes, leeks and herbs in a black pot

Blend the soup: I take out the thyme and bay leaf, then scoop the soup into my blender along with the cashews and a splash of lemon juice. I blend it all up until it’s silky smooth and perfectly creamy.

Wooden spoon mixing a thick cream colored soup in a black pot

Finish it off: I stir in a little more salt and some black pepper, then give it a taste. Once it’s just right, I ladle it into bowls and serve it up warm.

Spoon getting a scoop of a pureed soup from a white soup bowl

💭 Expert Tips

My #1 Secret Tip for making this potato leek soup is to keep the heat low and let it simmer gently. I learned that if you boil it too fast, the veggies break down too much and the flavor doesn’t develop the same way. Now I just let it bubble softly on the stove while I tidy up the kitchen or help my little one with homework. It always turns out smooth and full of flavor when I take my time with it.

Other Tips To Keep In Mind:

Soak the cashews: if you don’t have a high-speed blender, soak them in hot water for about 20 to 30 minutes so they blend up super smooth.
Wash the leeks really well: They hide dirt like crazy in all those layers, so I slice them first and then rinse them in a big bowl of water.
Cut the potatoes evenly so they cook at the same time: I try to keep them all about the same size for even simmering.
Add more broth if needed after blending: Sometimes the soup thickens up more than I like, so I just splash in a bit of extra broth to loosen it.

📖 Variations

This potato leek soup is my go-to comfort recipe when the weather cools down, and I love how easy it is to switch things up! For a variation, I suggest the following favorites:

Cauliflower potato version: I swap half the potatoes for cauliflower florets to lighten it up a little and sneak in more veggies.

Herby green: I stir in a handful of spinach or kale right before blending to add a fresh pop of color and a little extra nutrition.

Cheesy: I add a tablespoon of nutritional yeast when blending to give it a subtle cheesy flavor without any dairy.

Hearty bean: I toss in a can of white beans before blending to make it extra creamy and filling for a full meal.

🍽 Serving Suggestions

One of the ways I serve my creamy potato leek soup is with freshly baked vegan dinner rolls to soak up that delicious broth, which is a nutritious filling meal on its own. But it also makes for the perfect starter for a variety of vegan meals I prepare for when we have guests over for lunch or dinner.

I like to complement the creamy flavors of this soup with a wholesome vegan orzo salad to add more veggies and protein to the table, or whip up this winter-warming sweet potato casserole without eggs for a full-on hearty dinner with the fam! And for those light lunches with friends, I make sandwiches or wraps to serve alongside this delicious leek soup. My favorite is a smashed chickpea salad sandwich because my kids love it, so I always make extra for an after-school healthy snack.

🧊 Storage Directions

Refrigeration: I keep any leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge. It stays fresh for up to four days, and the flavor actually deepens a bit after the first day.

Freezing: This soup freezes really well. I let it cool completely, then store it in freezer-safe containers for up to three months. I like freezing in smaller portions for easy reheating.

Reheating:To reheat, I pour the soup into a saucepan and warm it over medium heat, stirring occasionally. If it thickens up too much in the fridge, I just add a splash of broth or water to loosen it up.

❓Recipe FAQs

Can I make this soup without cashews?

You sure can. Cashews help give it that creamy, rich texture, but I’ve made it with canned coconut milk or a scoop of dairy-free yogurt when I was out of cashews. If you’re avoiding nuts, those swaps work great and still make the soup super cozy and tasty.

What part of the leek do I use?

Leeks can be a little tricky at first, but once you know what to do, they’re easy. I always chop off the dark green tops because they’re too tough to eat. Then I slice the white and light green parts, rinse them really well to get all the dirt out, and they’re ready to go.

Can I use an immersion blender?

Yes, and I do it all the time. I just stick it right into the pot and blend until it’s smooth. Just be careful and go slow so the hot soup doesn’t splash out. It saves me from washing extra dishes, which is always a win.

🍲 More Creamy Soup Recipes!

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