I’ve always wanted to have my own recipe for potato soup, since it’s one of my favorite things to eat. And it’s one of those foods you absolutely can’t get from a can–the texture is too slimy, the flavor tinny. I’ve attempted this soup before, but always with tons of cream and butter–so it left me feeling heavy.
Hello, veganism.
What gives this soup a rich flavor is braising the leeks, celery, carrots, onion and garlic before putting in the other ingredients. It has a creamy texture and sweet flavor, but no cream. Or butter. Just veggies and happiness.
Braised Potato Leek Soup (makes about 10 servings):
- 4 small leeks (or 4 cups of leeks), chopped (the smaller the leek you get, the better the texture and flavor)
- 1 small red onion (peeled and cut in half)
- 6-8 cloves of garlic
- 1 cup baby carrots (or a cup of diced carrot)
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1 head of cauliflower, roughly chopped
- 2 large yukon gold potatoes, or 3 average-sized ones (roughly chopped)
- 2 cups veggie broth
- 3 cups unmilk (I used rice milk)
- 1/2 to 3/4 tsp salt, depending on your preference
- chives or scallions to garnish
- salt and pepper to taste
Get out a large soup pot. The largest one you have! Heat 1 tsp of oil (or spray with cooking spray) over medium heat. Add the leek, onion halves, garlic, carrots and celery. Cook over medium heat until the leeks begin to brown (about 5 minutes). Add the cauliflower, potatoes and 1 cup of broth. Cover and cook until all the veggies are very tender.
Now, this is the tricky part, because the soup is HOT! But you’ll want to put portions of soup in your blender and puree until smooth. If it needs a little help getting smooth, add the rest of the broth as you puree. The finished mixture should be the texture of very loose mashed potatoes. Lower the heat to a simmer and put the soup back in the pot. Add all the unmilk and the salt. Return to a uniform warmness, but not to boiling.
Garnish with chives or scallions, add salt and pepper to taste. If you happened to have some fake bacon bits on hand, this would be a great time to use them!
unethical vegan 