Creamy Vegan Potato Leek Soup with White Beans

A reader favourite for a reason! This creamy vegan potato leek soup is a simple and easy meal. White beans make this recipe creamy and hearty and the addition of nutritional yeast makes it exceptionally flavourful. Serve with a side of crusty bread, chopped parsley, freshly cracked black pepper or any of serving suggestions below—my No Knead Garlic Fougasse or homemade focaccia bread are also a nice addition. A big bowl of creamy potato leek soup is my favourite comfort food on a cold autumn or winter day; I'm sure you will love it too.

Jump to:

• Reasons to love this recipe
• Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
• How to make vegan potato leek soup
• Helpful Tips for Best Results
• Serving Suggestions
• Storage
• FAQs

Reasons to love this recipe

There are many versions of vegan potato leek soup, however, my version differs in that it is made creamy without the use of dairy-free creamers like cashew cream, soy milk, full-fat coconut milk or coconut cream (or actual heavy cream, for that matter). White beans add a creamy texture and plant-protein which makes this recipe more satisfying than the average bowl of potato leek soup.

This recipe is hearty and comforting, dairy-free, full of flavour and plant protein and every bit as good (or better) than classic potato leek soup. My preference is to add in a handful of fresh parsley or finely chopped kale for a pop of green and added flavour. This is simple, cozy meal and comes together rather quickly

Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

For the full list of ingredients and amounts for this recipe, please see the recipe card. Here are the main ingredients at a glance plus notes on substitutions:

Extra Virgin Olive oil: this is used for cooking down the onions, leeks and garlic. Any neutral flavoured vegetable oil will also work. 

White onion: one of the three allium vegetables (onion, leeks, garlic) used in this mirepoix for this recipe. White onions are milder than yellow onions and therefore don't overpower the flavour of the leeks. However, you can use yellow onion for this recipe if you want.

Leeks: these are an integral main ingredient. Be sure to use only the white part and light green part for this recipe (the dark green leaves can be composted). It's important to wash them well to remove any grit or sandy soil residues. Leeks come in various sizes; choose medium-sized leeks for this recipe.

Fresh Garlic: another allium used for flavour in the mirepoix.

Yukon gold potatoes:  lower starch potatoes (or waxy potatoes) are best for this recipe. As such, I suggest using yellow, Yukon gold, or new potatoes (yellow or red potatoes or a combination of the two work just fine). Russets have a higher starch content (20-22%) and can create a gluey soup once blended. If you wish to use russet potatoes, you will need to remove the peel and minimally blend the soup OR us a potato masher to gently break them up. 

Vegetable broth: I use low sodium vegetable broth, however, you can use homemade broth or whichever brand you prefer. 

Cooked cannellini beans: sometimes these are sold under the name "white kidney beans". Canned or cooked from dried will work for this recipe, however, I prefer the convenience of the canned variety because I can't always find dried cannellini beans in my area.

Nutritional yeast: this adds umami flavour to the soup. This ingredient can be omitted if you wish. See the recipe FAQs for more information on nutritional yeast.

How to make vegan potato leek soup

This recipe comes together in one pot. This recipe takes roughly 50 minutes to make from start to finish. The full directions can be found in the recipe card below, however, here is a synopsis:

STEP 1: Prep the vegetables, then add the diced onion and chopped leeks to a large soup pot or dutch oven with some heated oil. The leeks and onion cook for about 5 minutes over medium heat. 

STEP 2: Add in the garlic and cook until fragrant. Add in the chopped potatoes, along with the white beans and vegetable stock. 

STEP 3: Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce to simmer for 25-30 minutes or until the potatoes are soft and cooked through.

STEP 4: Stir in the nutritional yeast along with salt and pepper. The soup is lightly blended with an immersion blender to the desired consistency, then garnish and serve.

Helpful Tips for Best Results

• Clean leeks very well: Leeks are grown in gritty, well draining soil.  As such, it's a good idea to slice the leeks, then rinse them in a sieve to make sure all the grit is removed.
• Use only the white and light green part of the leek: these are the most tender and flavourful part of the leek. The root end and darker green leaves need to be removed and composted.
• Make sure you scrub the potatoes well to remove any dirt or grit. Also, if you choose to russet potatoes for this recipe, you will need to remove their skin. 
• Nutritional yeast is optional:  however, it really makes this recipe super flavorful. 
• Puree the soup to your desired consistency: you can puree the soup with an immersion blender (hand blender) to a smooth texture or leave it slightly chunky. I like to use an immersion blender and give it just a few light pulses to break up the potatoes and beans. If you don't have an immersion blender, you can use a potato masher and to lightly break them up.

Serving Suggestions

Serve this delicious soup as a main dish or side with any of the following: finely chopped kale, parsley, fresh dill fronds, fresh chives, chopped green onions, a drizzle of olive oil, vegan sour cream, croutons (gluten-free if necessary) or crusty bread. I also suggest serving this recipe with a slice of your favourite bread with vegan butter, however, because there is plenty of starch in this recipe, you might prefer to have it without bread.

Storage

Storage: this vegan potato leek soup recipe should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge covered for 2-3 days. 

Freezing: This recipe can be stored in a freezer-safe container for up to three months; just make sure it is cooled to room temperature before storing. To reheat, defrost it in the fridge overnight, place it in a soup pot and heat on the stove until simmering lightly and heated throughout.

If you made my vegan potato leek white bean soup please leave me a comment below with a star rating; it really helps others who are interested in making the recipe. For more from The Simple Green, follow me on Instagram, Facebook or Pinterest. Consider becoming a subscriber to receive emails of new recipes and posts.