Description
This creamy and comforting Vegan Potato Soup blends tender potatoes and cauliflower with savory vegetables and a touch of smoky paprika. Cashews are soaked and blended to create a rich, velvety texture without any dairy, while nutritional yeast adds a subtle cheesy flavor. Perfectly seasoned with soy sauce, garlic, and fresh lemon juice, this hearty soup offers vibrant flavors and is ideal for a nourishing vegan meal. Topped with green onions, tempeh bacon, or vegan cheese, it’s a satisfying dish any time of year.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Base
- ½ cup raw cashews
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 3 medium carrots, peeled and diced
- 3 celery stalks, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
- 1 ½ pounds russet potatoes (about 3 medium or 2 large), peeled and cut into ¾-inch dice
- 1 medium head cauliflower, cut into florets
- 4 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, plus additional to taste
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, plus additional to taste
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast (optional; adds a “cheesy” note)
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Toppings (Optional)
- Chopped green onions or chives
- Tempeh bacon
- Croutons
- Vegan sour cream
- Vegan cheese shreds
Instructions
- Soak Cashews: Place the cashews in a medium bowl and cover with room-temperature water. Let them soak while you prepare the rest of the soup to soften and allow for blending into a creamy base.
- Sauté Vegetables: In a Dutch oven or large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for about 3 minutes until vegetables begin to soften and the onion becomes translucent.
- Add Garlic and Main Vegetables: Stir in the minced garlic, then add the diced potatoes and cauliflower florets. Continue sautéing for approximately 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes start to soften slightly.
- Add Broth and Seasonings: Pour in the vegetable broth and add the low sodium soy sauce, smoked paprika, kosher salt, and ground black pepper. Stir to combine all ingredients, then bring the mixture to a steady simmer.
- Simmer Until Tender: Let the soup simmer gently for 15 to 20 minutes, until the potatoes and cauliflower are fully tender and easy to mash with a spoon.
- Blend Cashews and Soup: Drain the soaked cashews and transfer them to a high-powered blender or food processor fitted with a steel blade. Ladle in several scoops of the hot soup, filling the blender only halfway to prevent splattering. Puree until completely smooth, then pour back into the soup pot.
- Puree Remaining Soup: Blend the rest of the soup either by working in batches in the blender or using an immersion blender directly in the pot until smooth and creamy. Return all soup to the pot if blended separately.
- Finish Soup: Stir in the nutritional yeast and freshly squeezed lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed, considering the sodium level of your broth.
- Serve and Garnish: Serve the soup hot, topped with optional chopped green onions, tempeh bacon, croutons, vegan sour cream, or vegan cheese shreds according to preference for added texture and flavor.
Notes
- Soaking cashews softens them to help create a creamy texture without dairy.
- Nutritional yeast is optional but adds a delicious cheesy flavor suitable for vegans.
- Adjust seasoning after blending since pureed soup flavors can become more or less intense.
- Use low sodium broth and soy sauce to control salt content in the soup.
- Toppings such as tempeh bacon or vegan cheese can enhance flavor and texture but are optional.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup (approx. 245g)
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 400mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 1.3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7.7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
