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Dig into something warm and comforting with my vegan baked potato soup! This soup is just as rich and flavorful as the dairy version, using a creamy cashew base for a smooth texture. With only 10 simple ingredients, my hearty recipe is great for anyone looking to make an easy weeknight dinner, satisfying appetizer, or healthy side! Load it up with all your favorite toppings for a customizable soup that the whole family will love.
I cannot explain in words how delicious this vegan potato soup recipe is. And the fact that it isn't filled with heavy cream or butter, but is still super creamy always wows my guests whenever I serve it! It has a similar base to my vegan fettuccine alfredo sauce, with the perfect texture.
What is the secret ingredient in my recipe? Cashews! They have the ability to make amazingly creamy dairy-free recipes. You can either use whole cashews (which will take more time because you have to soak and blend them), or you can use cashew powder for a quicker option.
For this recipe, I used PB2 Cashew Powder in place of cashews, I was able to make a wonderful, healthy, and creamy dish in a flash!
I love cashew powder for the time saving factor, but it gets even better! Since the oil is pressed out of the cashews before blending into a fine powder, it has less fat and fewer calories without skimping on protein. And, because the only ingredient is cashews, it's gluten-free, vegan, kosher, and free of preservatives!
It's the perfect way to achieve a thick and creamy base without dairy.
I know it's hard to believe that such an incredibly comforting soup can be healthy, but it's true! When you use the right ingredients you can create the most perfect thick and creamy vegan potato soup without milk. Then, load it up with all sorts of yummy toppings for extra flavor and crunch!
🥘 Ingredients
Only healthy, plant based ingredients are used to make up my vegan potato soup. Here's what you need:
Potatoes: I prefer to use yukon gold potatoes to create an amazing creamy texture, but you can use other varieties as well such as red potatoes or russet potatoes.
Onion: Sweet onion or yellow onion are my preferred varieties, but other mild onions can be substituted if needed.
Carrots & Celery: These add excellent flavor as well as nutrition to my vegetarian loaded potato soup. Make sure not to include too many carrots while you're blending if you don't want the color to turn orange.
Vegetable Broth: I prefer veggie broth over water for more flavor! If you don't need this potato soup recipe to be vegan, feel free to use chicken broth instead.
Cashew Powder: Most vegan creamy potato soup recipes use a non-dairy milk alternative such as almond milk, soy milk, coconut milk, or oat milk - typically mixed with vegan butter and flour (or gluten-free flour) for a roux, but I prefer the richness of cashew powder mixed into veggie broth. It also makes this recipe much more simple because my soup requires no roux! The flavor and creaminess is perfect with the cashews on their own!
Lemon Juice: I find that freshly squeezed lemon juice is best, but the bottled kind can be used as well.
Sea Salt & Pepper: If the broth you use is super salty you may need to reduce the amount of salt added. I recommend tasting your soup first before adding it in.
🔪 How To Make Vegan Baked Potato Soup
Here is how to make my vegan potato soup with cashew cream! It requires minimal steps, and I will guide you through the whole process.
Sauté Veggies: First, in a large pot, I sauté the potatoes, onion, carrots and celery with a drizzle of oil or broth until softened and fragrant. Stir and cook, about 7-8 minutes.
Add Broth & Boil: Next, I add 4 cups of broth and salt and bring to a rapid boil. About 5-7 minutes.
Let Simmer: Once it boils, I cover the pot, reduce to a low simmer and cook for about 15 minutes until potatoes are soft and can be pierced with a fork.
Blend Portion of Soup & Serve: When tender, I carefully take out 4 cups of the soup, avoiding the carrots, and put it in a blender. It will be hot so be extra cautious. I also add the cashews (or powder) and lemon. I blend until the soup is smooth and creamy, then add it back into the pot and mix in the pepper.
Serve: With toppings of your choice!
📖 Variations
To switch up my vegan loaded baked potato soup, here are some of my top recommendations:
Extra Veggies: When I have extra vegetables on hand that I need to use up, or simply want to tweak the flavors, I mix in bell peppers, spinach, mushrooms, or garlic.
More Protein: To increase the protein in my vegan cream of potato soup I add chickpeas, green peas, nutritional yeast, or top with crushed nuts.
Other Spices: If you want a more smoky flavor, I recommend adding in a little liquid smoke or smoked paprika - both would be delicious additions to this recipe.
Cheesy Flavor: Make a vegan cheesy potato soup, adding in a handful of your favorite vegan cheese. Personally, I love using vegan cheddar. This will thicken the base even more, and add a new cheesy flavor. If you aren't vegan you can use regular cheddar cheese here.
🍽 Serving Suggestions
Enjoy my vegan baked potato soup recipe on its own, add on some fun toppings, or serve it alongside other plant-based dishes!
Toppings: I love adding extra flavor and texture to this soup by loading it with toppings. Here are some of my favorites:
- Chives or green onions
- Vegan sour cream
- Vegan shredded cheese
- Finely chopped broccoli
- Vegan bacon bits - coconut bacon, mushroom bacon, tempeh bacon, or your favorite store-bought bacon you prefer
- Crushed potato chips
With Sides: Serve my vegetarian baked potato soup as the main meal, with some healthy side dishes! I like to keep it simple by pairing it alongside this spinach and arugula salad, roasted broccoli, green beans, or toasted buckwheat sourdough bread.
As A Side: This recipe will also make a great appetizer or side, if you prefer a different main course! I find that the flavors of the soup go really well with my vegan wellington or portobello mushroom steaks.
🫙 Storage Instructions
Fridge: Once cooled, I store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days.
Freeze: For longer lasting storage, I freeze the vegan potato soup for up to 3 months. Allow the soup to cool, then pour into a freezer-safe container. Place parchment paper or plastic wrap directly on the top of the soup to prevent freezer-burn. Seal and store.
Reheat: It is best to defrost in the fridge overnight before reheating. Once defrosted, I either reheat it quickly in the microwave, or on the stove over medium heat.
❓Recipe FAQs
How do I thicken potato soup?
There are a few methods I use to help thicken this soup so that it is extra creamy! My recipe uses a special ingredient, cashew powder, which adds a subtle flavor but also thickens it up. I also blend part of the soup with the starchy potatoes to further thicken the base. All purpose flour, cornstarch, and potato flakes are other thickening agents you can try.
Why is my potato soup gummy?
If potatoes are mashed or blended for too long they can become gummy. I recommend that you only blend the potatoes long enough to smooth them out. Once you see that creamy, thick consistency they are done!
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