Thick and Hearty Potato Soup
Few foods bring warm winter comfort like potato soup. It's got the kind of stick-to-your-ribs goodness that you're looking for on a cold night. The downside is that the cheese and heavy cream (and in some cases, bacon) are full of saturated fat and cholesterol. Our potato soup is just as creamy and savory as the original, but made fully from plants!
A Few Notes About This Recipe
- When you're blending the soup with a stick blender, do it carefully. It is VERY hot and if it splashes, it will hurt. Ask me how I know!
- You can remove as little or as much or the potatoes and veggies as you want before you blend. Remove less to have a more blended soup, remove more to have a chunkier soup. Remember: the more potatoes you are blending, the thicker your soup base will be.
- If you want to keep your soup totally free of processed foods, skip the handful of vegan cheddar shreds.
Ingredients
- 3 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and cut into roughly 1/2" - 1" pieces
- 2 stalks of celery, diced
- 1 yellow onion,diced
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced (or you can use about 1/2C of matchstick carrots)
- 2 Tbsps avocado oil
- 1 Tbsp garlic powder
- 1 Tbsp onion powder
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 Tbsp dried parsley (or a handful of fresh, chopped)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 6 C vegetable broth
- 1 C raw cashews
- 1 C water
- 1 Tbps lemon juice
- A handful of your favorite vegan cheddar shreds (optional)
Directions
Boil 2 cups of water. Place cashews in a bowl, pour boiling water over cashews, cover, and allow to soak for 30 minutes.
In a large pot or Dutch oven, add avocado oil and warm on medium heat. Add celery and carrots, and saute for about five minutes. Add the onion, and saute until the onion begins to turn translucent. Add seasonings and saute for one minute more, stirring constantly to ensure veggies are covered in seasonings. Add vegetable broth and stir to distribute spices. Add potatoes, turn heat to high, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes.
Drain cashews and rinse under cold water. Add cashews, 1 C water, and 1Tbsp lemon juice to a high-powered blender (such as a Nutribullet or Vitamix) and blend three times, 30 seconds each time. At this point, you should have a smooth cashew cream. If it still appears grainy, blend 30 seconds at a time until smooth. Set aside.
When potatoes finish simmering, remove from heat and use a slotted spoon to remove about two cups of potatoes and vegetables and set aside. Use a stick blender to blend the soup in the pot, being careful not to splash yourself. Once blended, return the potatoes and vegetables to the soup. Add a handful of vegan cheddar shreds and stir until melted. Pour in cashew cream and stir until fully incorporated.
Keeps for about four days in the refrigerator.