Vegan Potato and Leek Soup
Author: 
 
This velvety Vegan Potato and Leek Soup is a quick and easy soup that employs the natural creaminess of potatoes. Gluten-free and nut-free, too!
Ingredients
  • 2 lbs (a little under 1kg) potatoes
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 cup finely chopped leeks
  • 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano or thyme
  • ½ teaspoon finely minced rosemary or ¼ teaspoon dried rosemary
  • ¼ teaspoon dried marjoram
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 8 cups hot water
  • 4 teaspoons vegetable broth powder, or replace 4 cups of the water with 4 cups of prepared vegetable broth
  • ¾ teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 bay leaf
  • ¼ cup chopped parsley
  • fried leek strips for garnish
Instructions
  1. Peel and cut the potatoes into small dice of around ½ inch pieces.
  2. In a large pot over medium-high heat, sauté the olive oil and the leeks until softened, around 3 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute.
  3. Now add the oregano, rosemary, marjoram, and black pepper and stir around for 10 seconds. Immediately add the water, broth powder (or prepared broth), salt, bay leaf, and potatoes.
  4. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and let simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, check to see if the pieces of potato are cooked. Boil a few more minutes if they need more cooking. When done, remove the bay leaf and transfer half of the soup to the blender and blend just until smooth. Be careful not to over-blend as potatoes can become gluey when over-processed. Don't worry if you notice that your potatoes have become gluey, you are going to mix it back into the watery portion---it will come out fine. So now return the blended portion back to the pot and stir in the chopped parsley.
  5. Taste for seasoning and serve as is or with a garnish of fried leek strips. Make them by slicing thin strips of leek lengthwise, then frying quickly in oil until browned and crispy.
Notes
-Use any type of potato. This time I used a mix of Russet and yellow potatoes.

-This recipe is vegan, gluten-free, nut-free, and uses the natural creaminess of potatoes for thickness and body. If you want even more richness, however, you can add a handful of soaked cashews to the blending portion.

-The dark green tops of leeks can be very tough, so wash and save those for making veggie stock. For this recipe, use the bottom, more tender, half of the leek.
Recipe by Lands & Flavors at https://www.landsandflavors.com/vegan-potato-and-leek-soup/