A thick and creamy vegan potato leek soup, made in one pot, or your Instant Pot. It’s velvety smooth, incredibly comforting and delicious. And you’ll never miss the meat!

This recipe was originally published in April 2019. It has been updated for content and photos.
There’s something quite amazing and comforting about a nice thick and creamy bowl of soup. And if you’re a soup fan, like I am be sure to check out this collection of the very BEST healthy vegan soup recipes, too!
Here’s why you’ll love this soup!
- Super simple to make! Nothing complicated about it.
- All you’ll need is just six ingredients, plus a couple optional extras.
- Incredibly delicious, satisfying and filling!
- This soup may be vegan, but you’ll never miss the meat! It’s got a subtle smoky flavour, and absolute perfect texture.
How to clean your leeks
I’ve always found leeks a bit difficult to clean. There’s dirt in every nook and cranny, but here’s an easy way to get them cleaned and chopped!
Start by cutting the tightly rolled part of your leek off, the lighter coloured section. (photo 1)
Then slice that section lengthwise, in quarters. (photos 2-3)
Now slice those quarters horizontally, in about half to one inch pieces. Don’t worry about making them the same size, everything will get pureed later, anyhow. (photo 4)
Now do the same for the darker green part of your leek. (Don’t throw it out, that part is good too!) Slice lengthwise and then slice horizontally into half inch pieces, or so. (photo 5)
Finally, add all the chopped pieces to a colander in your kitchen sink and rinse well to remove all the dirt. (photo 6)
How to make your soup
(This is a summary with step by step photos, full recipe measurements and instructions are in the recipe card below.)
Gather your ingredients. You’ll only need a handful.
Then chop up your leeks (see above for a quick method to clean and slice them) and peel and chop your potatoes.
If you’re using your Instant Pot, set the pot to sauté and add the butter to melt it, if using. (photo 7)
NOTE: See the recipe card below for stove top directions.
Then sauté the leeks for about 2 minutes, until they begin to sweat. (photo 8)
Add all remaining ingredients, except the milk. Mix well, close the lid and make sure the valve is set to the sealing position. (photo 9)
Set your Instant Pot to high pressure for 8 minutes (it will take 10-15 minutes to build pressure) and then quick release once the timer is complete and open the lid when safe to do so. (photo 10)
Use an immersion blender to puree your soup until smooth. (photos 11-12)
Starting with one cup of milk, pour and stir it in until combined, adding more until desired consistency is reached. (photos 13-14)
Top your vegan potato leek soup with this AMAZING candied pecan bacon and green onion or chives for an absolute flavour bomb.
How long will it keep?
Your vegan potato leek soup may be refrigerated for 3-4 days. However, it will thicken as it cools, so you may need a splash of broth or milk when reheating, to loosen.
To freeze, make sure the soup is completely cooled to room temperature. Then store in a freezer safe, air tight container, leaving a little room for expansion. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Can I make any substitutions?
For oil free, simply omit the butter and use a couple tablespoons of broth or water to sauté the leeks, instead.
For nut free, swap the cashew milk with another milk of choice, such as soy or coconut, but not the canned kind.
If you do not have Yukon gold or yellow potatoes, white potatoes work too, but I prefer the texture of yellow, if you can get them.
Expert Tips
- Weigh your potatoes for best results, or use a 3 pound bag. If you do not have a kitchen scale, use 8 medium potatoes or 4 large.
- Start with only 1 cup of the milk, mix well and add more if a thinner consistency is preferred.
- Use an immersion blender for efficiency and less mess. If you do not have one, you may carefully transfer to a standard blender. However, use extreme caution when blending hot liquids. Do not overfill and work in batches, as needed.
More delicious vegan soups!
- Roasted Beet Soup with Dill
- Healthy Broccoli Potato Soup
- Easy Mushroom Barley Soup
- Vegetable Soup with Quinoa
- Lentil Split Pea Soup
If you tried this recipe, please let me know about it in the comments below. I always love hearing from you! Don’t forget to Subscribe to This Healthy Kitchen to be among the first to get my new recipes! You can also FOLLOW ME on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter to see more delicious food and get all the latest updates.
Buon appetito,
Rosa
📖 Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegan butter or margarine or sauté in water or broth for oil free
- 2 leeks quartered and sliced
- 3 pounds Yukon gold potatoes (about 8 medium potatoes) peeled & diced into 1" cubes
- 3 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1-2 cups unsweetened cashew milk or milk of choice
- salt + pepper to taste
Optional Garnishes
- vegan bacon bits
- green onion, chives or parsley
Instructions
Instant Pot Instructions
- Turn on your Instant Pot to sauté and add the butter, if using. Once melted, add the leeks and sauté until they begin to sweat, about 2 minutes. Add all remaining ingredients, except the milk and close the lid, setting the valve in the sealing position.
- Set your Instant Pot to high pressure for 8 minutes. (It will take about 10-15 minutes to reach pressure before the timer starts to count down.) Once complete, quick release the steam valve. Then remove the lid, and use an immersion blender to puree your soup until smooth. Stir in the milk, starting with 1 cup, and add more, if needed, to reach desired consistency. Taste and season with salt and pepper, then garnish and enjoy.
Stove Top Instructions
- Melt the butter, if using, in a large pot and then add your leeks and sauté until they begin to sweat, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add all remaining ingredients, except the milk and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium low and let simmer for about 10-15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Then turn off the heat.
- Use an immersion blender to puree your soup until smooth and then stir in the milk, starting with 1 cup. Add more milk if a thinner consistency is desired. Taste and season with salt and pepper, then garnish and enjoy.
Tony
I really loved it! Flavourful and comforting!
rosa
Thanks Tony!
Nicolas
Yes! this is my absolute favourite combo to have in a soup! The leek and potato just complimented each other so beautifully! Great recipe!
rosa
Thanks Nicolas, thrilled you enjoyed!
Jill
Potato leek soup is a spring time favorite of mine and this one did not disappoint! Delish!
rosa
Yay! Glad you enjoyed!
Marianne
This looks amazing but I have a couple questions before I give this a try:
– can I double (or 1 1/2) the recipe or do you suggest some modifications (for instant pot)?
– can I use lactose free milk as a substitute for plant milk and if so, is 1% okay?
Thanks so much!
Rosa
Hi Marianne, you may double the recipe, as long as it fits below your max fill line in your Instant Pot. (This will depend on what size you have.) No need to double the time, as it will just take longer to come to pressure with more ingredients. As for the milk, you may use any milk you’d like. Hope you enjoy.
Steve
Made this for lunch today – family loved it!
Rosa
Thanks Steve, glad everyone enjoyed!
Jacqueline
This potato and leek soup was delicious!
rosa
Thanks Jacqueline!
Estelle
This was soooo creamy and I love that it’s made in the instant pot! That thing is such a time saver!
rosa
Thanks Estelle!
Shams
Hi Rosa,
This sounds like it doesn’t take long to make. Definitely going to try! I think, my family would love it.
rosa
Thanks Shams, hope you and your family enjoy!
Julia
This is a soup that my family will love, because I’ve noticed they pretty much love any soup as long as there are a lot of potatoes in it, LOL. And it’s a soup that I’m gonna love making because, well, you had me at Instant Pot!
rosa
Haha thanks Julia. I mean who doesn’t love potatoes?? Enjoy!
Heidy L. McCallum
Great looking soup! Leek and Potato just go so well together! I love my insta-post and have been using it left and right. I can’t wait until soup season starts again to make this. Right now Florida’s temps are getting pretty high so this might be pushing it with my hubby lol. I have to say, this soup does look amazing though and I am definitely bookmarking it to make when it cools down!
rosa
Thanks Heidy, up here in Canada it snowed yesterday lol. Mother nature can’t decide what season it is. I hope you enjoy this soup when you give it a try!