If it’s winter time for you, I highly encourage you to try this amazing oil-free, vegan recipe. Nothing can comfort you, warm you up and fill you up like creamy, delicious, flavoursome potato soup.
This is a recipe that has 0 oil or fat added to it. And you know what all the chefs say, fat = flavour. Which is true, so how did I get this soup to taste awesome?
Well, I eventually realised that a bouquet garni and stock can be used together to make your soups and sauces taste pretty darn amazing.
What is a bouquet garni?
A bouquet garni is a bundle of aromatics and herbs tied together. This bundle is then used to infuse soups, sauces, stews and casseroles. I like using woody/sprig herbs such as thyme or rosemary. And I managed to put cloves in this bundle by sticking them in the onion.
I used the bouquet garni in this recipe to flavour the stock. I also reduced the stock a little bit. This intensified the stock and gives an amazing base of flavour. Honestly, I barely needed to season the soup at the end because the base flavour was already so good.
This is what the process of infusing the stock with the bouquet garni, and then using it to make the soup looks like.
And of course, you can use this technique to make any soup, stew, sauce etc. you wish!
Should I use Waxy or Starchy Potatoes?
According to my research and experience, I believe that medium starch potatoes are simply the best options for soup. I usually prefer using versatile potatoes anyway. Simply because they work for just about anything. Soups, mash, roasts etc.
Floury potatoes have a lot of starch content and I think they are great for mash because that starch can hold on to a lot of fat. Waxy potatoes have a low starch content and are great for roasting or using for salads. So again, go for medium-starch potatoes, such as royal blue or Yukon gold potatoes. That way, your soup won’t be too thick, but it will still have body.
Can I blend in other ingredients?
Absolutely! If there are any other vegetables you want to add, go for it! Just make sure you have an idea of how long it will take to boil.
In fact, there are 2 other ingredients that go really well with potato soup. Cauliflower and leek. You’ll probably find a lot of recipe with these 3 ingredients paired together because it’s a classic combo.
I used the exact same method to make this potato, cauliflower and leek soup. I only used 400g of potato instead of 900g. And the other 500g was of course, the cauliflower and the leeks. Cauliflower florets only take about 3-4 minutes to boil and cook all the way through, so I added them when the potatoes were about 3 quarters cooked.
Remember, vegetables that have been blanched well will leave you with a much better result in the end.
Ladies and gents, thank you so much for taking the time to read through this post. Again, if you need a recipe to warm the family up, I highly recommend making this amazing vegan potato soup. Subscribe if you haven’t already to stay updated, and have an amazing day.
Oh, and if you’re a fan of soups, perhaps you may want to take a look at this Minestrone Soup as well.
Creamy Vegan Potato Soup
Creamy, hearty and super comforting. Just how a potato soup should be during winter.
Ingredients
- 3 cloves
- 1/2 an onion peeled
- 2 bay leaves
- 3-4 sprigs of thyme
- 3-4 sprigs of rosemary
- 2 L vegetable stock
- 2 teaspoons dried tarragon
- 1 garlic clove peeled
- 900 g potatoes peeled and cut into inch thick dices
- A pinch of ground cumin
- A pinch of paprika
- A pinch of ground coriander
- 3/4 cup of coconut cream
- 1/2 a French stick cut into slices
- salt and pepper
Instructions
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Stick the cloves into the onion. Then use a piece of string to firmly tie the onion, bay leaves, thyme and rosemary together. This is called a bouquet garni.
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Put the stock in a large pot and add your tarragon, garlic clove and bouquet garni. Bring to a boil then lower the heat to a simmer. Lightly simmer the stock with the herbs and aromatics for 10-15 minutes.
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Use a pair of tongs to remove the bouquet garni, then add your potatoes. Once again bring the stock back to a boil, then back down to a simmer. Cook the potatoes for a further 10-15 minutes until cooked through. You should be able to push a small knife through a piece of potato with no resistance.
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Once the potatoes are cooked, use a hand blender to blend the potatoes until smooth.
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Once the soup is blended, add your ground cumin, paprika and ground coriander and stir through.
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Add your coconut cream, then lightly simmer the soup for 10 more minutes.
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Season to taste with salt and pepper (be careful with the salt) and serve with the bread. Enjoy!
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
- Remember the intensified stock will give the soup a strong depth of flavour, so you shouldn't need too much salt.
- I find that soup is always better the next day. So having leftovers is great!!
- If there is a bit of water separating at the top of the soup, that is absolutely fine. Just give the soup a good stir with your ladle before each serving.
- Heat your serving bowls up in the microwave for about 1-2 minutes so that the soup stays warm in the bowl for a longer period of time.
Other Incredible Soup Recipes:
Are you partial to a specific kind of potato? I remember figuring out when I started cooking that Russet potatoes kind of get gloppy if they’re pureed, so I stick with the less starchy varieties, personally. I love the seasoning, and can say I’ve never paired potatoes with coconut milk!
Hmmm, that is a good question. I personally love royal blue because they are super versatile. And I think you make a great point about using more of a waxy potato. I didn’t put enough coconut milk to make the soup actually taste like coconut, just enough lightens it up a bit.
Looks great!
Thank you!!
This looks so amazing!!!
Thanks so much!!
I’ve always been a fan of Potato Soup – cold or hot. But you’ve really upped the game with the addition of coconut cream instead of regular cream! Nice job…and great pictures!
Thank you so much pam!!!!
Did you leave out the word bread? As in French bread stick? .
I believe that’s what they’re called, unless I am mistaken (: