A reader favourite for a reason! This creamy vegan potato leek soup with white beans is a simple and satisfying meal. White beans make this recipe creamy and hearty and the addition of nutritional yeast makes it exceptionally flavourful. This recipe contains no coconut milk and is dairy-free as well.
Serve with a side of crusty bread, chopped parsley, freshly cracked black pepper or the below suggestions. My No Knead Garlic Fougasse or homemade focaccia bread are also a nice side. A big bowl of this soup is my favourite comfort food on a cold autumn or winter day—I'm sure you will love it, too.
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Why This Recipe Works
There are many versions of vegan potato leek soup. However, my version differs in that it is made creamy with no coconut milk, no dairy or heavy cream, for that matter. White beans add a perfect creamy texture and plant-protein making this a satisfying meal compared to the average bowl of potato leek soup.
This recipe is hearty and full of flavour—it's every bit as good (or better) than classic potato leek soup. What makes this recipe stand out is the nutritional yeast. This adds umami which pairs well with the leeks and potatoes. A handful of fresh parsley on top adds a pop of green and freshness to this soup. This recipe comes together rather quickly as well.
Ingredient & Substitutions
For the full list of ingredients and amounts for this recipe, please see the recipe card. Here are the main ingredients at a glance plus notes on substitutions:
Extra Virgin Olive oil: this is used for cooking down the onions, leeks and garlic. Any neutral flavoured vegetable oil will also work.
White onion: one of the three allium vegetables (onion, leeks, garlic) used in this mirepoix for this recipe. White onions are milder than yellow onions and therefore don't overpower the flavour of the leeks. However, you can use yellow onion for this recipe if you want.
Leeks: these are an integral main ingredient. Be sure to use only the white part and light green part for this recipe (the dark green leaves can be composted). It's important to wash them well to remove any grit or sandy soil residues. Leeks come in various sizes; choose medium-sized leeks for this recipe.
Fresh Garlic: another allium used for flavour in the mirepoix.
Yukon gold potatoes: lower starch potatoes (or waxy potatoes) are best for this recipe. As such, I suggest using yellow, Yukon gold, or new potatoes (yellow or red potatoes or a combination of the two work just fine). Russets have a higher starch content (20-22%) and can create a gluey soup once blended. If you wish to use russet potatoes, you will need to remove the peel and minimally blend the soup OR us a potato masher to gently break them up.
Vegetable broth: I use low sodium vegetable broth, however, you can use homemade broth or whichever brand you prefer.
Cooked cannellini beans: sometimes these are sold under the name "white kidney beans". Canned or cooked from dried will work for this recipe, however, I prefer the convenience of the canned variety because I can't always find dried cannellini beans in my area.
Nutritional yeast: this adds umami flavour to the soup. This ingredient can be omitted if you wish. See the recipe FAQs for more information on nutritional yeast.
Step by Step Overview
This vegan potato leek soup with white beans comes together in one pot and takes roughly 50 minutes to make from start to finish. The full directions can be found in the recipe card below, however, here is a step by step overview:
- Prep the vegetables, then add the diced onion and chopped leeks to a large soup pot or dutch oven with some heated oil. The leeks and onion cook for about 5 minutes over medium heat.
- Add in the garlic and cook until fragrant. Add in the chopped potatoes, along with the white beans and vegetable stock.
- Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce to simmer for 25-30 minutes or until the potatoes are soft and cooked through.
- Stir in the nutritional yeast along with salt and pepper. Blend the soup lightly with an immersion blender to the desired consistency, then garnish and serve.
Helpful Tips
- Clean the leeks very well: Leeks grow in gritty, well-draining soil. As such, it's a good idea to slice the leeks, then rinse them in a sieve to remove the grit.
- Use only the white and light green part of the leek: these are the most tender and flavourful part of the leek. The root end and dark green leaves need to be cut off.
- Make sure you scrub the potatoes well to remove any dirt or grit. Also, if you choose to russet potatoes for this recipe, you will need to remove their skin.
- Nutritional yeast is optional: however, it really makes this recipe super flavourful.
- Puree the soup to your desired consistency: you can puree the soup with an immersion blender (hand blender) to a smooth texture or leave it slightly chunky. I like to use an immersion blender and give it just a few light pulses to break up the potatoes and beans. If you don't have an immersion blender, you can use a potato masher and to lightly break them up.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this delicious soup as a main dish or side with any of the following: finely chopped kale, parsley, fresh dill fronds, fresh chives, chopped green onions, a drizzle of olive oil, vegan sour cream, croutons (gluten-free if necessary) or crusty bread. I also suggest serving this recipe with a slice of your favourite bread with vegan butter, however, because there is plenty of starch in this recipe, you might prefer to have it without bread.
Storage
Storage: store this vegan potato leek soup recipe in an airtight covered container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Freezing: store this soup in a freezer-safe container for up to three months; just make sure it has cooled somewhat before storing. To reheat, defrost it in the fridge overnight, place it in a soup pot and heat on the stove until simmering lightly and heated throughout.
Frequently Asked Questions
This classic soup recipe originates from Wales, and traditionally contains potatoes, leeks, chicken broth and heavy cream. There is another variation—Vichyssoise—which is a cold leek potato soup from 1917 America and named after the French town of Vichy.
Yes, however, expect the soup to be less creamy and hearty.
This can happen if you over blend the soup or blend it too quickly; the starch from the potatoes will thicken the soup and make it rather gluey. This is less likely to happen with Yukon gold or other waxy potatoes and moreso with russet or other starchy potato varieties.
Nutritional yeast is an inactive yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) in the form of yellow flakes or powder in most grocery or natural food stores. It adds an umami flavour, reminiscent of cheese and or nuts, to food dishes. It is a popular ingredient in many vegan or plant-based recipes.
Leeks are a winter allium that grows year-round. They are mild in flavour unlike white or yellow onions and land somewhere somewhere between an onion and garlic in taste. They are widely available at local markets or grocers throughout the fall and winter months, but can are typically available year round.
Leeks, like onions, pair well with a variety of vegetables (root vegetables, mushrooms and tubers) and go well with a variety dishes, primarily stews and soups. Leeks classically pair with creamy, dairy based dishes, however, they also work with dairy-free alternatives.
If you made my vegan potato leek and white bean soup, leave me a comment below with a star rating; it helps others who are interested in making the recipe. For more from The Simple Green, follow me on Instagram, Facebook or Pinterest. Consider becoming a subscriber to receive emails of new recipes and posts.
Creamy Vegan Potato Leek Soup with White Beans
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small white onion, chopped
- 2 medium leeks, finely sliced and washed (see notes below)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 450 g Yukon gold or nugget potatoes, washed and cubed
- 5 ½ cups vegetable broth
- 1 ½ cups cooked cannellini beans
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast, unfortified
- sea salt & fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
- fresh chopped parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Wash the potatoes and leeks well to remove any grit and dirt (see notes). Set aside.
- In a medium pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and leek and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion starts to turn translucent and the leeks are wilted and softened (about 5-6 minutes).2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 2 medium leeks, 1 small white onion
- Add the garlic and stir just until fragrant. Add in the diced potatoes, cannellini beans and vegetable broth and stir to combine.2 cloves garlic, 450 g Yukon gold or nugget potatoes, 1 ½ cups cooked cannellini beans, 5 ½ cups vegetable broth
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer for 25-30 minutes or until the potatoes are soft and easily pierced with a fork.
- Remove the soup from the heat and stir in the nutritional yeast. With an immersion blender, blend until the soup is fairly smooth with some smaller pieces remaining. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Portion and serve with any of the suggestions below.¼ cup nutritional yeast, sea salt & fresh cracked black pepper, fresh chopped parsley
Notes
Nutrition
This is an approximation of the nutrition offered in this recipe, and is created using a nutrition calculator. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee accuracy. If your health depends on nutrition information, please calculate again with your preferred calculator.
Disclaimer
all recipes on The Simple Green are developed and tested in a Canadian kitchen, at normal elevation, using electric appliances and ingredients available in Canada. Results may vary.
Hi! Do you think I can make this soup withour nutritional yeas? If not, is there any other vegan substitut for it? Thanks!
Hi Katja! You can certainly omit the nutritional yeast, the recipe will work just as well. It’s primarily added for the slight flavour and nutrition it lends 🙂 Let me know how you like the recipe!
I made this and it was delicious. I did give four stars because I did tweak it - I did double the beans, which I prefer so it has more bean and less potato taste. We are not fans of nutritional yeast so I left that out. A local restaurant serves this soup and tops it with an olive puree. So I just took olive tapenade, added a bit of olive oil, pureed in the blender and topped each bowl with it.
Thank you for the feedback, Kelly! That olive puree sounds divine and I'd love to try that as well!
Not only is this recipe beautiful to look at, image wise, this recipe itself is SO GOOD. Wow! Love how you used white beans instead of coconut milk or dairy to make this soup so thick and creamy. Absolutely brilliant!
So happy to hear you like the recipe, Kayleigh!
WOW! I have never used nutritional yeast in a recipe before, but this was SO GOOD. Creamy, savory, just so delicious. Thank you!
Ah so happy you love it, Hilary!
Great work! Thank you for sharing this recipe; it tastes delicious!
So glad you liked it!
450 grams potato is under a pound. this can't be correct.
Hi there! One pound of potatoes is roughly 450 grams. Let me know if there is anything else I can help with 🙂