This one-pot Vegan Kale, Potato, and Leek Soup is a nourishing blend of hearty potatoes, savory leeks, and nutrient-rich kale simmered in a flavorful vegetable broth. It's the perfect plant-based antidote to a chilly day or a great solution for a fast, nutritious meal.
With trusty potatoes at the helm, this soup is the belly-filling magic you need when hunger hits. It whips up quickly with ingredients you probably already have lying around or at least easy to find at the grocery store.
Some other soups on regular rotation here are Healthy Red Lentil Soup, One Pot Vegan Minestrone, and Healthy Vegan Broccoli Cheese Soup. But this soup has the one of my favorite greens - kale.
I know it's not everyone's favorite, but trust me - you need to try this soup and a few of my other favorite kale recipes. From the hearty crunch of my Kale and White Bean Salad to the creamy goodness of my Mango Kale Smoothie, kale proves it can be both delicious and versatile!
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Ingredients
Here is a peek into the pantry. See the recipe card for quantities.
- potatoes - choose starchy potatoes like gold, russet, or Idaho potatoes for the creamiest soup. They break down easily and create a velvety texture.
- kale - I like to use tender baby kale leaves, which have a milder flavor and require less cooking time.
- coconut milk - oat or soy milk works, too
- topping suggestions - chopped green onions, red pepper flakes, chives, croutons
Toppings
Here's a list of some toppings to consider:
- crumbled vegan bacon
- chopped fresh chives or parsley
- shredded vegan cheese
- sautéed mushrooms like these Smoky Glazed Mushrooms
- Air Fryer Croutons
- Roasted Chickpea Croutons
- vegan sour cream
- drizzle of truffle oil
- toasted pumpkin seeds
- fried onions
- swirl of coconut milk or pesto like Sunflower Seed Pesto (Nut-Free and Vegan)
- crispy fried leeks
How to Clean Leeks
Whipping up this soup is a breeze, but heads up - leeks can be a bit of a dirt magnet thanks to their unique growing process. They're not high-maintenance, just a tad gritty, needing a quick spa moment before joining the pot.
Step 1: Chop off the dark green leaves and the root, split them down the middle, and dunk them in water. A little soak in the bath helps shake off the dirt and sand. Separate the leaves without pulling them apart completely.
Step 2: Remove them from the water and slice them to the desired thickness.
Step 3: Once more, place the sliced leeks in a clean bowl of water to remove any remaining debris, sand, and dirt.
Step 4: Place on a paper towel or kitchen towel and dry. Gritty to ready-to-cook in no time!
Variations
Use a combination of sweet potatoes and regular potatoes for a slightly sweeter soup.
How to Make Vegan Kale Potato and Leek Soup
For those who like pictures, here is the process in pictures. See the recipe card for details.
Step 1: Sauté leeks in butter with a pinch of salt until wilted (8-10 minutes).
Step 2: Add garlic and sauté until fragrant (1-2 minutes). Then, add the spices, including salt, and sauté for another minute.
Step 3: Add potatoes, broth, and bay leaves. Simmer until potatoes are tender (15-20 minutes).
Step 4: Remove bay leaves and blend soup until ½ of the soup is smooth.
Step 5: Mix in kale, coconut milk, some cracked pepper, and heat through.
Step 6: Adjust seasoning and serve hot with more cracked pepper, croutons, red pepper flakes, green onions, or a side of crusty bread. See below for more options.
Top Tips
- If you don't already have one, I recommend purchasing an immersion blender. So many delicious soups are even better with a quick blend, and an immersion blender makes blending the soup a breeze. It's also safer than transferring the hot soup to a blender.
- Don't skip washing the leeks. They always harbor sand and dirt between their layers.
- You can use any kale you want but other varieties other than the baby kale will take longer to wilt.
- Cut your potatoes into uniform pieces to ensure they cook evenly. Smaller cubes will cook faster and blend easily if you aim for a smoother soup texture.
Recipe FAQS
You can freeze this soup for up to three months. Let it cool completely before transferring it to a freezer-safe container. Then, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
You can make this soup up to three days ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator. To reheat it, you can use the stovetop or the microwave.
More Delicious Vegan Recipes
Got a minute? I'd love for you to dive into the comments and rate this Vegan Kale Potato and Leek Soup recipe. Your feedback is invaluable—did you love it? Did you make any fun twists? Let me know how my directions worked for you so I can keep improving my recipes. Follow me on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube for inspiration.
Vegan Kale Potato and Leek Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter
- 4 leeks white and light green parts only, roughly chopped (~320 grams)
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme or 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 3 pounds potatoes peeled and roughly chopped into small pieces
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 14 ounces coconut milk alternatively, you can use 1 ½ cups of oat, almond, soy, coconut cream, or cashew cream
- 1 cup baby kale washed and roughly chopped (~50-60 grams)
- cracked pepper
- optional: red pepper flakes chopped green onions, chives, or croutons for serving
Instructions
- Saute the Vegetables: In a large pot, heat the vegan butter over medium heat. Add the sliced leeks and a pinch of salt, sautéing until they're soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
- Add the Spices: Add thyme, rosemary, paprika, and salt. Saute for one minute until fragrant.
- Cook the Potatoes: Add the diced potatoes to the pot along with the vegetable broth, and bay leaves. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and let it cook for about 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
- Blend the Soup: Once the potatoes are soft, remove the bay leaves (and thyme sprigs if used). Use an immersion blender directly in the pot to puree the soup until smooth. Alternatively, you can carefully transfer the soup to a blender to puree in batches, then return it to the pot.
- Add Kale and Milk: Stir in the coconut milk, chopped kale, and cracked pepper. Adjust the seasoning to taste. Heat the soup over low heat until it's warmed through and the kale has wilted. This will only take a few minutes.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with your choice of toppings, such as chopped green onions, red pepper flakes, more cracked pepper, and/or croutons.
Anonymous says
Yummy!