Description
This vegan potato soup captures the nostalgia of the loaded baked potato I loved growing up. Creamy, cozy and deeply flavorful, this soup takes everything we love about a classic baked potato and turns it into a spoonable meal. It's rich and satisfying in the way comfort food should be, yet made entirely with simple, plant-based ingredients!
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 3 tablespoons avocado oil (or vegan butter)
- 2 large shallots, peeled and diced
- 1.5 teaspoons fine salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper (or more to taste)
- 1 large head garlic (10 large garlic cloves), peeled and minced
- 2 russet potatoes (13 ounces), peeled and diced
- 4 cups filtered water
- 1 batch of my 5-minute vegan heavy cream (measures 1.25 cups)
- 1 small head broccoli, florets finely diced (stems and stalks removed)
Optional Garnishes (customize as you wish!):
- Dollop of vegan sour cream
- Vegan cheddar cheese shreds
- Chives, finely diced
- Mushroom bacon (highly recommended!) - see instructions in the notes below
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Sauté the shallots. In a medium enameled cast iron dutch oven, warm the avocado oil over medium heat. Add the diced shallots, salt and pepper. Sauté for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the shallots are softened and just beginning to turn golden. If they start to brown too quickly, reduce the heat. For deeper flavor (recommended), lower the heat and continue cooking for an additional 5-10 minutes, allowing the shallots to slowly caramelize.
- Add the garlic. Reduce the heat to low and add the minced garlic. Sauté for 3-5 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant and softened. Be careful not to let the garlic brown or burn.
- Simmer the potatoes. Add the diced potatoes and water and stir to combine. Increase the heat and bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Once boiling, cover the pot, reduce the heat to low or medium-low, and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes are completely soft and easily pierced with a fork.
- Blend until creamy. Stir in the vegan heavy cream. Blend the soup to your desired consistency. For a super silky texture, carefully transfer the soup to a blender and blend until completely smooth, then return it to the pot. For a slightly chunky texture, use an immersion blender directly in the pot and pulse until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Add the broccoli. Add the finely diced broccoli florets to the blended soup. Stir, cover and cook over low-to-medium for about 10 minutes, until the broccoli is bright green and tender.
- Season and serve. Taste and adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper, if needed. If the soup is thicker than desired, thin it with a splash of water or additional vegan heavy cream. Serve piping hot with your favorite garnishes.
Notes
How to Make the Vegan Mushroom Bacon:
- Ingredients: 1/4 cup avocado oil, 8 ounces blue oyster mushrooms (very thinly sliced vertically), 1.5 teaspoons fine salt and 1.5 teaspoons maple sugar
- Instructions:
- 1. Heat a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the avocado oil, then the sliced mushrooms, salt and maple sugar. Toss well so all the mushrooms are evenly coated.
- 2. Sauté for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms have released some of their liquid and start to soften.
- 3. Spread the mushrooms into a single layer in the skillet. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting and cook for 1-1.5 hours, tossing every 20 minutes or so until the mushrooms are deeply caramelized, dehydrated and crispy golden brown. The longer you cook them, the crispier and more umami-packed they become!
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 45
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop