Slow Cooker Potato Leek Soup
Lusciously creamy (with no cream) this simple dump-and-go slow cooker potato leek soup is naturally vegan and packed with veggies for a tasty and sustaining, nourishing meal anytime. Can easily be made nut-free & dairy-free, with or without bacon, or on the stovetop!
About this Slow Cooker Potato Leek Soup
It’s not an exaggeration to say that you need this luscious, creamy soup in your life!
Made without a drop of cream, this hearty and naturally vegan slow cooker potato soup serves up some serious comfort food vibes but is packed with all the good-for-you ingredients.
Just imagine yourself cozying up to a big warm bowl of this, maybe with some chives on top and a hunk of crusty bread on the side for dipping (totally heavenly!).
And like many of my easy healthy soups & stews, this recipe is super versatile and customizable so you can make it work for you and your family.
It can be made smooth & blended for an extra velvety finish, or turned into a chunkier soup for those who prefer more texture.
It can even be served with or without bacon, and easily made dairy-free & nut-free with some simple ingredient swaps.
But the best part is that this cozy recipe makes lots of leftovers, so you can enjoy this nourishing & healthy dinner all week long!
Process & Tips
I chose to skip any pre-cooking of the leeks for this recipe to keep this a simple dump-and-go slow cooker recipe!
All you have to do is add your chopped ingredients to your crockpot and let it do its thing.
But if you have a few extra minutes, feel free to saute the leeks with a bit of butter and olive oil beforehand, until caramelized, to add extra flavor to the final soup.
You’ll see in the recipe card below that this vegan slow cooker potato leek soup uses no cream.
It achieves its luscious, creamy consistency simply by blending the vegetables together at the end of the cooking process.
Cashews are also used to add some much needed plant-based fat and to add richness but I’ve added some easy ingredient swaps for you that you can use to easily make this nut-free!
How to Make Chunky Potato Leek Soup
I like the smooth, creamy consistency that comes from blending at the end of the cooking process.
But if you prefer a chunky soup, you can use this base recipe too!
Simply blend the cashews with a bit of water in a blender, then pulse the soup with a hand blender or blender until the desired chunky consistency is achieved, stopping before it’s fully blended, and then add the cashew cream.
How to Make Potato Leek Soup with Bacon
This soup is naturally vegetarian and vegan, but you can absolutely add bacon to it!
The creamy taste and texture pairs beautifully with some crunchy cooked bacon on top.
Simply cook your bacon until crispy and crumble it over the top of the soup at the very end, just before serving, so it doesn’t lose its texture.
Ingredients & Modifications
Leeks: I often use onions in my soup recipes but if you can find leeks, they’re a delicious alternative! The lighter oniony flavor pairs so well with the other ingredients in this recipe and is, of course, the star ingredient of this recipe. You can use frozen pre-washed & chopped leeks, just be sure to defrost them before adding to your slow cooker.
Celery: Fresh celery works best for this recipe. The classic combination of celery and carrots in this recipe adds great flavor and helps add extra veggie goodness to the soup.
Carrots: Fresh whole carrots work best for this recipe.
Garlic: I used fresh garlic for this soup. Since we’re adding them whole and blending the soup after cooking, it adds lots of flavor without much fuss. But you could use garlic powder in its place if you prefer.
Potatoes: Be sure to use Yukon Gold or other waxy potatoes for this recipe (not Russet or other starchy potatoes) as the soup will turn out gummy.
Vegetable stock: I used low sodium vegetable stock in this recipe. This soup is naturally vegan and vegetarian, but if that’s not a concern for you feel free to substitute chicken stock for the vegetable stock and use traditional butter to finish.
Cashews: Cashews are used to add some much needed plant-based fat and to add richness without any dairy. If you have a nut allergy or prefer not to use cashews, substitute one quarter to one half cup heavy cream or full fat coconut milk at the end instead.
Dijon mustard: This is one of my favorite ingredient staples to keep on hand! I like the subtle heat that Dijon mustard brings to dishes and the touch of white wine vinegar in it helps add some nice acidity.
Lemon juice: I find that sometimes crockpot recipes can fall flat on flavor after cooking low & slow for so many hours, so my secret is to add a bit of fresh lemon juice at the end to brighten up and lift all the flavors. It makes such a difference!
Butter: I used traditional butter for this recipe but you can also use a plant-based butter for a dairy-free or vegan option.
Kosher salt: Look for kosher salt with the regular iodized salt at the grocery store (it has a subtler flavor). Use less iodized salt if that’s what you have on hand.
Because of the short list of ingredients, the brand and type of the vegetable stock you use will significantly impact the final flavor and color of the soup. For example, the stock I used for the soup in the photos contained carrots and tomato paste, which made the final soup appear orange. For best results select a stock you love the flavor of on its own.
Tips for Storing and Freezing Leftover Soup
This soup makes great leftovers the next day, plus it freezes and stores beautifully!
Just be sure to use a freezer friendly container for storing it.
Note that the leftover soup thickens considerably upon cooling, so be sure to thin with a bit of stock or water when reheating for the best results.
This Recipe Is…
Dairy FreeGluten FreePaleoVeganVegetarianWhole30
Slow Cooker Potato Leek Soup
Ingredients
- 3 leeks, white and light green parts, thickly sliced and rinsed
- 1/2 cup chopped celery
- 1/2 cup chopped carrots
- 3 peeled garlic cloves
- 1 ½ pounds Yukon Gold potatoes
- 1 quart low sodium vegetable stock, or chicken stock
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
To add at the end
- ½ cup raw cashews
- 1 ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons butter, or plant-based butter for vegan
Optional serving suggestions
- chopped chives, squeeze of lemon, drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
Slow Cooker Instructions
- Add the cashews to a small bowl. Cover with water and set aside.
- To a 6-quart slow cooker, add the leeks, celery, carrots, garlic cloves, potatoes, stock, and salt, stirring to combine.
- Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6 hours, or until the potatoes are tender. Do not uncover during this time.
- When the soup has finished cooking, drain and rinse the cashews. Uncover the soup and add the cashews, mustard, lemon juice, and butter.
- Using a hand-held immersion blender, carefully blend until the soup is smooth. Alternatively, carefully ladle into a blender and blend in batches until smooth. If the soup is too thick, thin with a bit of stock or water.
- Taste and add additional salt or lemon juice if desired. Serve with optional chives, lemon, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
Stovetop Instructions
- The night before or at least 6 hours ahead add the cashews to a small bowl. Cover with water and set aside.
- Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil, then saute the leeks for 3-4 minutes, until lightly browned.
- Add the celery, carrots, garlic cloves, potatoes, stock, and salt, stirring to combine. Cover, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
- Cook, covered, for 30-24 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.
- When the soup has finished cooking, drain and rinse the cashews. Uncover the soup and add the cashews, mustard, lemon juice, and butter.
- Using a hand-held immersion blender, carefully blend until the soup is smooth. Alternatively, carefully ladle into a blender and blend in batches until smooth. If the soup is too thick, thin with a bit of stock or water.
- Taste and add additional salt or lemon juice if desired. Serve with optional chives, lemon, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
