10 Mar Potato Leek Soup

Posted at 00:00h in Recipes by

We love soup. We especially love soup on cold winter days. Being the fortunate recipients of organic produce that is delivered to our door, we have abundant opportunities to experiment in the kitchen.

We have both always enjoyed creamy, rich potato leek soup. Many of the recipes, however, are quite heavy and include a lot of dairy products. For those wishing to restrict or eliminate dairy, this can be problematic. A great option to replace the heaviness of dairy but still enjoy a creamy consistency is with the creative use of nuts such as cashews. They have a mild taste and don’t overpower. Rinsing cashews for a few hours or overnight makes blending them easier and also makes them easier to digest. Another great dairy-free option if you’re wishing for a “cheesy” taste is to replace cheese with nutritional yeast. Not to be confused with conventional yeast, nutritional yeast is a nutrient- and protein-rich seasoning that is gluten-free, salt-free, sugar-free and vegetarian. Rumor has it that it’s a popular popcorn topping with a certain yoga-loving, cat-loving, married couple!

As with each and every recipe I post, this one is all about what I happen to have on hand, which dictates measurements and quantity. I encourage you to alter and experiment as you see fit.

Potato Leek Soup

5 leeks – white and light green parts only, sliced = 4 cups chopped
1 tablespoon coconut oil
3 cloves garlic – minced
1 1/2 pounds potato (5 smallish) – cubed
5 cups vegetable broth
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup raw cashews – soaked a few hours or overnight – then well rinsed
1/3 cup nutritional yeast

  • Slice ends and green section off of leeks. Cut in half and thoroughly rinse under cold running water to remove any grit.
  • Melt coconut oil in stock pot, add leeks and stir until softened.
  • Add minced garlic.
  • Add potatoes, broth, water and salt and bring to a boil.
  • Simmer for 25 – 30 minutes until potatoes are very tender.
  • Add soaked and rinsed cashews and nutritional yeast.
  • Blend using an immersion blender until soup is smooth in consistency.
  • Garnish with lightly toasted cashews and herbs if desired.