Creamy Vegan Potato Leek Soup with Spring Pea Shoots

This vegan Potato Leek Soup is so rich and creamy, it’s hard to believe how nourishing it is too! The ingredients are simple, but the soup is full-flavored & divine. Serve it warm in the winter & spring, or eat it chilled in the summer when temps start to rise.  

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Spring has sprung!

And, tasty veggies are sprouting up everywhere.  We’re talking leeks, scallions, garlic scapes, pea shoots, and ramps.  Oh, and lets not forget my beloved asparagus {perfectly roasted} and childhood favorite, rhubarb~especially delicious in this Strawberry Chia Rhubarb Crisp!

Thanks to Katie at Healthy Bites, this month’s Recipe ReDux theme is “The First Shoots of Spring.”

With all these gorgeous green spring veggies at my disposal, it was hard to choose just one to cook with, but I finally settled upon one that I hadn’t eaten in a very, very long time~at least up until about a month ago.

LEEKS.

It was actually this Savory Bread Pudding {so good!} from the Urban Baker, I made last month, that turned me {back} on to the sublimely buttery sweet and subtle taste of leeks.

Prior to that, my only recollection of eating leeks, was in my all-time favorite childhood soup, Vichyssoise.

Quick Story…

My grandparents lived in Los Angeles, and on special occasions, we would join them at my grandfather’s favorite “fancy occasion” restaurant & celebrity haunt, Scandia, in Hollywood.

Oh, how I loved that restaurant, and their creamy, dreamy, vichyssoise too!

Simply, utterly, delicious.

Why, oh why have I not made a batch of homemade vichyssoise before today???

Oh, yes, I know why.

Because my hubby, Mr. Spicy, lover of ALMOST most everything I cook, vehemently and passionately hates c.o.l.d soup.

Actually, he puts cold soup on par with snakes.

And, mowing the lawn.

So, thank you Recipe ReDux for forcing me to experiment with leeks and create this  creamy vegan potato leek soup!

Have you tried Vichyssoise before?

For those of you familiar with vichyssoise, you may know that the traditional version gets it’s ultra rich creaminess, from, well, cream.

Now, I have nothing again a little heavy cream every now and again, but, in a nod to ReDux tradition {and because I’m trying to make amends for 2 weeks of  a little more indulgence than usual}, my version is sans cream.

And, guess what?

You won’t miss it one bit.

Not only is this vegan potato leek soup light on calories, yet, full of flavor, it’s also packs a powerful health punch from the leeks, onion, and potatoes.

Sulfur and flavanoid rich leeks belong to the allium family, which also includes garlic and onions. It’s thought that leeks have similar health benefits to other alliums, including a reduced risk of breast and colon cancer, and protection against cardiovascular disease.

In addition, leeks are an excellent source of vitamins A and K {good for bone health!}, and a very good source of vitamins C, and folate~ an important B vitamin that helps support methylation.

Potatoes are nutrition superstars too…

As far as potatoes go, they are a pretty healthy tuber in my opinion.  Just check out this post, In Defense of Potatoes, to get the nutrition scoop!

But, enough talk about nutrition.

Let’s get to this oh-so-simple recipe for vegan potato leek soup, aka Vichyssoise.

I was tempted to try and add more ingredients to spiff it up a little, but in the end, simple won out.

Save for an adornment of  these gorgeous spring green pea shoots.

Sometimes simple is best.

Creamy Vegan Potato Leek Soup with Spring Pea Shoots

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Servings: 10 cups or approximately 6 servings

This vegan Potato Leek Soup is so rich and creamy, it's hard to believe how nourishing it is too! The ingredients are simple, but the soup is full flavored & divine. Serve it warm in the winter & spring, or eat it chilled in the summer when temps start to rise.  

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Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons vegan spread {i.e. Earth Balance or Organic Melt}
• 4 cups leeks chopped {approximately 1 large leek, white and light green part only}
• 1 sweet onion chopped
• 4 medium Yukon Gold potatoes peeled and chopped {approximately 2 pounds}
• 4 cups Imagine Organic Low Sodium "No-Chicken" Broth 
• 2 cups filtered water
• 1 teaspoon salt or, to taste
• Spring Pea Shoots for garnish

Instructions

• Heat vegan spread in large soup pot or dutch oven until melted and foaming. Add chopped leeks and onions and sauté over medium high heat until vegetables are slightly wilted, but not browned {approximately 2 minutes}.
• Add chopped potatoes, broth, water, and salt to pot, and bring to a boil. Bring down heat to low, and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes.
• Puree soup in the pot using an immersion blender, OR transfer carefully in batches to a blender, and combine until well blended. Serve warm OR chill soup in refrigerator, and serve cold.
• Top bowls of soup with fresh pea shoots. Enjoy!

COURSE :Dinner, Lunch

CUISINE :American, Gluten Free, Vegan

Nutrition

Serving: 11/2 cups | Calories: 170kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 537mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g

Did you like this recipe?Be sure & let me know! Leave a comment, share it, or give it a 5-star review! Did you make it? Tag me @thespicyrd or #thespicyrd I love seeing your delicious recipe re-creations!

You’ll note in the recipe, that this vegan potato leek soup can be served cold, a la, a traditional Vichyssoise, or warm, as I served it to my hubby and kids, who have apparently inherited their dad’s same aversion to cold soup…

But hopefully not to snakes and mowing the lawn. 🙂

Oh, and in case you missed my news, I am excited to share that my Chinese Aubergine and Bell Pepper Pizza with Cheddar and Fresh Herbs, was a “runner up” in the Recipe ReDux contest.  If you’re a pizza lover like me, you have to try it!

Let’s chat!

Have you ever had Vichyssoise before?  Do you have any favorite childhood “fancy” restaurants? Do you like cold soup???

If you enjoyed this recipe, I’d love for you to share it with your family and friends, and give the recipe 5 stars. Thank YOU so much for your support in helping me spread the word that healthy IS delicious!