Why you’ll love this dairy free potato soup
Giving up creamy soups was something I did not want to do when we went dairy free. There’s nothing I used to crave more than cheesy broccoli soup on a cold day, but honestly, I’ve gotten over it – probably because I created a awesome recipe for dairy free broccoli soup.
I’ve realized that there are so many was to recreate a creamy soup without dairy. With a few dairy free swaps, this creamy, old fashioned potato soup delivers all the rich, creamy texture of traditional potato soup without any milk or cream. It’s perfect for chilly days when you need something warm and satisfying.
Plus, you can easily customize it with your favorite toppings to make it a loaded baked potato soup.
More dairy free soup recipes: chicken tortilla soup / potato leek soup with ham / vegetable beef barley soup / Wisconsin booyah
Ingredient notes:
- Russet potatoes – This type of potato has a higher starch content and make a great choice for soups, as they absorb flavor and lends to the creaminess of the soup. You can leave the skins on or peel them – totally up to you.
- Full fat coconut milk – This gives the soup a rich, creamy base. You want the full fat kind from a can. My favorite brand is Aroy-D, but any brand will work as long as it isn’t light. If you don’t want to use coconut milk, a creamy oat milk should work to give you the rich, creamy mouthful you’re looking for.
- Dairy free milk – Use any unsweetened dairy free milk you prefer. I typically use almond milk or oat milk, both work great. Be sure to avoid sweetened or flavored varieties as they’ll affect the flavor of the soup.
- All-purpose flour or cornstarch – You can use either of these thickening agents in your soup. Opt for cornstarch if you are looking to make this recipe gluten free (you’ll also want to make sure your stock is gluten free).
Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions listed below are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.
Melissa’s tips + tricks:
- Adjust the thickness to your preference. If your soup is too thick after adding the slurry, thin it out with a bit more broth or dairy free milk. If it’s too thin, let it simmer longer or add a bit more thickener mixed with cold liquid.
- Make it ahead. This soup keeps well in the refrigerator for 3-4 days and actually tastes even better the next day as the flavors meld together. Reheat gently on the stovetop, adding a splash of broth or dairy free milk if needed.
Frequently asked questions
The easiest way to thicken soup is by using a slurry. Mix your thickener (most likely cornstarch or flour) with cold water or broth until it’s dissolved. Stir this into the soup and allow it to to cook for a bit. Most thickeners need to be heated for them to work.
No. This potato soup recipe doesn’t require you to cook the potatoes before adding them to the soup. They will cook while the soup simmers.
If your potato soup is lacking flavor, you probably just need to adjust the salt to taste. Even a little bit of extra salt can make a huge difference in bringing out the flavors in soup. You can also add herbs like parsley or chopped green onion to add flavor.
No. Peeling the potatoes is a matter of personal preference. If you choose not to peel your potatoes, make sure you wash them well before adding them to the soup.
In gerenal, potato soup can be frozen, but the texture of the potatoes may change slightly after thawing. Since this recipe uses alternative milks, it might also separate slightly if you’re freezing it, but it should still taste fine. If you plan to freeze it, store in an airtight container for up to 3 months and reheat gently on the stovetop.
Dairy Free Potato Soup
Ingredients
For the soup:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large sweet onion, chopped
- 2 ribs celery, chopped
- 2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
- 1 ½ teaspoons coarse salt, divided
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 large russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 1 15-ounce can full-fat canned coconut milk
- 2 cups unsweetened, plain dairy free milk
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock, divided
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, or 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
For topping:
- Sliced green onion
- Chopped bacon
- Dairy free cheese shreds, optional
Instructions
- Make the slurry. In a small bowl, whisk together flour (or cornstarch) and 1/2 cup of the cold broth until completely smooth. Set aside.
- Sauté the veggies. In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil to medium-high. Add onion, celery, carrot and 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until softened – about 5 to 7 minutes.Then, add the garlic and cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Simmer the soup. Next, add potatoes, milk and the remaining broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, or until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.
- Thicken the soup. Stir the flour-broth mixture (give it a quick whisk if needed) and pour it into the soup. Stir well and continue to simmer until thickened – about 5 to 10 minutes.
- Season and serve. Season with remaining salt, black pepper, and parsley. If needed, adjust seasoning with salt & pepper before serving with desired toppings.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
Your recipe looks good but I’m not sold on the idea of celery. Don’t generally like the taste. Is it going to be something I taste or just something that I can’t really distinguish? Thanks
you wont even know it is there, make sure it is soft when you saute it before adding the liquids
I am new to dairy free, have a little just diagnosed with a dairy allergy. Can this be made in the crock pot? Let cook on low for a few hours then add the flour and broth mixture?
Oh that’s a good question. I think would work, but I haven’t tested it, so I can’t be sure.
We were thrilled with this recipe, and it was even more deeply flavorful the second day. I made mine in the Instant Pot, sautéing the bacon and all the veggies and adding all ingredients to my 6 qt pot. Pressure cooked it for six minutes and thickened afterwards by putting it back on sauté for a few minutes. I used arrowroot powder for the thickening, and I used a small bag of petite yellow, red, and purple potatoes. I used oat milk for the non-dairy part. Thanks for this. It made an otherwise run-of-the-mill meal festive.
This was delicious! I used full fat canned coconut milk and added dried tarragon, thyme and diced zucchini for more green veggies. It reminded me and my sister of the cheese soup my mom used to make but without all of the dairy.
Happy to finally have a yummy, dairy free potato soup option. This is great! I used gluten free flour and it worked well.
I’m so glad you liked it!
Awesome! I’m allergic to gluten and dairy and was scrolling through the comments to see if gluten-free would work.
Wondering about how many cups would be 3 large russets? I’d callMine are small so not sure the conversion
I’m not sure about the cup conversion, but it’s around a pound of potatoes. If you have a little more or less, it will be totally fine!
Do you cook 6-8 slices of bacon in with the veggies and leave the fat in the soup? It seems like a lot!
I didn’t. I cooked my bacon separately (in the oven), and I’ve also used precooked bacon bits. You could cook the bacon in the pot and just remove most of the fat if you want though.
I can’t tolerate the taste or texture of celery, so INSTEAD, I use broccoli stems cut up small. Doesn’t taste like broccoli, but adds a mild green color and is a different texture – it works great in potato soup!
That is genius! I have been saving some broccoli stems in the freezer for veggie stock because no one likes them in our house. And I always end up using the tops in our homemade chicken lo mein. I absolutely cannot stand celery… it is the same kind of aversion I have to cilantro. I want to like them, but I just can’t no matter how hard I try.
Unfortunately, I felt this recipe lacked flavor. I ended up having to add way more salt, extra garlic and fresh thyme.