This Creamy Vegetable Soup is a cozy, comforting vegan recipe that's gluten-free, easy-to-make & loaded with veggies- great for lunch or as a dinner starter
Creamy vegetable soup is a cozy, comforting vegan choice. Gluten-free, this easy vegetable soup anchors a lovely lunch or makes a great starter for dinner. Pulled together from staples you probably already have on hand, this easy, creamy vegetable soup is completely vegan and uses up the potatoes, frozen corn, and peas that might be in your fridge right now.
The healthy, vegan soup gets added creaminess from oat milk. But a vegetarian vegetable soup could be made by using regular milk. If you’d like to add in grated cheese when serving, you can also opt for that!
How to make creamy vegetable soup
- Prep the vegetables. Dice the celery, onion, and potatoes; slice the carrots, and mince garlic.
- Cook the aromatics. In a large Dutch Oven or stockpot, heat the olive oil on medium heat until it gives off a shimmer. Add the onions, carrots, and celery, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook until the veggies start to soften but haven’t browned. You should turn down the heat if they are browning too quickly.
- Add the chopped Yukon Gold potatoes, thyme, and garlic. The potatoes are a key element of this creamy vegetable soup
- Give a good stir to mix everything together and cook until fragrant. You can add another shake of salt and pepper at this point, but don’t over salt. You can adjust seasoning at the end.
- Add the vegetable broth. Bring to a boil and then turn down to a simmer with just a few bubbles breaking the surface. Cover and cook until the potatoes are soft. You’ll know they’re done when you can pierce them easily with a fork or knife.
- Use an immersion blender to puree most of the vegetable soup. Leave some chunky bits. If you don’t have an immersion blender, use a regular blender to puree in batches. Make sure to set aside about one-third of the soup to add texture.
If you use a blender, pour the pureed soup back in the pot. Stir in the milk, add the peas and corn and simmer covered until the vegetables are warmed through and the soup has thickened.
This gluten-free simple vegetable soup can be the starting point for an even heartier dish. Try adding a can of chopped tomatoes in with the broth or a few handfuls of kale or baby spinach in the final steps. If you are using kale, add them with peas and carrots. Save fast-cooking baby spinach for the last few minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Serve this creamy vegetable soup with minced parsley on top, a little fresh grated cheese (vegan or not,) and fresh, crusty bread.
Tips for making creamy vegetable soup
- Cut your vegetables, especially the carrots, into small pieces. You can use round or square, but big chunks will take longer to cook, and not yield as much flavor.
- Don’t peel the potatoes. To save time and add even more vitamins, don’t bother peeling the potatoes. They will add richness and texture to the soup along with extra health benefits.
- Add a little salt during each step. It helps flavor every part of the dish, but do not overdo it. You can add more salt at the end, but it is difficult to get rid of too much salt without diluting the creamy vegetable soup.
- Saute the onions, carrot, and celery at a medium temperature. Don’t be tempted to use a higher temperature to speed up the process. A lower temp brings out the sweetness and flavor of this mirepoix mix. And it’s still a relatively quick vegetable soup to make.
Frequently asked questions
What if my creamy vegetable soup is too thick?
Adds some more liquid, either oat milk or vegetable broth are good choices. If your soup is too thin, let it simmer uncovered a while longer to thicken up.
What if my soup is bland?
Try a splash of vinegar or a squeeze of lemon juice at the end of cooking. Celery salt can add depth; reach for red pepper for heat.
Can I freeze this soup?
Creamy vegetable soup is not optimal for freezing. The pureed potatoes and twice-frozen vegetables may lose some of their texture.
More vegan soup recipes:
- Cabbage Soup
- Creamy Asparagus Soup
- Crushed Lentil Soup
- Corn Chowder
- Roasted Tomato Soup
- 5 Ingredient Tomato Soup
This vegan vegetable soup is a great staple soup recipe to enjoy in colder months. You can use it a base recipe and add greens or ground beef/turkey to bulk it up. It’s versatile and adaptable to switch out the vegetables and spices based on your preference.
If you’ve tried this feel good Creamy Vegetable Soup recipe or any other recipe on FeelGoodFoodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories!
Creamy Vegetable Soup
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 2 celery stalks sliced
- 2 large carrots sliced
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 4 yukon potatoes diced (3-4 cups chopped)
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried thyme
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 2 cups peas frozen
- 2 cups corn frozen
- 2 cups plant-based milk
- Fresh parsley for serving
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, celery and carrots to the pot. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally until vegetables start to soften, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the chopped potatoes, thyme and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the vegetable broth. Bring mixture to a boil, then simmer until the vegetables soften, about 20 minutes.
- Use an immersion blender to lightly blend the soup so it’s thicker but still chunky. You can remove some of the vegetables aside to stir back in if you prefer to have more whole vegetables.
- Stir in the milk mixture, peas and corn and simmer until the vegetables are warmed through and soup has thickened, about 5 minutes.
- Serve with fresh parsley and crusty bread, if desired.
Notes
- Instead of oat milk, you can use regular milk
- Instead of potatoes, you can use squash or zucchini or cauliflower
