Dairy-free Potato Soup
Dairy-free Potato Soup- a simple and wholesome plant-based version of a classic potato soup. So rich and creamy, no one would ever guess it’s dairy-free!
Is there anything more cozy than potato soup? It’s like the perfect cure for winter blues. The next best thing to a trip to Tahiti, of course.
Most potato soup recipes call for heavy cream or milk but with so many people removing dairy from their diet these days, I thought we could use a recipe that doesn’t call for cow’s milk. The best part is, even though it’s dairy-free, the texture is so rich and creamy that no one would ever know the difference. It’s pretty amazing.
It also happens to be a perfect vessel for crispy shiitake bacon. :)
Dairy-free Potato Soup Ingredients
- Mirepoix: The base of the soup starts with a simple combination of finely chopped onion, celery and carrots along with minced garlic. This is what will season our broth.
- Chickpea Flour: Typically an all-purpose flour is used as a thickening agent in soups and stews but I chose to use chickpea flour to keep the recipe gluten-free and grain-free.
- Cashew Milk: Soaked cashews are blended with water to create a homemade cashew milk which gives the soup it’s rich and creamy texture. Cashews also provide protein, healthy fats and vital minerals like magnesium.
- Russet Potatoes: russet potatoes are ideal for this recipe however Yukon gold are also a great option.
- Vegetable Broth: I like to use Better Than Bouillon to create my own broth by mixing it with hot water. The flavor is superior to any other broth I’ve tried. The recipe calls for 2 to 3 cups of broth because the amount will vary depending on the size of your potatoes and how thick you like your soup.
- Toppings: as I mentioned before, crispy shiitake bacon makes for an incredible savory topping here. Finely chopped chives are also delicious, and you could even add dairy-free cheese, if desired.
Possible Substitutions:
- Don’t have chickpea flour? I personally love chickpea flour and think it is worth stocking in your pantry. However, you can easily use all-purpose flour in it’s place. Rice flour may also be a good option. Please keep in mind that some whole grain flours (like wheat, spelt, etc) can darken the soup and make the texture gritty. If you decide to use any other flour besides all-purpose or chickpea flour, the results may vary.
- Use plant-based milk instead of cashews. I prefer using cashews here because of their nutritional value and likeness to heavy cream, however you’ll need a high speed blender like a Vitamix or a NutriBullet to be able to blend them properly. If you don’t want to use cashews you can substitute a plain unsweetened plant-based milk in place of the cashews and water. It is very important that you choose a plain milk that doesn’t taste sweet at all or it will make the soup taste sweet. Without the cashews the texture will not be quite as creamy but it will still be good.
What to serve with this Soup:
- Winter Kale Salad with Lemon Dijon Dressing
- Simple Green Beans with Olive Oil and Shallots
- A Good Crusty Bread (if you have a good recipe, please feel free to share in the comments!)
Dairy-free Potato Soup
Yield: 4 bowls
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked*
- 1 cup filtered water
- 2 tablespoons dairy-free butter (I love Miyoko’s)
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 celery, finely chopped
- 2 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons chickpea flour (or all-purpose flour)
- 2-3 cups vegetable broth (I like to make my own with this)
- 2 russet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1-inch cubes
- toppings: chives and/or shiitake bacon
Directions:
In a high speed blender or NutriBullet, add the cashews with 1 cup water. Blend on high until smooth then set aside.
In a large pot, warm butter over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, carrot, and garlic. Sprinkle with salt and cook for about 3 minutes, until fragrant.
Sprinkle chickpea flour on top of vegetables and stir to combine. Cook for about 1 minute. Pour in 2 cups vegetable broth, a little bit at time, stirring between each addition until smooth. The mixture will be thick in the beginning then thin out as you continue to add the broth.
To the pot, add the potatoes and the cashew milk. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring intermittently. The soup will continue to thicken as it cooks. Add more broth, as needed, until desired consistency is reached.
Once potatoes are tender (you can check by piercing with a fork), serve soup warm topped with chopped chives and shiitake bacon, and enjoy!
*To soak cashews: bring a small pot filled with 2 cups water to a boil. Remove from heat, add the cashews and allow to soak for at least 30 minutes. Strain and rinse before using in recipe.
Did you try this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out by leaving a comment below or sharing a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #makingthymeforhealth. I love hearing your feedback!
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This looks amazing! Do you know approximately how many cups of carrots and potatoes?
I would say about 1/2 cup chopped carrots and about 1 and 1/2 to 2 cups diced potatoes. Although it shouldn’t hurt anything if you have a little more or less than that. I hope that helps!
Wonderful, thank you so much! I’ll come back to rate it once I’ve made it. :) Can’t wait to try it!
I just made this tonight and it’s to die for! I doubled the recipe and used a few more veggies than the recipe called for. Oh my goodness!! Still waiting for the potatoes to cook a little more before I can totally indulge.
This sounds so comforting, Sarah. Love the vegan take on it. I’ll have to give it a try in the coming weeks. I’ll report back as always. ;)
Thanks Kelli! <3
Yesss to all the soup right now! It’s been so dreary and cold by us that I cannot get enough. And you know I appreciate dairy free versions of anything – sounds wonderful!
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I turned this potato soup into clam chowder. I know that’s not something you’d probably like but it worked really well. I just added a can of clams & juice & some Old Bay seasoning to the simmer part and it worked wonderfully. It did get really thick so I probably added closer to 4 cups broth. The cashew milk worked wonderfully! We all really liked it!
I’m so glad it worked out well for you, Kelli! I could never get Brandon to eat clams but it’s nice to have your feedback in case others want to try it as clam chowder. :)
Made this tonight and it was delicious! My husband said it was even better than his mom used to make when he was a little boy! That’s quite the compliment because she was a great cook.
Aw that’s so awesome! I’m sure you’re a great cook as well which always helps! ;)
Made this potato soup today, delicious! I had to reduce the sodium for my dietary needs but it was still wonderful. Thanks
I’m so glad to hear that! Thanks for the review, Kathy!
This recipe sounds yummy. My daughter is on a very strict dairy free diet. As I was reading your recipe I noticed you use better than bullion. That is something we quit using due to it having whey protein in it which is dairy.
I’m not sure which flavor you are using but they have a vegetable bouillon and a no chicken bouillon which are both dairy-free and vegan. https://www.betterthanbouillon.com/products/organic-seasoned-vegetable-base/
I’m wondering which other non dairy milks (oat or rice) would work Best for this soup?
The homemade cashew milk is what makes this soup extra creamy so I recommend it that way but you could probably sub oat milk with good results. Just make sure it is unsweetened and plain otherwise it will make the soup taste sweet. :)
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Is there any way you could provide nutritional information for this recipe?
I have made this several times, both for myself + family and for friends. It is a great option for nursing mothers who are trying to avoid dairy. It always gets rave reviews. A great staple in our soup repertoire.