The BEST Baked Potato Soup (Dairy-Free)
on Nov 08, 2024, Updated Nov 23, 2024
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This loaded Baked Potato Soup is the perfect comfort food meal to make tonight! It’s rich and creamy, and contains not one but two sources of plant-based protein!
I love making cozy soup recipes this time of year. There’s just something comforting and homey about a pot of homemade soup simmering away on the stove on a chilly evening. This one pot potato soup recipe is especially nice because the kitchen smells amazing when it’s cooking – thanks to delicious ingredients like onions, garlic, potatoes, and vegan bacon! In fact, I was making soup recipe recently and my husband walked in from outside and said “WOW it smells great in here!” He’s not usually a soup fan, but he loves this filling soup recipe as much as I do.
Baked potato soup recipes typically have a lot of dairy like heavy creamy, butter, cheese and sour cream. But my version is 100% dairy-free while still maintaining an irresistibly flavorful broth and lots of comforting veggies. In addition to the potatoes, onions, and garlic, this soup also has a secret ingredient: white beans. Which are undetectable in this soup because of their mild flavor. The beans are blended into the soup so no one will realize they’re there, but you get the added benefit of extra protein, fiber and iron in each bite!
Why You’ll Love this Vegan Baked Potato Soup Recipe!
- It tastes like a loaded baked potato! Think potatoes, onions, bacon, sour cream, scallions, and cheese (yum!)
- This one pot soup recipe is easy to make.
- Meal Prep Friendly and Freezer Friendly recipe!
- Contains not one but two forms of plant-based protein, as well as fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
Tips for Recipe Success!
Prep. The process of making soup from scratch is much easier if you take a few minutes to prep before you start cooking. First, gather the ingredients you’ll need for the recipe so that everything is handy. Then chop the veggies, and set aside separately. This way, you’ll have everything ready to simply throw into the pot and let the stove do the rest of the work!
Add Toppings. Toppings are not just for show! In this recipe, the toppings really are part of the recipe so don’t skimp on the vegan bacon, sour cream, and fresh scallions. They really make this soup.
Ingredient List
The measurements can be found on the recipe card below, but here’s a quick round up of the ingredients to give you an idea!
- olive oil
- tempeh bacon (I use Lightlife)
- yellow onion
- garlic
- flour
- vegan butter (I use Earth Balance sticks)
- Russet Potatoes
- canned white beans
- veggie broth
- coconut milk
- salsa verde
- vegan cheddar (I use Violife)
- salt and pepper
- scallions and vegan sour cream for topping
How to Make Loaded Baked Potato Soup
Step One – Crisp the Bacon Bits
Start by cooking the tempeh bacon until crispy. Then remove from the pot and set aside for topping.
Step Two – Cook the Veggies
In the same pot, sauté the onions and garlic until translucent and then add the flour and butter to create a roux. This will thicken the soup and make it extra creamy!
Then add the veggie broth, potatoes, and white beans and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer until the potatoes are fork tender.
Step Three – Blend
Use an immersion blender and blend until smooth.
Step Four – Season
Next we’ll add lots of flavor with salsa verde, coconut milk, vegan cheddar cheese, and salt and pepper. Then just simmer for 5-10 minutes and serve pipping hot with scallions, vegan sour cream and the tempeh bacon bits on top!
Recipe FAQs
Yes! Allow the soup to cool completely and then store in air tight containers in the freezer. Store the bacon bits in a separate container, and just wait to put the toppings on the soup (sour cream, scallions, and bacon bits) until serving.
Yes! Russet potatoes are the way to go because they’re starchy and help make the soup rich and creamy. Some other varieties have a higher moisture content, making the soup slightly less creamy, so I recommend using Russet for best results.
Tempeh bacon is what we use to make the crispy “bacon bits” on top of this Baked Potato Soup. It’s smokey and salty and crispy, and a great meat-free alternative. I use LightLife Smokey Strips, and they can be found in most grocery stores near the other tempeh and tofu products.
Yes, this soup recipe is vegan, vegetarian, and dairy-free so everyone can enjoy it! The heavy cream, butter, and cheese that is normally found in potato soup recipes is replaced with dairy-free alternatives like coconut milk and vegan cheddar. The result is a velvety broth, that is rich, creamy, and comforting!
This soup will thicken as it sits in the fridge. So to reheat any leftovers, just add a splash or two of water to thin it back out. And make sure to wait to add the toppings until it’s fully reheated!
More Vegan Soup Recipes to Try!
- Sheet-Pan Butternut Squash Soup
- Green Quinoa Chili
- Delicious Vegan Pumpkin Soup
- Broccoli Spinach Soup
The BEST Baked Potato Soup (Dairy-Free)
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 8 slices tempeh bacon, or vegan bacon of choice
- 1 large yellow onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 tbsp vegan butter, I use Earth Balance sticks
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 2¼ lbs Russet potatoes, about 4-5 Russet 1potatoes
- 1 can white beans
- 1 can coconut milk
- ½ cup salsa verde, must be verde, not regular salsa
- ½ cup shredded vegan cheddar
- 1½ tsp sea salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
Toppings
- vegan sour cream and chopped scallions
Instructions
Prep
- Drain and rinse the canned white beans and set aside.Next, dice the onion, mince the garlic, and chop the tempeh bacon. Then set aside separately. Peel the potatoes and cut into bite-sized cubes and set those aside too. Finish prepping by chopping the scallions, and keep them in the fridge until ready to use.
Crisp the Bacon Bits
- Next, warm a large dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Once warm add 2 tbsp of the olive oil and chopped tempeh bacon. Cook for 6-7 minutes, or until crispy. Then transfer the bacon bits to a plate and set aside.
Cook
- Then add the remaining 1 tbsp of olive oil to the pot along with the onions. Lower the heat to medium and cook for 5-6 minutes. Then add the minced garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
- Next, add in the vegan butter and flour and mix well. Then add the veggie broth, chopped potatoes, and white beans and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30-35 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
Blend
- Blend with an immersion blender until smooth. Or if you prefer a chunkier soup, blend for a shorter amount of time, until you reach the desired consistency.
Season
- Finish the soup by adding the coconut milk, salsa verde, vegan cheddar cheese, salt, and pepper. Mix well and simmer for 5 minutes to warm though.
Serve
- Once warm, taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Then ladle into bowls and top with vegan sour cream, chopped scallions, and the reserved bacon bits. Serve with good bread for dipping, and a little hot sauce if you like it spicy! Enjoy!
