Vegan Potato Leek Soup with Pumpkin

This simple vegan potato leek soup with pumpkin is pure creamy comfort food – made completely without cream. Instead, cashews provide the perfect texture, while potatoes, leeks, and pumpkin turn it into a nutrient-rich meal that makes you full and happy.

For me, potato leek soup is a true all-time favorite – when it’s cold outside, there’s hardly anything better than snuggling up on the couch with a big bowl of soup or stew (second and third place currently go to my vegetable-bean soup and lentil sauerkraut stew). At the same time, I love pumpkin in all variations. As soon as September arrives, my kitchen counter is stacked with Hokkaido, butternut, and more.

With this recipe, I combine both loves: a creamy, warming leek and potato soup with pumpkin, refined with homemade cashew cream instead of dairy cream or crème fraîche. It’s easy to prepare, healthy, and filling. Perfect for cold days when you crave a big bowl of soul food.

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Why You'll Love this Recipe
Ingredient Notes
What kind of potatoes are best for vegan potato leek soup?
Step-By-Step Instructions
Top Tipp!
FAQ
More Soup Recipes
Recipe
Comments

Why You'll Love this Recipe

That should be obvious – because who could say no to a bowl of wholesome, vegan leek and potato soup?

Creamy thanks to cashews – no cream, no sour cream, no butter and no coconut milk
Healthy comfort food: vitamin C & K, iron, fiber, and plenty of beta-carotene
A one-pot recipe with just a few, simple ingredients
Easy to make and ready in about 35 minutes – perfect for meal prep
A classic vegetarian potato leek soup with an autumn twist – ideal for cold fall and winter days

Ingredient Notes

For this creamy, vegan creamy potato leek soup with pumpkin, you only need a handful of wholesome ingredients:

Leek – sautéed until it tastes both sweet and savory. Be sure to wash thoroughly!
Onion – optional, but adds extra flavor.
Potatoes – I recommend a starchy vairiety, like Russet.
Hokkaido pumpkin – adds a sweet touch and beautiful color. Alternatively, use butternut squash.
Cashews – blended with water into a healthy cream alternative. Perfect if you want a vegan potato leek soup no coconut milk and no cream.
Vegetable broth – the liquid base. If you only use water, you’ll need extra salt, pepper, and thyme.
Thyme – for an aroma kick. Fresh thyme works great too (use about ½ tbsp).

See recipe card for quantities.

What kind of potatoes are best for vegan potato leek soup?

If you prefer a creamy and smooth soup, go for potatoes that break down easily, like Yukon Gold with their naturally buttery, rich flavor. Personally, I enjoy a chunkier texture, so I usually go for a starchier variety like Russet potatoes.

Step-By-Step Instructions

As mentioned, making this not-so-classic wholesome potato leek soup without cream doesn’t require any special cooking skills. The most tedious part is chopping and prepping the leek, potatoes, and pumpkin. Be sure to clean the leek well, since dirt often hides between the leaves. Nobody wants sandy soup!

Once the veggies and other ingredients are in the pot, you can sit back and relax for a while.

Step 1: Remove the tough outer leaves and dark green ends of the leek. Slice the rest into thin rounds and wash well.

Step 2: Chop the onion and sauté together with leek and a pinch of salt in a large pot for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, peel and dice the potatoes and pumpkin.

Step 3: Add pumpkin and potato cubes to the pot. Pour in vegetable broth, season with salt, pepper, and thyme, and bring to a boil.

Step 4: Let simmer for 18–20 minutes until the vegetables are soft.

Step 3: Mash the vegetables with a potato masher. Alternatively, you can blend the soup (see tip below).

Step 4: Stir in the cashew cream, let simmer for another 5 minutes, taste, and serve.

Top Tipp!

I personally like when the soup is not completely smooth but still has texture – more like a hearty chunky vegan leek potato soup – so I use a potato masher instead of blending.

If you prefer it completely smooth, you can use an immersion blender for a fully silky, creamy potato leek soup – or blend just part of it to keep some texture.

vegetarian potato leek soup with pumpkin

Variations

Butternut Squash – peel first. Carrots also work well.
Nut-Free – replace cashew cream with 150–200 ml vegan cooking cream or silken tofu.
Veggie Power – add 1–2 celery stalks while sautéing onion and leek, or stir in spinach/kale at the end.
Flavor Boost – add 3–4 tablespoon nutritional yeast for extra depth.

FAQ

Can this recipe be made without pumpkin?

Of course! For this, simply replace the pumpkin with the same amount of potatoes or celeriac. For a vegan potato-carrot soup, swap the pumpkin for the same amount of carrots.

What can I use instead of cashews?

Coconut milk is a great alternative. If you want to keep it nut-free, simply use a vegan cream substitute such as oat or soy cream.

Can I use canned pumpkin purée?

I haven’t tested it myself yet, but it should work as well. I would stir in the pumpkin purée at the end together with the cashew cream and then heat everything through. You may want to reduce the amount of broth at the beginning and add more later, if needed.

What kind of potatoes are best for vegan potato leek soup?

For a creamy, smooth soup, use Yukon Gold potatoes. For a chunkier texture, starchy Russets work best.

More Soup Recipes

Here are more vegan soups that are nutritious, easy to make, and absolutely delicious:

I hope you’ll give this easy potato leek soup with pumpkin. recipe a try. If you love this recipe, be sure to leave a comment, rate the recipe and tag me on instagram (#veggiejam) with your recreation.

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