Soups Archives » I LOVE VEGAN

Vegan Cream of Potato Soup

Brittany — Fri, 19 Mar 2021 06:30:00 +0000

This post is sponsored by The Little Potato Company.

This vegan cream of potato soup is lush, satisfying, and full of hearty chunks of potato. It’s everything a great bowl of cream of potato soup should be, vegan or not! Its simplicity lets the flavour and velvety texture of Creamer potatoes shine. Enhancing simple ingredients is key to a cream of potato soup that’s charmingly laidback, not bland or boring.

Cream of potato soup is a classic and endlessly adaptable soup. Having a go-to recipe that you can make your own is essential. If you haven’t already found yours, I hope you find that this recipe is “the one”!

Sometimes veganizing cream-based soups and sauces can be difficult to get just right. The easiest and most obvious option is to substitute non-dairy milk for cream. Depending on the brand and type of non-dairy milk, sometimes there’s a vague sweet or vanilla-y flavour, even with plain unsweetened varieties. It’s mild, but it quietly whispers, “This soup is vegan, isn’t it?”. It’s something you want to avoid in any case, but in an understated soup like cream of potato? It’s essential.

Combining a couple of elements to thicken and add creaminess tastes more subtle and doesn’t take away from key flavours. For cream of potato soup, that’s easy. Just blend some of the Creamer potatoes into the soup. Using Creamer potatoes, cashew cream, and a roux + broth to thicken and add creaminess, you can use less of each. That makes for a base that doesn’t taste vegetable broth-y, nutty, or vanilla-y with that hint of sweet. It will taste like potatoes though, this is a potato soup after all.

Coming back to the simplicity of cream of potato soup: the potato prep. Using Creamer potatoes cuts the usual potato preparation down to: opening a bag of Little potatoes and dumping them into a pot. Easy.

Little potatoes are pre-washed. Their skins are nutritious but also thin and delicate — no peeling required (even in recipes where potatoes are mashed or blended, like cream of potato soup!) They’re measured, right down to the millimetre, so that every Creamer in the bag is cooked to tender potato-perfection, all at the same time.

I used The Little Potato Company’s Blushing Belles but I’d also recommend Boomer Gold in this recipe. But you can experiment with any of their varietals if you like! Check them out on the Little potatoes’ Products Page.

Making the soup:

To start the cashew cream, soften raw cashews before blending them. Since I lack the foresight to plan meals ahead of time, I don’t soak raw cashews overnight. Just measure them into a bowl and cover them with plenty of boiling water (so that it stays hot). Set them aside to soften while you start cooking the soup. (Boiling the cashews on your stovetop affects the colour and texture more than this “quick soak” method.)

Simmer the Little potatoes until they’re just tender and then set them aside. In the same pot, sweat the mirepoix + garlic with vegan butter or oil. Stir in the flour and cook for another minute or two before gradually adding your favourite vegetable broth.

Blend the softened cashews with water (for cashew cream, use a 1:2 ratio) until creamy. Add some of the Creamer potatoes and blend them briefly. They don’t need to be perfectly smooth, don’t over blend them! How many Creamers you blend into the soup is up to you. Blend a quarter of them for a creamy soup with lots of hearty potato chunks, or up to a third for a thicker, potato chowder consistency.

Chop the remaining Creamer potatoes into nice, chunky pieces and add them to the pot. Give the soup a stir, a taste, and adjust the seasoning with salt to bring out the flavours and white wine vinegar to brighten them up.

^{Garnishes optional! A swirl of cashew cream, a drizzle of olive oil, and chopped herbs adds a little elegance to this casual potato soup.}

Serving Suggestion:

For a nourishing lunch, serve a hot cup of potato soup with some grainy crackers and a big ol’ veggie sandwich or side salad. For something a little cozier and relaxed, ladle up a hearty sized bowl and serve it with a crusty buttered baguette.

More vegan potato soup recipes:

This post is sponsored by The Little Potato Company.

The Little Potato Company has a new Easy Peazy Recipe Seeker Tool! It’s perfect for deciding what to have for dinner tonight. My favourite feature is the “Goes with” filter to find recipes that go with tofu or veggies. Thanks for supporting the brands that support I Love Vegan!

Vegan Cream of Potato Soup

Author: Brittany Mueller
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
Category: Soup
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: Vegan
Diet: Vegan

Print Recipe

Description

This vegan cream of potato soup is hearty and satisfying. It’s everything a great bowl of cream of potato soup should be, vegan or not! Its simplicity lets the flavour and velvety texture of Creamer potatoes shine.

Ingredients

⅔ cup (100 grams) raw cashews (plus boiling water for soaking)
1 ⅓ cups (330 ml) water
1.5 lbs (680 grams) Blushing Belle or Boomer Gold Little Potatoes
2 tbsp vegan butter (or any neutral tasting vegetable oil)
1 cup (120 grams) chopped onion
½ cup (75 grams) chopped carrots
½ cup (60 grams) chopped celery
¾ tsp (3.75 ml) salt
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp (17 grams) all-purpose flour
3 cups (750 ml) vegetable broth
2 tsp (10 ml) white wine vinegar
Salt and black pepper, to taste

Instructions

In a small bowl, cover cashews with boiling water and set aside to soften.
Add Creamer potatoes to a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer potatoes for 15 minutes, or until they’re just tender. Drain and set aside.
Add drained cashews and water to a high-speed blender and blend until creamy. Add ¼ to ⅓ of the boiled Creamer potatoes (depending on your desired consistency) and blend. Avoid over blending.
When the remaining potatoes are just cool enough to handle, chop them into eighths or quarters.
In the same pot used to boil the potatoes, add vegan butter, onions, carrots, celery, and salt. Cover and cook over low heat until tender. Do not brown. Add garlic, cover, and cook for another 2 minutes.
Turn heat to medium and stir in the flour. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes. Gradually add the vegetable broth, stirring as you go to prevent lumps.
Stir in the blended cashew/potato mixture. Add the chopped potatoes and white wine vinegar. Cook on medium-low for 5 minutes. If desired, adjust consistency with water or vegetable broth. Adjust seasoning, adding salt, pepper, and white wine vinegar to taste.

Keywords: vegan cream of potato soup, vegan potato soup, vegan potato chowder

The post Vegan Cream of Potato Soup appeared first on I LOVE VEGAN.

Tofu Noodle Soup

Brittany — Fri, 03 Apr 2020 21:00:10 +0000

Tofu noodle soup hits the spot when you want comfort food that feels nourishing and restorative, not heavy. It’s a vegan alternative to chicken noodle soup that checks all the same boxes nutritionally and for lack of a better word, spiritually. You know, tofu noodle soup for the soul or something like that?

It’s a cozy and familiar meal for when the weather’s rainy, the world feels gloomy, or you’re feeling unwell. It's best served when you’re curled up on the couch with a feel-good movie or TV show.

Cravings for tofu noodle soup rarely hit when you’re up to heading to the grocery store. Thankfully it’s a soup that suits rummaging through your fridge and cupboards to use what you have.

The real focus of tofu noodle soup is right there in the name: tofu, noodles, and broth. But you can throw in a few vegetables for added nutrition and to increase that “healing feeling”.

No vegetable is really essential, but carrots and celery are a classic addition that you’re likely to have on hand. I’ve also included mushrooms, kale, and frozen peas in the recipe. Chopped spinach, bok choy, or even broccoli are suitable additions too. If you have it, add a squeeze of fresh lemon to brighten up the flavours.

Preparing the tofu is simple. Cut firm or extra-firm tofu into thick slices before giving it a quick press. The purpose of pressing the tofu is to dry the outside (and draw out a little moisture) to prevent it from sticking in the pot. Cube it, add some soy sauce, and mix gently until the soy sauce is fully absorbed. Brown the tofu in a little olive oil before adding the vegetables and broth.

While this recipe is for tofu noodle soup, you could swap the tofu for chickpeas or chopped vegan “chicken” (not the breaded kind.) Tofu puffs or cubed store-bought spiced/marinated tofu are also suitable options.

Cook the noodles separate from the soup and add them just before serving. If you add them right away they’ll continue soaking up the broth until there’s none left and the pasta is mushy. Fusili is my pasta of choice but farfalle (bow-ties), shells, and broken spaghetti-type noodles all work well.

For speed and simplicity I use store-bought vegetable or “no-chicken” broth or bouillon cubes/powder. Be sure to use one you like because the flavour of the soup will lean heavily on the one you choose. If you have homemade broth on hand, all the better!

Tofu Noodle Soup

★★★★★ 4.8 from 10 reviews

Author: Brittany Mueller
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
Category: Soup
Method: Sautéing and Simmering
Cuisine: Vegan

Print Recipe

Description

A hot bowl of tofu noodle soup hits the spot when you're feeling under the weather. Quick and easy to prepare.

Ingredients

1-2 tablespoon (15-30 ml) olive oil, divided
1 350g block extra-firm tofu, pressed and cut into cubes
2 tbsp (30 ml) soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup sliced carrot (approximately 1 carrot)
½ cup sliced celery (approximately 1 rib)
1 cup (40 grams) kale, stems removed, finely chopped
1 cup sliced cremini mushrooms (approximately 5 mushrooms)
½ tsp (2.5 ml) ground ginger
6 cups (1500 ml) vegetable broth
½ cup (50 grams) frozen peas
2 cups (170 grams) uncooked pasta (fusili, farfalle, etc.)

Instructions

Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
In a medium-sized bowl, pour soy sauce over cubed tofu. Mix gently until the tofu absorbs the soy sauce.
Heat ½ of the olive oil in saucepan over medium-high heat, add tofu and sauté until evenly browned on all (or most) sides.
Move the tofu to one side of the pan. Add remaining olive oil and add minced garlic. Cook for 1 minute, do not brown. Add carrot, celery, kale, mushrooms, and ground ginger. Stir and cook for 3 minutes.
Add the vegetable broth and simmer for 5 minutes.
Add frozen peas and simmer for another 3-5 minutes, or until the vegetables are just tender.
Taste and adjust seasoning.
Keep pasta and soup separate until ready to serve. Divide cooked pasta into bowls and top with hot soup.

Notes

Storing leftovers: Store leftover pasta and soup separately. Combine just before serving.

Keywords: tofu soup, tofu noodle soup, tofu soup recipe

The post Tofu Noodle Soup appeared first on I LOVE VEGAN.

Chickpea Turmeric Soup

Brittany — Mon, 23 Mar 2020 21:38:24 +0000

A sunny and luscious vegan chickpea soup topped with crispy roasted chickpeas. This soup is made mostly of pantry staples and ready in 45 minutes or less.

Lemon and fragrant aromatics makes this vegan chickpea turmeric soup taste as bright and fresh as it looks. Spicy roasted chickpeas adds some kick and crunch, a lovely contrast to the velvety soup. Coconut milk and potatoes keeps this puréed chickpea soup light and creamy. Garnish this humble chickpea soup with a swirl of coconut and a sprinkle of herbs to make it look and feel extra special.

Ingredients for Chickpea Turmeric Soup (and Swaps to Use What You Have in Hand)

Most of the ingredients in this chickpea soup are pantry staples or vegetables that stay fresh for a long time.

• cooked chickpeas (canned or dried)

• potato, carrot, and onion

• garlic and ginger - Fresh is preferred, but I used ground ginger

• turmeric, coriander, salt, and pepper

• canned coconut milk - In a pinch you can use a high-speed blender to make coconut milk with a 1:2 ratio of dry unsweetened coconut and water. You can use a nut milk bag to strain the milk, but if you use a high speed blender it's not really necessary (especially for this soup).

• lemon juice - fresh tastes best but you can use bottled lemon too. Add bottle lemon juice to taste as it tends to be much sharper.

• for garnish, fresh herbs like Italian parsley or Thai basil. Fresh herbs can last for weeks when they're stored properly!

Storing Fresh Herbs to Make Them Last

Store fresh herbs in the fridge like they're a bouquet of fresh flowers. Chop off the ends of the stems (they're usually dry) and stick them into a mason jar filled with water. Cover the tops with a produce bag and change the water every couple of days.

How to Make Crispy-Crunchy Roasted Chickpeas (not dry and tough chickpeas)

Roasting chickpeas so they're light and crispy (and great for snacking), requires you to remove any excess moisture. You want to roast them (so a little oil is absolutely key), not steam them. Baking moist chickpeas can make them turn out kind of dry and tough rather than crispy and light.

Use a clean kitchen towel or paper towel to dry off the cooked chickpeas. Don’t worry about getting them perfectly dry.

Next, spread them out on a baking sheet and pop them in the oven. Cook them just long enough to evaporate any remaining moisture without browning them, about 5-10 minutes.

Toss the chickpeas with a little oil, minced garlic, salt, and spices. Roast them until they’re nice and crisp (they'll feel very light) but not burnt, about 20-30 minutes.

Spicy Chickpeas

For smoky, spicy chickpeas, I used fresh garlic, salt, paprika, cayenne, and chipotle power. Depending on what you have on hand, some garlic (fresh or dry), salt, and any spice with some heat will do the trick!

Vegan Comfort Food Recipes

Vegan Baking Recipes

Chickpea Turmeric Soup

★★★★★ 5 from 2 reviews

Author: Brittany Mueller
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 6 cups
Category: Soup
Method: Simmering and Roasting
Cuisine: Vegan

Print Recipe

Description

This creamy vegan chickpea turmeric soup is bright and fresh with lemon, ginger, and coconut milk and topped with spicy roasted chickpeas. Made with pantry staples and ready in 45 minutes or less.

Ingredients

Chickpea Turmeric Soup

1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ tbsp (7.5 ml) coriander seeds, crushed
1 tsp (5 ml) ground ginger (or a 1” knob of fresh ginger, minced)
1 tsp (5 ml) turmeric
1 tsp (5 ml) cracked black pepper
1 small onion (125 grams), roughly chopped
1 medium carrot (100 grams), roughly chopped
1 medium potato (150 grams), peeled and roughly chopped
1 cup (½ of a 19 oz. can) cooked chickpeas
5 cups (1250 ml) water
1 tsp (5 ml) salt, to taste
½ cup (125 ml) canned coconut cream
Juice of ½ lemon (approx. 2 tbsp)
Optional, to serve: coconut cream, olive oil, lemon, chopped parsley, black pepper

Crispy Spiced Chickpeas

1 cup (½ of a 19 oz. can) cooked chickpeas
1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
½ tsp (2.5 ml) paprika
⅛ tsp (1.25 ml) chipotle powder
⅛ tsp (1.25 ml) cayenne
⅛ tsp (1.25 ml) salt

Instructions

Chickpea Turmeric Soup

Heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic, crushed coriander seeds, ginger, turmeric, and black pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add carrot and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add potato, chickpeas, water, and salt. Bring to a boil over high heat and then turn heat down to a simmer. Cook until potatoes are fork tender, about 15 minutes.
Use a blender to purée the soup until smooth.
Stir in coconut milk and lemon juice. If needed, adjust the consistency with more water.
Taste and adjust seasoning.
Serve topped with crispy spiced chickpeas. If desired, garnish with a swirl of coconut cream, olive oil, lemon juice, fresh chopped parsley, and black pepper.

Crispy Spiced Chickpeas

Preheat oven to 425°F (230°C).
Dry the cooked chickpeas as thoroughly as possible with a paper towel or clean kitchen towel.
Spread the chickpeas out on a baking sheet and cook for 5 minutes to remove remaining moisture.
Mix chickpeas with olive oil, garlic, paprika, chipotle, cayenne, and salt. Bake until the chickpeas are very crisp and crunchy, about 20-25 minutes.

Keywords: chickpea soup, vegan chickpea soup, vegan soup

The post Chickpea Turmeric Soup appeared first on I LOVE VEGAN.

Easy Vegan Miso Soup

Brittany — Tue, 23 Apr 2019 17:10:20 +0000

Making vegan miso soup is incredibly quick and easy. It’s soothing, comforting and somehow manages to be both rich and light. It’s a wonderful pick-me-up if you’re feeling under the weather because it’s easy on your system and simple to prepare.

This vegan miso soup is made with just a few ingredients: soy sauce broth, white miso, soft tofu, wakame, and green onion.

It’s a simple recipe that requires very little fuss. Turn a light bowl of miso soup into something more substantial with add-ins and toppings. Sliced mushrooms (shiitake, king oyster, enoki), greens (bok choy and spinach), and noodles (rice noodles and ramen noodles) are just a few ingredients you can add to miso soup. (Pictured: shimchi togarashi)

None of the ingredients should be difficult to find. The ingredients that might be a little harder to find are shelf stable so you can pick them up from online retailers.

Now let’s talk about the ingredients in vegan miso soup!

REPLACING DASHI STOCK

Miso soup is usually made with dashi stock, a rich fish broth. It’s salty and full of umami flavour. Dashi stock is made by boiling dried fish (often bonito flakes) and kelp (like kombu).

Dashi stock is the only non-vegan ingredient we need to replace to make miso soup vegan. The simplest swap for dashi stock is soy sauce! Soy sauce won’t add any fishy flavour, but it has umami and plenty of salt.

Alternatively, you can make a vegan broth with mushrooms and kombu (seaweed). It’s a great base for vegan miso soup but it’s more complicated than a simple soy sauce broth.

MISO

White miso is very mild. It’s salty, a little sweet, and full of umami flavour. Miso is a fermented food rich in probiotics. White or shiro miso (which is actually a pale yellow colour) is made with soybeans and rice. Miso stays fresh in the fridge for a very very long time and is often extremely affordable.

Outside of Japanese cuisine and miso soup, white miso is a must-have flavour booster in vegan cooking. It’s especially useful in traditionally dairy-based recipes. It’s an all-in-1 ingredient to add saltiness, depth, and that touch of sweetness that’s key for replicating the flavour of dairy. White miso will boost your vegan cheese sauces (for mac n’ cheese, potatoes au gratin), creamy soups (cream of broccoli, leek & potato, etc.), gravies, pesto, and instant ramen.

My go-to brand for miso soup is Hanamaruki White Soybean Paste (keep an eye out for this, sometimes it’ll be called soybean paste instead of miso!) It's one of just a few varieties available locally. It's $5.48 for 500g. You’ll find miso in Asian grocers, and chain grocers' “International” aisles and “Natural Food” aisles. You might find it refrigerated or shelf stable. You’ll also find miso online at Amazon, iHerb, Vitacost, and other online retailers.

TOFU

For miso soup you’ll choose a softer, silky tofu. Choose tofu that has descriptors like traditional, soft, medium silken, or silken. If you have a few options to choose from, go with traditional.

WAKAME

Wakame is a deep green seaweed with a silky, chewy texture. Wakame is one of just a few plant-based sources of omega 3 fatty acids and it’s rich in vitamins and minerals. Typically you’ll find wakame dried, and you’ll need to rehydrate it in water before adding it to soup. I buy a big ol’ bag of wakame for $3.50. In a pinch I've also used nori in miso soup (no need to rehydrate, just toss it in at the end of cooking.)

TIPS FOR MAKING MISO SOUP

Miso is a thick paste, so it can be difficult to simply stir it into different dishes without lumps. There’s an easy method you can use to evenly mix the miso. You’ll need a small whisk and a mesh strainer that fits easily into the pot you’re using. Measure the miso into the mesh strainer. Submerge the miso and strainer into the water and use the whisk it break it up and stir it into the broth without any chunks.

Since miso is a fermented food, it’s best to avoid boiling or reheating miso soup after you’ve added the miso, to prevent destroying probiotics. (I try to avoid making too much but if I do have leftovers I will reheat it.)

If you use miso often, you might like to purchase a miso muddler (Amazon affiliate link) it’s a handy little tool that looks like a tiny, round, double-sided whisk. It works as a measuring tool and a whisk. One side measures out 1 tablespoon and the other side measures 1 teaspoon. You stick the whisk end into the miso and twist for a perfect measurement.

MORE TOFU SOUP RECIPES

Looking for more tofu soup recipes? We've got your covered! Try our Tofu Noodle Soup, Easy Vegan Shōyu Ramen or our Creamy Red Coconut Curry Soup or upgrade your instant ramen game with our tips to help you Make (Vegan) Ramen Better.

Easy Vegan Miso Soup

★★★★★ 5 from 2 reviews

Author: Brittany Mueller
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 2 servings
Category: Lunch and dinner
Cuisine: Vegan

Print Recipe

Description

Quick and easy vegan miso soup using just 6 ingredients and 20 minutes.

Ingredients

5 cups (1250 ml) water
2 ½ tbsp (37.5ml) soy sauce
300g soft tofu, diced
3 tbsp (4.5g) dry wakame
4 tbsp (65g) shiro miso (white/light miso)
3 tbsp (45ml) chopped green onion

Instructions

Hydrate dry wakame in a bowl of warm water.
Bring water to a boil over high heat.
Add tofu and soy sauce and cook for a few minutes.
Squeeze excess moisture from hydrated wakame and add it to the soup. Cook for 2 minutes.
Turn heat off and position a small strainer into the soup. Add the miso to the strainer and use a whisk to stir in the miso until all lumps are broken up.
Turn heat back on and cook until broth almost starts to simmer. Turn heat off.
Serve and top with chopped green onion.

This post contains an affiliate link. When you purchase a product using an affiliate link, I Love Vegan earns a small commission at no extra cost to you! Thank you for supporting us!

The post Easy Vegan Miso Soup appeared first on I LOVE VEGAN.

Vegan Instant Pot Little Potato & Corn Chowder

Brittany — Tue, 09 Oct 2018 17:47:16 +0000

This post is sponsored by The Little Potato Company.

Need to combat the increasingly chilly autumn temperatures? Make this Vegan Instant Pot Little Potato & Corn Chowder! It's the perfect cozy, warm-you-up meal. Don't have an Instant Pot? No problem! You can easily make this recipe on your stove-top too!

This comforting chowder is best with a couple of thick pieces of French bread or a handful of crackers. It's creamy, savoury, a little bit smoky, and flecked with sweet corn. We topped our bowls with fresh chives, crumbled tempeh bacon, corn, and pepper.

This hearty vegan chowder requires a few simple ingredients to make. First of all, you're going to need Little potatoes! Like their name suggests, The Little Potato Company specializes in growing Little potatoes. Little potatoes aren't large potatoes harvested early while they're still immature. They're fully mature Creamer potatoes. Growing the best Creamer potatoes is what The Little Potato Company does!

For this Vegan Instant Pot Little Potato & Corn Chowder we're going to use a bag of their Terrific Trio Creamer potatoes. These Creamer potatoes are colourful little gems, a lovely mix of yellow, red, and blue Little Potatoes. They're perfect for a potato-centric recipe like this one!

To make this vegan chowder, we'll need those pretty Creamer potatoes, as well as corn kernels, leeks, tempeh bacon, coconut milk, and a few other pantry staples. Don't worry about this chowder tasting coconut-y. We won't use much, just enough to make this soup creamy and super decadent. If you're really averse to any trace of coconut flavour you can use unsweetened soy milk instead.

If you want to make this recipe on your stove-top:

Add an extra cup or two of water and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the soup reduces to your desired thickness and the potatoes are tender. Easy!

We have many more potato soup recipes on the blog that are cozy and warming for fall! Try out our Vegan Leek & Potato Soup, Vegan Loaded Baked Potato Soup, Easy Vegan Shōyu Ramen, or our Creamy Red Coconut Curry Soup!

This post is sponsored by The Little Potato Company.
We love them for their commitment to simple, healthy whole foods like their delicious Creamer potatoes. Thanks for supporting the brands that support I Love Vegan!
Learn more about why we love Little Potatoes at www.littlepotatoes.com

Vegan Instant Pot Little Potato & Corn Chowder

★★★★★ 4.7 from 6 reviews

Author: Brittany Mueller
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hours 5 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
Category: Lunch and Dinner
Cuisine: Vegan

Print Recipe

Description

This Vegan Instant Pot Little Potato & Corn Chowder is a hearty, comforting soup. It's creamy, a little smoky, and flecked with sweet corn. Don't have an Instant Pot? You can easily make it on your stove top too!

Ingredients

¼ cup (60ml) olive oil or vegan butter
1 - 1.5lb (680g) bag of The Little Potato Company’s Blushing Belles
2 cups (500ml) leeks (1 leek, white part only - 160g)
2 cloves garlic, minced
7 slices tempeh bacon, crumbled
½ cup (125ml) unbleached all-purpose flour
6 cups (1500ml) vegetable broth
½ cup (125ml) frozen corn kernels
½ cup (125ml) coconut cream (can be substituted with unsweetened soymilk)
½ tbsp (7.5ml) white vinegar
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
Chives, chopped, for topping

Instructions

With the lid off, turn Instant Pot on to “Sauté” and choose the “Normal” heat level. Wait for the Instant Pot to preheat. Add the olive oil or vegan butter and wait for 1 minute. Add the crumbled tempeh bacon. Cook, stirring often, until the tempeh bacon is just browned, about 2 minutes.
Remove about ¼ of the crumbled, browned tempeh bacon. Set aside for topping.
Add the garlic and stir. Add the leeks and stir and cook for 1 minute, until the leeks are tender and translucent.
Add the potatoes and flour. Mix well. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Add approximately 2 cups of vegetable stock to deglaze the bottom of the Instant Pot. Add the remaining vegetable stock.
Securely close the lid on your Instant Pot, turn the valve to the “Sealing” position. Turn the Instant Pot on to “Manual” or “Pressure Cook”. Set timer for 10 minutes.
After cooking, quick release the pressure on your Instant Pot by carefully moving the valve to “Venting”. Once the Instant Pot has released all pressure, carefully remove the lid.
Change Instant Pot setting to “Sauté”, heat level “Normal”. Add corn kernels and simmer until thickened. Add coconut cream and vinegar. Stir.
Taste and adjust seasoning.
Serve topped with bacon and chives.

Notes

Making stove top Vegan Little Potato & Corn Chowder:

Add an extra cup or two of water and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the soup reduces to your desired thickness and the potatoes are tender. Easy!

The post Vegan Instant Pot Little Potato & Corn Chowder appeared first on I LOVE VEGAN.

Instant Pot Vegan Tofu & Little Potato Stew

Brittany — Tue, 04 Sep 2018 06:01:11 +0000

This post is sponsored by The Little Potato Company.

Happy September! Today’s recipe is exactly what we’ll be craving as we approach chilly evenings and busier weeknights. A quick, simple, hearty and satisfying stew. This Instant Pot Tofu & Potato Stew is ready in 1 hour or less and made with simple ingredients. This is my first Instant Pot recipe (and my first time using an Instant Pot or pressure cooker at all) and I’m hooked!

In this recipe we’re using Fingerlings from The Little Potato Company, who exclusively grow Creamer potatoes.. Have you ever pressure cooked Little Potatoes? I already love Creamer potatoes' naturally creamy texture and pressure cooking them makes 'em downright velvety. The convenience of the Instant Pot is taken to another level with Little Potatoes. Thanks to their thin skin, there’s no peeling or washing required (they come pre-washed!) I’m going to be trying a lot of recipes with Creamer potatoes in my Instant Pot this autumn!

Big chunks of Creamer potatoes, extra-firm tofu, carrots, peas, celery, onion, and a rich, thick broth makes up this Instant Pot Tofu & Potato Stew. It’s perfect with a big chunk of crusty bread and a smear of vegan butter.

The steps for making this Instant Pot Tofu & Little Potato Stew are simple. Set your Instant Pot to “Saute” and cook cubed tofu in olive oil until crispy on all sides. Stir in some soy sauce to flavour the tofu. Add the vegetables, minus the potatoes, and cook for 5 minutes. Add some flour to thicken the broth, mix and cook for about 1 minute. Add the Fingerling potatoes, broth, water, tomato paste, dried thyme, and black pepper. Set your Instant Pot to “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” and set the time for 15 minutes.

After the Instant Pot depressurizes, change the setting to “Saute”. Add the peas, and cook the stew until it reaches your desired thickness. Taste and adjust the seasoning and you’re done! Serve the Instant Pot Tofu & Potato Stew with some crusty bread or homemade biscuits and enjoy.

Using an Instant Pot, the Little Potatoes cook in 15 minutes and the resulting texture is divine. I noticed a big difference in the texture of the tofu too. It had a meatier, almost chewy texture that made this stew even more satisfying.

Don't have an Instant Pot? You’ll need to simmer the stew for about 30 minutes, or until the Fingerlings are tender before adding the peas.

This recipe would be great for bringing leftovers to work or school. It would also make for a delicious base for a biscuit topped pot pie like our Tofu & Potato Pot Pie recipe.

You can change up the recipe depending on what ingredients you have on hand. Parsnips and mushrooms would be a delicious addition. Chickpeas or lentils would be great as a substitution for the tofu.

This Instant Pot Tofu & Little Potato Stew is freezer-friendly, so it would be a great meal to heat up for busy nights.

Instant Pot Vegan Tofu & Little Potato Stew

★★★★★ 4.6 from 12 reviews

Author: Brittany Mueller
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 1 hours 25 minutes
Yield: 6-8 servings
Category: Lunch and Dinner
Cuisine: Vegan

Print Recipe

Description

This hearty vegan stew is full of protein-rich tofu, Fingerling potatoes, vegetables and savoury broth. Use the pressure cooking function on your Instant Pot for a complete one-pot meal that’s ready in 1 hour or less. This hearty vegan stew is perfect for chilly autumn nights. Serve with crusty bread slathered with vegan butter or homemade vegan biscuits.

Ingredients

3 tbsp/45ml olive oil
1 block (350g) extra-firm tofu, cubed
2 tbsp (30ml) soy sauce
½ cup/125ml (100g) chopped yellow onion (1 onion)
1 ½ cups/375ml (200g) chopped carrots (4 carrots)
1 ½ cups (185g) chopped celery (3 ribs celery)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 - 1.5lb bag (680g) of The Little Potato Company’s Fingerling potatoes
½ cup/125ml (75g) unbleached flour
6 cups/1500ml vegetable broth
1 cup/250ml water
3 tbsp/45ml tomato paste
1 pinch dried thyme
1 cup/250ml (140g) frozen peas

Instructions

With the lid off, turn Instant Pot on to “Sauté” and choose the “Normal” heat level. Add the olive oil. Once the Instant Pot is preheated, add the cubed tofu. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tofu is crisp and golden brown on all sides, about 10 minutes.
Add the soy sauce and stir, cooking until the liquid is absorbed.
Add the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic. Stir and cook for 2 minutes.
Add the flour and mix well. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring often.
Add the Fingerling potatoes, vegetable broth, water, tomato paste, and thyme. Stir well.
Securely close the lid on your Instant Pot and turn it on to “Manual” or “Pressure Cook”. Set timer for 15 minutes.
Once finished, release the pressure (following Instant Pot instructions) and open the lid when safe to do so.
Add the frozen peas and stir. With the lid off, use the “Sauté” functions set to a heat level of “More” or “High” and reduce the stew to your preferred thickness, about 5 minutes.
Taste and adjust seasoning.

Notes

To lower the sodium content, choose an unsalted vegetable broth and season to taste with salt. You can also choose a low-sodium soy sauce.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cup
Calories: 152
Sugar: 2.7 g
Sodium: 880.2 mg
Fat: 7.3 g
Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
Unsaturated Fat: 5.2 g
Carbohydrates: 16.5 g
Fiber: 2.9 g
Protein: 5.9 g
Cholesterol: 2.7 mg

The post Instant Pot Vegan Tofu & Little Potato Stew appeared first on I LOVE VEGAN.

Creamy Red Coconut Curry Soup

Brittany — Tue, 10 Jan 2017 17:39:55 +0000

This post is sponsored by The Little Potato Company.

We're kicking off 2017 with a soup that's the perfect example of "January food". Here in Canada, we've been chilling in -18C temperatures for the last couple of days. In my mind, this is a legitimate excuse to avoid smoothies, fancy juicing, and salads, all month long. I need warming healthy foods. This soup will keep you warm you up on the chilliest of Canadian winter days and fill you up with fresh vegetables. It's light but it's creamy. It's spicy, ginger-y, and once it's loaded with toppings, it's full of textures of and flavours.

The Little Potato Company's Baby Boomers, blended along with a hefty dose of light coconut milk, give this soup an extra velvety smooth texture while retaining a certain "January lightness". The base soup is pretty darn easy. Sauté ginger, garlic, carrot, and red curry paste (very spicy!) or milder yellow curry powder in coconut oil. Add vegetable broth and Creamer potatoes. Simmer for 25 minutes. Add a can of light coconut milk and blend until smooth and creamy. After that it's all about the toppings! (But you can totally just make this soup without any toppings - it's delicious with a slice of crusty bread slathered in vegan butter.)

The crispy fried tofu nuggets are the star topping - they turn this simple, healthy soup into a satisfyingly delicious meal. For the extra "January-ness" I added lots of julienned spinach and red bell pepper, carrot noodles**, pea sprouts, sliced radish, Thai basil, green onion and a squeeze of lime juice. Some other tasty toppings might be: thinly sliced veggies like mushrooms, zucchini, or purple cabbage, roasted sweet potato, salted cashews, and an extra swirl of coconut milk.

(**After eating the photographed soup I quickly learned that eating soup coated carrot "noodles" is annoying and messy. If you want to use carrot I'd suggest either chopping the "noodles" or grating the carrot instead.)

Notes on spiciness: Going the intended red curry paste direction, this soup is spicy. If you LOVE really spicy food, use 2-3 teaspoons of red curry paste. If you like spicy food use 1 tablespoon of mild yellow curry powder and ½-1 teaspoon red curry paste. If you prefer something milder, skip the red curry paste and use 1 tablespoon of mild yellow curry powder.

Happy Veganuary friends!

This post is sponsored by The Little Potato Company.
We love them for their commitment to simple, healthy whole foods like their delicious Creamer potatoes. Thanks for supporting the brands that support I Love Vegan!
Learn more about why we love Little Potatoes at www.littlepotatoes.com

Creamy Vegan Red Coconut Curry Soup

★★★★★ 5 from 3 reviews

Yield: 3
Category: Soup, Lunch and Dinner
Cuisine: Vegan

Print Recipe

Description

A creamy coconut and potato-based red curry soup topped with fresh veggies and crispy tofu.

Ingredients

Soup

1 tbsp coconut oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1" knob ginger, minced
1 carrot, chopped
2-3 teaspoons red curry paste (spicy) or 1 tablespoon mild yellow curry powder (milder)
2 cups vegetable broth
1½ cups The Little Potato Company's Baby Boomers (Creamer potatoes)
2 cups light coconut milk (canned)
salt, to taste

Crispy Tofu

½ block extra-firm tofu, pressed and cubed
4 tsp cornstarch
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp coconut oil

Toppings

crispy tofu, chopped green onion, sliced radish, carrot noodles, sliced avocado, julienned spinach, pea sprouts, Thai basil, and red bell pepper

Instructions

Soup

In a medium pot, heat coconut oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic, ginger, carrot, and curry paste or powder. Cook, stirring often for 2 minutes.
Add vegetable broth and Creamer potatoes. Turn heat down to medium, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes (or until potatoes are fork tender.)
Add coconut milk and blend on high until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust salt.
Serve topped with tofu and veggies.

Tofu

Combine tofu, corn starch, onion powder, salt and garlic powder. Stir to coat tofu. Mix until the tofu has picked up all of the corn starch mixture.
Heat coconut oil over medium-high heat. Add tofu and cook, stirring/turning often until golden-brown and crisp.

Notes

The post Creamy Red Coconut Curry Soup appeared first on I LOVE VEGAN.

Vegan Potato & Leek Soup

Brittany — Thu, 13 Oct 2016 02:50:31 +0000

I have one word to preface today's post:

SNOW

Yes. There has been snow on the ground for the last three days. It's October 12th and I am so not okay with winter invading my favourite and most fleeting season. Fall, please come back.

The only appropriate way to cope with a blanket of snow that shows up 8 weeks before it's welcome is to make soup. Preferably a soup that is as delicious as it is simple, and twice as comforting.

We did the math and decided on this creamy vegan leek and potato soup. I love chunky soups so this one is loaded with tender potato chunks and finely sliced leeks, but you can also purée it if you prefer silky smooth soups.

Making a vegan version of this classic soup was a breeze. A combination of coconut cream and white miso mimic the salty creaminess of the butter and cream used in "traditional" potato and leek soups. The coconut cream won't actually make this soup taste like coconut - I promise. Use only the concentrated cream portion from a chilled can of coconut cream (not milk) to reduce the coconut flavour while retaining creaminess. You can use up the remaining coconut water in other recipes, smoothies, or oatmeal.

We topped our bowls with Daiya cheddar style shreds for a cheesy twist. This soup is best served with crusty french bread slathered with Earth Balance. Second best option? Plain ol' saltines! We're sticking with classic comforting combos for these chilly winterfall days. Enjoy!

Keep warm with more of our favourite vegan soup recipes:

Vegan Potato & Leek Soup

★★★★★ 4.7 from 12 reviews

Author: Brittany at ilovevegan.com
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 7 cups
Category: Soup
Cuisine: Vegan

Print Recipe

Description

A creamy vegan potato and leek soup with chunky bits of potatoes and leeks.

Ingredients

1 - 1.5 lb bag of Creamer potatoes (or 1.5 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and quartered)
2 tbsp olive oil or Earth Balance (vegan "butter")
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups thin-sliced leeks (approx 2 leeks - cleaned with dark green leaves removed)
4 cups vegetable broth
1 tbsp white miso (mixed with 2 tbsp hot water to make a paste)
⅓ cup + 2 teaspoon coconut cream (the concentrated white cream from a chilled can of coconut cream - Thai Kitchen is my preferred brand)
salt and black pepper, to taste

Instructions

Cover potatoes with water in a pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes or until the largest potato feels tender in the center (when poked with a fork).
Drain potatoes and chop approximately ¼ of them into bite-sized pieces. Leave the remaining potatoes whole.
In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add the leeks and minced garlic, season with a pinch of salt and pepper, and cook until leeks are tender. Reserve approximately ⅓-½ of the leeks.
Add the whole potatoes and vegetable broth to the remaining leeks/garlic in the sauce pan. Use an immersion blender to purée the soup. Add the chopped bite-sized potatoes and reserved leeks and bring the soup to a simmer.
Once the soup is simmering, add the miso paste and the coconut cream. Stir well. Adjust the consistency with vegetable broth if needed. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.
Serve topped with vegan cheddar shreds (totally optional - we used Daiya) alongside some crackers or crusty French bread spread with Earth Balance.

Notes

For pictures we topped our soup with a drizzle of olive oil, freshly ground black pepper, Daiya cheddar style shreds and a sprig of thyme.

The post Vegan Potato & Leek Soup appeared first on I LOVE VEGAN.