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Creamy Vegetable Soup Recipe - Comforting One Pot Bowl

Creamy Vegetable Soup

A rich and velvety soup packed with wholesome vegetables like potatoes, leeks, and carrots, blended until smooth and finished with a touch of cream. Perfect for a comforting and nutritious meal.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 5 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: European
Calories: 330
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large onion finely chopped
  • 2 leeks white and light green parts only, washed thoroughly and sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 medium carrots peeled and diced
  • 2 celery stalks diced
  • 700 g Maris Piper potatoes peeled and cut into 2cm chunks
  • 1.2 litres high-quality vegetable stock
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 120 ml double cream or full-fat coconut milk for a vegan version
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • A small handful of fresh chives or parsley finely chopped, for garnish

Method
 

  1. Sauté the Aromatics: Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over a medium-low heat. Add the chopped onion, sliced leeks, and diced celery. Cook gently for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are very soft and translucent but not browned. This slow cooking step is crucial for flavour.
  2. Add Garlic and Herbs: Stir in the minced garlic and dried thyme and cook for another minute until fragrant.
  3. Incorporate Harder Vegetables: Add the diced carrots and potato chunks to the pot. Give everything a good stir to coat the vegetables in the oil and cook for 2-3 minutes.
  4. Simmer the Soup: Pour in the vegetable stock, add the bay leaf, and season with a generous pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the potatoes and carrots are completely tender when pierced with a knife.
  5. Blend Until Smooth: Remove the pot from the heat and discard the bay leaf. Using an immersion (stick) blender, carefully blend the soup directly in the pot until it’s completely smooth and velvety. What works best for me is tilting the pot slightly to ensure there are no unblended lumps hiding. If you don't have an immersion blender, you can transfer the soup in batches to a regular blender, but be sure to let it cool slightly first and don't overfill it.
  6. Finish with Cream: Return the pot to a very low heat. Pour in the double cream and stir until it's fully incorporated. Do not let the soup boil after adding the cream, as it could curdle.
  7. Taste and Season: Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper as needed. A final check is always a good idea!
  8. Serve: Ladle the hot soup into bowls and garnish with fresh chives or parsley before serving.

Notes

For a vegan option, substitute double cream with full-fat coconut milk. The soup can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.