This Dairy Free Potato Soup is like a fully loaded baked potato in a bowl. With all the tastes of a plate of perogies, yet gluten, dairy, and top 8 allergens free. Potato and Bacon soup is creamy and thick without being gluey or starchy. Perfectly warming and filling for a long winter’s meal.
Jump to:
- Why We Like This Recipe
- Ingredients
- The Ingredient Low Down
- Instructions/ Directions and Tips
- Substitutions
- Variations /Adaptations
- Equipment
- Storage and Reheating Instructions
- Storage
- How to Send Dairy Free Potato Soup as Leftovers for Lunch
- Top Tip
- What To Serve With
- Other Recipes You May Enjoy
- 📖 Recipe
- Food Safety
- Latest Posts
- 💬 Comments
Why We Like This Recipe
We love this Dairy Free Potato Soup because it is easy to make. It takes an hour to get it on the table. Due to freezing well, loaded baked potato soup can be made in large batches and kept for when a quick meal is needed. This is a meal our kids enjoy, one in particular. It is something that sees a lot of action in our meal rotation in the chilly months.
There is always a frozen tub of the dairy free potato soup in our freezer. If you were to look in ours you would find it also stored in small servings for when the kids are all on the run to activities or school lunches. That way they can each have this dinner on the go or when they get home and there is no fuss over dinner. We also love this as it is perfect for meals in a thermos.
Ingredients
- Russet potatoes
- Neutral oil
- Bacon bits or vegan bacon bit replacements
- Dairy Free butter
- Onion
- Garlic
- Gluten free flour
- Oat milk or other dairy free milk
- Broth chicken, vegetable, or a mix of the two
- Salt
- Pepper
- Coconut Cream
- Green onion
- Vegan cheddar cheese shredded
- Vegan sour cream
See recipe card for quantities.
The Ingredient Low Down
Russet potatoes
Russet potatoes are a starchy tuber that works best in this recipe. It helps lend some of the creaminess to the soup without the dairy. Other potatoes like a red or gold can absolutely be used but they will not puree the same and the soup will not be smooth.
If all you have is a different potato, and want a silky smooth soup pass the soup through a fine mesh sieve. Use a ladle to help push the liquid though and break up the tiny potato pieces.
Another very starchy/ floury potato could be used, too. Russets are the common one here in western Canada with this kind of texture. Idahoan, Norchip, Gold Rush, and Yukon gold are a few other kinds that are starchy and work well in this recipe.
Neutral oil
Whichever oil is safest for your family and has a higher smoking point for the best sauteing aid. We usually use canola or olive oil.
Bacon bits or vegan bacon bit replacements
We use either bacon bits or strips of bacon cut up and fried. The brands that work for us are Maple leaf, and Applegate for bacon. We also buy Costco or Hormel bacon bits, which are okay for us. Always verify that the brands are suitable for you and your allergies. Check packages and with the manufacturer. What is safe for us may not be for you and items manufactured in different areas may have different ingredients and cross contact risks.
If you are looking to make this vegan there are many bacon bit replacements on the market. Just check that they are free from top allergens as many meat replacements are commonly made from nuts, wheat, and soy bases.
Dairy Free butter
We use dairy free plant based butter that is soy free, soy is a common ingredient in vegan products. Earth Balance soy free is our go to for this soup. Blocks or tubs will both work, even oil can be substituted by using 1 tablespoon instead of the 4 tablespoons of vegan butter.
Onion and Garlic
We use fresh rather than powdered versions of these vegetables. They give more flavour and body to this soup. Omitting them would lead to a bland soup.
Gluten free flour
Really any commercial baking gluten free flour blend should work. It acts as a thickener in this soup. We use Bob’s Redmill, King Arthur, or Robin Hood gluten free flours in this recipe but any gluten free flour with or without xanthan gum will work. Using plain rice flour is also another great option.
Oat milk or other dairy free milk
We prefer the Oat in this dish as it helps with creaminess. Always check that oat base milk replacements are gluten free. Oat products can be easily contaminated by wheat from growing to product manufacturing. Oatly is the brand we tend to use the most. Chobani is another plant based milk that runs an oat line that is pretty good. Always check that products are suitable and safe for you.
Broth/Stock
We usually use chicken or a half chicken broth and half vegetable stock mix we make.When we do this it deepens the flavour profile and is always a crowd pleaser. It really helps to change the flavour profile subtly. Always check that store bought stocks and broths are safe. We see many on the shelves that contain soy or wheat as ingredients.
Salt and Pepper
Any spice should always be verified with the manufacturer for cross contact with allergens. More and more salts and peppers are popping up with “may contain” warnings which make our lives easier but if yours doesn’t have one check with the company that makes it to be certain. May contain labels are not regulated or mandatory in North America.
Coconut Cream
To get the correct consistency the canned coconut milk is what should be used, not the drinking cartons. We get ours in the international foods aisles, usually near Asian products. The full fat coconut cream should be used rather than the light kind. The fat is what gives this soup a really creamy taste and thick texture. If a coconut flavour concerns you there are two ways to combat this.
The first is to make the soup with the coconut cream and let it chill overnight and then reheat it. The sitting of the soup allows the flavours to mingle and the bacon becomes the biggest flavour.
The second way is to use more oat milk, preferably a barista creamy type or another with a higher fat content. The soup will have an oatier taste and be a bit thinner but it can be cooked down to reduce it a bit longer. This last option is also great for those with coconut allergies.
Instructions/ Directions and Tips
Step 1
Put the potatoes in a large pot and cover with water to 2 inches above them. Bring the potatoes and water to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce slightly to let them keep boiling but not boiling over. Cook until the potatoes are tender and can be pierced by a fork. It will take approximately 20 minutes. Drain the potatoes, set aside.
Step 2
While potatoes are boiling, heat 1-2 teaspoon neutral oil over medium high heat in a different stock/large soup pot (if you only have one large pot and the potatoes are in, cook potatoes first drain and set aside in a colander)
Step 3
Fry all the bacon bits in the oil until they are crispy ,remove them from the pot to drain on a piece of paper towel. Leave the fat from the bacon bits in the pot.
Step 4
Melt vegan buttery spread over medium high heat, add onion and garlic and cook until translucent.
Step 5
Sprinkle in the gluten free flour and mix well. Stir while cooking for 2 mins.
Step 6
Deglaze with chicken broth. Add it to the pot slowly while whisking so it doesn't clump. Keep stirring until fully incorporated.
Step 7
Pour in oat milk, add cooked potatoes and remove from heat.
Step 8
Using an immersion blender blend well until smooth, if using a high speed blender do not blend hot liquid, let it cool first, blend and return to pot.
Step 9
Return to the heat and add the crispy bacon bits to the pot, you can reserve some of the bacon bits for the garnish.
Step 10
Bring to a boil, and reduce to simmer for 10 mins. The soup gets really thick, if you prefer a thinner soup add a bit more broth or don’t reduce it as much.
Step 11
Add the coconut cream, stir through and heat until just starting to bubble but not boiling.
Step 12
Garnish and serve.
Hint: When blending the soup either allow it to fully cool before pureeing in a blender or use an immersion blender. We make so many creamy and smooth soups that an immersion blender was an investment that made sense for us. Always remove the soup from the stove top before blending. If using a blender the soup will need to be returned to the pot and brought back up to heat before moving on in the directions.
Substitutions
- Vegan Parmesan - Different kinds of vegan cheeses can be used, the shredded parmesan ones will give a great sharp taste to the soup. This would be in place of a cheddar style non dairy cheese garnish.
- Cauliflower - Replacing the potatoes with cauliflower is a great way to reduce the carbs in this soup but keep the thickness.The vegetable doesn't go quite as smooth as the potatoes do so a quick pass through a fine meshed sieve is highly recommended. For this recipe, swap the potatoes with 2 heads of cauliflower. Roasting olive oiled brushed cauliflower heads first for 30-40 mins in the oven at 400F would help get it as creamy and fine as possible. It will also add as much flavour as possible to the baked potato soup. They can be put in raw and boiled for 20 mins before being added into the soup, like you would potatoes.
- Vegan - To make this dairy free potato soup fully vegan the only substitutions needed are the bacon and to ensure you use a vegetable stock. Swap the bacon out for vegan bacon and cook it up as per the packet, if it needs crisping. Carefully check the ingredients as not all vegan products are top 8 allergen free.
- Turkey Bacon - If pork is an allergen for you or you don’t eat it you can fry up strips of turkey bacon that is safe for your allergies. Once crispy and cooked, break it into little pieces.
- Coconut Cream - In place of coconut cream for allergies use a creamy barista style oat milk. It should have a higher fat content which makes it creamy and helps keep the soup thick. It may need to be simmered longer to reduce it a bit more. Always choose a gluten free oat milk.
Variations /Adaptations
- Sweet Potatoes -Use yams or sweet potatoes instead of Russets for a beautifully orange soup. The sweetness from the natural sugars are best when roasted but the yams can be boiled and pureed. They may need extra time boiling until they are tender enough to blend smoothly.
- Mushrooms - Sauteed mushrooms would also be a phenomenal addition to the soup. Fry them up as per our sauteed mushrooms recipe before starting to make this dairy free potato soup. Remove them from the pan/pot and set aside until the bacon will be added to the soup and heated.
- White Beans- The last adaptation suggestion we have is to add ½ -1 cup canned white beans. Replace 2 russet potatoes with the drained beans and cook them in where you would the cubed potatoes.(Note: keep the bean water from the can for 3-4 days in the fridge in a sealed container. Freezing it also works well for 2 months in tablespoon sized ice cubes.This gives you aquafaba for baking.)
Equipment
Pots
2 Large soup pots are what we use to speed things up but it can absolutely be done in one pot. This will add time to making the meal.
Blender
When we blend soups we use an immersion blender. They are also referred to as wand or stick blenders. They get immersed in the soup to puree it. Immersion blenders should only be used by adults and with care. Never turn one on out of the liquid or near hands or other body parts as the blades are semi exposed and can cause serious injury.
A traditional stand blender is not made to puree hot liquid. The heat will cause the seal on the lid to fail and hot soup can spray out of the lid and poses an injury risk.
Miscellaneous
Knife and cutting board to cut the onions, garlic and potatoes.
A vegetable peeler to peel the potatoes.
You will need a whisk to make sure the flour is incorporated without lumps in to this potato pierogi soup.
Cooking utensils for stirring the soup and ingredients while they cook.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
Storage
-Fridge
The dairy free potato soup will keep for 48 hours in the fridge in a well sealed container.
-Freezer
Store the loaded baked potato soup in a freezer for up to 2 months in a sealed container.
Reheating
If the dairy free potato soup is frozen, allow it to thaw fully before reheating. Never refreeze a previously frozen soup for food safety reasons.
-Stove Top
Add a half cup of water to the cold potato bacon soup. In a pot over medium heat bring the soup back up to a boil and simmer for 3-5 mins until heated through.
- Microwave
Add a couple of tablespoons of water to the soup before heating. In a microwave safe bowl heat up one portion of the baked potato soup for 1 min 30 secs. Stir well when done, check it is warmed through fully. If not, put it back in the microwave for another 40 seconds, repeat as necessary. Stir each time you check it to make sure it is heated evenly.
How to Send Dairy Free Potato Soup as Leftovers for Lunch
Warm up a thermos by filling it with hot water and let it sit with the water in it.
In a pot on the stove over medium-high heat bring the desired amount of potato and bacon soup to a boil. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for 3-4 minutes. Dump the warm water out of the thermos and pour the hot soup into it instead. Seal the thermos and send it with a gluten free roll and a spoon for lunch.
It is important to make sure the kids can open the thermos themselves and that the soup isn’t too hot when they open the thermos, for safety.
Top Tip
Freeze the soup in individual portions for quick lunches and dinner servings when needed.
What To Serve With
This loaded baked potato soup is hearty! It doesn't need much served with it. If you are looking to make the soup go further or have a particularly hungry brood we recommend serving the dairy free potato soup with a nice side salad. Skip the creamy dairy free dressings and go for an oil and vinegar dressing instead. Our Fig and Kale salad or Summer Berry Mint salad are a perfect compliment to this meal or a cucumber and tomato salad with basil and a balsamic vinegar and oil drizzle.
Gluten free/top 8 free bread or crackers could be served as well but we find this potato Pierogi soup too carb heavy for a side dish most nights, so a light salad is best.
Other Recipes You May Enjoy
📖 Recipe
Equipment
- 2 Large soup pots
- Immersion Blender
- Knife and Cutting Board
- Whisk
- Cooking utensils for stirring
Ingredients
- 6 Russet Potatoes peeled and diced
- 1-2 tsps Neutral Oil
- 1.5 C Bacon Bits see notes
- 4 Tbsps Non Dairy Butter Spread
- 1 Medium Onion medium chopped
- 5 Garlic Cloves minced
- ¼ C Gluten Free Flour see notes
- 2 ½ C Oat Milk gluten free
- 3 C Broth Chicken or Vegetable
- ¼-½ teaspoon Salt to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon Pepper to taste
- 14 oz Coconut Cream from a can
To garnish:
- Green Onions/Scallions sliced
- Extra Bacon Bits
- Vegan Cheese shredded (see notes)
- Vegan Sour Cream see notes
Instructions
- Put the potatoes in a large pot and cover with water to 2 inches above them. Bring the potatoes and water to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce slightly to let them keep boiling but not boiling over. Cook until the potatoes are tender and can be pierced by a fork. It will take approximately 20 minutes. Drain the potatoes, set aside.
- While potatoes are boiling, heat 1-2 teaspoon neutral oil over medium high heat in a different stock/large soup pot (if you only have one large pot and the potatoes are in, cook potatoes first drain and set aside in a colander)
- Fry all the bacon bits in the oil until they are crispy ,remove them from the pot to drain on a piece of paper towel. Leave the fat from the bacon bits in the pot.
- Melt vegan butter spread over medium high heat, add onion and garlic and cook until translucent.
- Sprinkle in the gluten free flour and mix well. Stir while cooking for 2 mins.
- Deglaze with chicken broth. Add it to the pot slowly while whisking so it doesn't clump. Keep stirring until fully incorporated.
- Pour in oat milk, add cooked potatoes and remove from heat.
- Using an immersion blender blend well until smooth, if using a high speed blender do not blend hot liquid, let it cool first, blend and return to pot.
- Return to the heat and add the crispy bacon bits to the pot, you can reserve some of the bacon bits for the garnish.
- Bring to a boil, and reduce to simmer for 10 mins. The soup gets really thick, if you prefer a thinner soup add a bit more broth or don’t reduce it as much.
- Add the coconut cream, stir through and heat until just starting to bubble but not boiling.
- Garnish and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Food Safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Contact the manufacturer of products, regarding cross contact and ingredients, to ensure they are safe for you
- Always check ingredients for allergens
- Do not use the same utensils on allergen free food, that previously touched allergens
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
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