Vegan Potato Soup
Serves 6
As much as I love a bowl of fish stew or chicken casserole, you don’t need fish or meat to make a fantastic bowl of soup. Limiting yourself to plant-based ingredients is one of the best ways to give seasonal produce the respect it deserves. That means carrot and parsnip soup in the winter. Tuscan white bean soup in the spring, or an intense vegan ramen any season of the year. No matter what the weather, hot or cold, you can easily make a fresh soup for every occasion.
Potatoes are a great way to give any soup extra body. They release enough starch as they cook to thicken the soup so you won’t need to add flour or corn starch. This easy recipe requires barely any work beyond chopping the vegetables, roasting the mushrooms in the oven, and throwing everything else in a saucepan to make a delicious soup the whole family will love.
Ingredients”
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium tamari
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
½ teaspoon paprika
2 cups shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1 cup Greek yogurt
¼ cup harissa
1 small onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
¼ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
4 medium russet potatoes, peeled and diced
5 cups low sodium vegetable broth
1 green onion, sliced
2 tablespoons toasted pumpkin seeds
How to make:
Preheat oven to 375°F. Take a medium bowl add the tamari, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, paprika, shiitakes, and stir until all the liquid is absorbed into the mushrooms. Spread the mushrooms on a rimmed baking sheet and roast. Stir once, and remove when they or golden brown and crispy, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
Place the Greek yogurt and harissa into a small bowl and whisk together until smooth and creamy. Set aside. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and celery along with the salt and pepper.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften, 2 to 4 minutes. Add potatoes and broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, continue to cook for 10 to 12 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Carefully pour the soup into the blender and blend until smooth.
Divide the soup among 6 bowls and garnish with the shiitakes, sliced green onions, pumpkin seeds, and a spoon of the harissa cream. Serve