Craving a cozy bowl of creamy soup that won’t weigh you down? This guilt-free cauliflower potato leek soup without cream is like a secret handshake for health-conscious foodies. It has all the velvety smooth goodness, minus the extra calories you don’t need.
Why you’ll love this leek potato cauliflower soup
Who says healthy can’t be delicious? Not in my kitchen! This potato and leek soup without cream is:
- Low-cal magic: Cauliflower steps in as our creamy hero, slashing calories and boosting fiber (which would otherwise be lacking in potato leek soup recipe).
- Flavor explosion: Earthy leeks and creamy potatoes bring their comforting vibes, while a touch of lemon juice keeps things bright and cheerful.
- Simple ingredients: You might already have most of the ingredients in your kitchen.
- Easy and delicious: Seriously, this soup practically cooks itself. Toss everything in a pot, let it simmer, blend, and bam! You’re a culinary rockstar. ✨ Perfect for busy weeknights when flavor shouldn’t have to take a backseat to convenience.
- Creamy, not gluey: Adding cauliflower to the classic potato soup is a smart way to achieve a creamy texture without being gummy.
The problem with most potato soups is that they can change from creamy to gummy within minutes. Starch is released when potatoes are mashed, smashed, or whipped.
If too much starch is released, the potatoes turn gluey and unappealing. That’s the reason we don’t over-process mashed potatoes.
In this soup recipe, we achieve the best texture with a few precautions.
Let’s get started! Here’s how you make it:
Ingredients
(You can find the exact measurements and instructions in the printable recipe card at the end of this page.)
Best potatoes for soup
To make potato soup, using russets or all-purpose baking potatoes can be best as they are high in starch and low in moisture. When you use these in soups, they can soak up the liquid and lose their shape. This makes them ideal for a thick, creamy soup.
The same reason why we don’t use russet potatoes in potato salad.
Other ingredients
- Cauliflower and leek, of course! Choose a large fresh head of cauliflower without spots. Fresh leek will have a firm stem and crisp bright green leaves.
- Butter: A little amount of butter goes a long way in flavor.
- Peppercorns: Whole peppercorns soak up the liquid with all its flavors. When you blend them with the veggies, you get a soup bursting with peppery freshness. If you don’t have, feel free to replace them with fresh ground pepper.
- Dried herbs: Rosemary and oregano for fragrance.
- Fresh herbs: Green onions, fresh thyme or any other.
- Vegetable broth or chicken broth: You can use a bouillon cube and water instead.
- Flavor boosters: Garlic and lemon juice.
- Parmesan: Just a little for that velvetty smoothness. You can skip if you want to go low-fat all the way. The soup would still be creamy without it.
How to make cauliflower leek potato soup: Step by step
Chop
Peel and dice the potatoes into 1-inch cubes. Separate the cauliflower into florets, about the same size as potatoes.
Dice the white and light green parts of leeks. (Do not throw away the green leafy parts of the leek. You can use them to make vegetable stock.)
Sauté
Heat butter in a large pot. Add chopped garlic and sauté.
Add diced leek and sauté on low heat until you get a nice aroma.
Add cauliflower florets and stir for about 5 minutes.
Drop in the potatoes and stir for a couple of minutes.
Simmer
Add vegetable stock (or chicken stock), whole peppercorns and dried herbs. Bring it to a low boil.
Cover and simmer on medium heat for 15 minutes.
The potatoes should be well-cooked and almost fall apart.
Blend
Blitz with an immersion blender. Alternatively, cool and pulse a few times in a regular blender.
Blend in batches if needed, to avoid over-blending. Return it to the soup pot and reheat, if required.
Turn off the heat. Add grated parmesan and a splash of lemon juice.
Garnish
Serve the delicious soup in individual bowls.
Garnish with green onions and red pepper flakes.
Recipe tips
- Potatoes: Dice potatoes into small 1-inch-ish cubes (or even smaller). This helps the potatoes cook fast and disintegrate before blending.
- Cauliflower: Stir in cauliflower 5-minutes before adding potatoes. This simple step deepens the flavor. It also ensures that cauliflower is also well cooked so there’s no need to over-blend the soup.
- Clean leeks: The layers might have hidden dirt, so halve them and rinse before chopping.
- Blending: Do not overprocess. Pulse a few times until the soup is smooth enough. For the best results, I suggest using an immersion blender (or a regular blender) rather than food processor.
Storage and make ahead tips
Storing: This cauliflower leek potato soup can stay fresh in the refrigerator for a week. Store leftover soup in an airtight container.
Making ahead: Save the garnish and freeze the soup in freezer-safe containers.
Reheating: Reheat in the microwave or in a pot on stovetop, stirring frequently. Garnish and serve.
Making it for a crowd
This cauliflower leek soup recipe can be easily scaled up or down. Use the slider that will appear if you hover your mouse over the number of servings in the recipe card below.
Variations and substitutions
- Ditch the butter: Use olive oil or vegetable stock to sauté your vegetables for a low-fat option.
- Infuse the broth: Toss in a bay leaf, fresh thyme sprig, or even a clove of garlic while the broth simmers for more depth of flavor. Remember to remove them before blending.
- Cashew cream: For a touch of extra protein and richness, blend a handful of soaked cashews into the soup at the end. Silky smooth heaven!
- Yogurt drizzle: Use the yogurt sauce I used in the recipe for red cabbage soup for extra creaminess.
- Spice it up: Feeling adventurous? Add a pinch of cayenne pepper or smoked paprika for a touch of heat as in my spicy cauliflower soup recipe.
- Textural fun: Top your soup with toasted croutons or nuts, chopped chives, or a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil for added texture and taste.
- Get creative with toppings: Think beyond the usual! Some of my favorite toppings like chopped apple, crumbled blue cheese, or crispy kale chips can add delicious pops of flavor.
What to serve with potato leek cauliflower soup
When it comes to pairing sides with your Creamy Cauliflower Potato Leek Soup, you have a lot of options:
Light & fresh
- Salad: Beet walnut feta salad or refreshing red lentil salad.
- Roasted vegetables: Roasted carrots and green beans or balsamic roasted brussels sprouts and carrots.
- Crudités: Carrot sticks, cucumber slices, celery stalks, and bell pepper strips with paprika feta dip or 5-minute tahini yogurt dip.
Hearty & satisfying
- Crusty bread or baguette to soak up the delicious soup
- Whole-wheat rolls or crackers
Warm & cozy
- Quinoa: Italian quinoa salad or easy roasted pumpkin quinoa salad.
- Brown rice: Lemon turmeric rice or one-pot Thai green curry fried rice.
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Cauliflower Leek Potato Soup Without Cream
Ingredients
- 2 stalks of leek (makes about 1 cup)
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 3 medium Russet potatoes
- 500 grams head of cauliflower (1.1 pounds)
- 1 teaspoon butter
- 3 cups vegetable broth (or chicken broth or 1 bouillon cube in 3 cups of water)
- ¾ teaspoon whole peppercorns (or ½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper)
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 4 teaspoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons grated parmesan
Garnish
- 1 stalk green onions (green parts only)
- a pinch of red pepper flakes
STEP BY STEP IMAGES
Scroll back to find detailed recipe photos!
Instructions
Chop
- Dice the white and light green parts of 2 stalks of leek. Roughly chop 4 cloves of garlic.
- Peel and dice 3 medium Russet potatoes into 1-inch cubes.
- Separate 500 grams head of cauliflower into florets, about the same size as potatoes.
Sauté
- Heat 1 teaspoon butter in a large pot.
- Sauté chopped garlic and diced leek on low heat until you get a nice aroma.
- Add cauliflower florets and stir for about 5 minutes.
- Drop in the potatoes and stir for a couple of minutes.
Simmer
- Add 3 cups vegetable broth (or chicken broth), ¾ teaspoon whole peppercorns and ½ teaspoon dried oregano.
- Bring it to a low boil. Cover and simmer on medium heat for 15 minutes.
- The potatoes should be well-cooked and almost falling apart. If not, simmer for a few more minutes.
Blend
- Blitz with an immersion blender. Alternatively, cool and pulse a few times in a regular blender.
- Blend in batches if needed, to avoid over-blending. Return the soup to the pot and reheat, if required.
Garnish
- Turn off the heat. Add 4 teaspoons lemon juice and 2 tablespoons grated parmesan.
- Serve the soup in individual bowls, garnished with chopped green parts of 1 stalk green onions and a pinch of red pepper flakes.
Notes
- Potatoes: Dice potatoes into small 1-inch-ish cubes (or even smaller). This helps the potatoes cook fast and disintegrate before blending.
- Cauliflower: Stir in cauliflower 5-minutes before adding potatoes. This simple step deepens the flavor. It also ensures that cauliflower is also well cooked so there’s no need to over-blend the soup.
- Clean leeks: The layers might have hidden dirt, so halve them and rinse before chopping.
- Blending: Do not overprocess. Pulse a few times until the soup is smooth enough. For the best results, I suggest using an immersion blender (or a regular blender) rather than a food processor.
- See more tips and variations in the post above.
★★★★★Did you try this recipe? Please give a star rating in the comments below ★★★★★
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