Name: Creamy Vegetable Soup (Vegan, Made Without Any Cream)
Prep time: 9 h 5 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 4 small Potatoes, Peeled And Cut Into Chunks; 1 large Carrot, Peeled And Cut Into Chunks; 400 ml (1 can) Regular Coconut Milk; 1 teaspoon Pink Himalaya Salt; 1 medium Sweet Bell Pepper, Sliced (no Need To Remove Seeds); 1 medium Shallot, Sliced; 1 medium Garlic Glove, Chopped; 1 teaspoon Turmeric or Curry Powder; 1/2 teaspoon Chili Powder; 2 tablespoons Nutritional Yeast; 1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Coconut Oil; 3 tablespoons Chopped Chives For Garnishing (optional); 3 teaspoons Chia Seeds For Garnishing, Extra Nutritional Value And Crunch (optional)

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This creamy vegetable soup gets its velvety texture from one change: the vegetables cook in coconut milk instead of water. Nothing is poured down the drain, so the flavor stays in the pot, and University of Illinois Extension notes that some nutrients, like vitamin C, can leach out into the cooking water.

It is vegan, ready in about 45 minutes, and forgiving about which vegetables you use, as long as one of them is a potato. Expect a thick, silky soup with gentle curry warmth and a savory edge from nutritional yeast. Jump to Recipe

Creamy vegetable soup in a white embossed bowl, topped with chives and chia seeds, with potatoes, nutritional yeast and pink salt beside it

Why You Will Love This Creamy Vegetable Soup

Silky without cream: coconut milk and blending do all the work.
About 45 minutes from start to bowl.
Forgiving: use the vegetables you have, as long as one is starchy.
Vegan and dairy-free, with nutritional yeast for a savory, almost cheesy note.
One pot for the soup and one small pan for the sautéed vegetables.

What You Need for Creamy Vegetable Soup

Here is everything you need. The exact amounts are in the recipe card below.

potatoes
carrot
regular canned coconut milk
sweet bell pepper
shallot
garlic
turmeric or curry powder
chili powder (optional)
nutritional yeast
extra virgin coconut oil
pink Himalayan salt
chives and chia seeds, to garnish

Keep one starchy vegetable (the potatoes) in the pot, because it is what makes the soup thick.

How to Make Creamy Vegetable Soup

Cook the vegetables in the coconut milk

Bring the coconut milk just to a boil, then turn the heat down to a gentle simmer. Season it with salt, add the carrots, and about 5 minutes later the potatoes. Cover and cook on low until everything is tender. Cut the potatoes slightly larger than the carrots so they finish together.

Illustration: carrots and potatoes simmering in coconut milk in a pot on a black ceramic stovetop — Illustration: the vegetables simmer directly in the coconut milk, not in water.

Sauté the shallot, garlic and bell pepper

While the vegetables cook, sauté the sliced shallot, chopped garlic and sliced bell pepper (no need to remove the seeds) together with the turmeric or curry powder and the chili in coconut oil for 7-8 minutes, until soft and lightly golden. Set aside.

Blend and season

Add the sautéed shallot, garlic, bell pepper and spices to the pot with the nutritional yeast, then blend with an immersion blender in the pot, or in batches in a blender. Blend just until creamy. Taste, add salt if needed, and garnish with chives and chia seeds right before serving.

Where This Trick Comes From

Many years ago, when I was just starting to cook, I read in an old cookbook that potatoes should be cooked in milk instead of water. I don’t remember which book it was, but the idea stuck with me, and I have used it for mashed potatoes ever since. Later I started experimenting with thick vegetable soups that include starchy vegetables, and the same trick worked beautifully there too.

I only recently found sources that explain why it works. The starch from the potatoes stays in the pot instead of going down the drain, which gives natural creaminess without heavy cream. You can read the explanation in Milk Street’s article on simmering potatoes in milk and in The Takeout’s report on cooking potatoes in milk. In this soup, coconut milk plays the part of the milk, and the result is silky, hearty and fully vegan.

Tips for the Best Creamy Vegetable Soup

Why cook the vegetables in coconut milk instead of water?

Because the liquid you cook in becomes the soup. Boiling in water and draining it throws away flavor and some nutrients; cooking in the coconut milk keeps all of it in the pot. The same idea is used for creamy mashed potatoes: Milk Street explains that simmering potatoes in milk keeps their starch in the pot instead of washing it down the drain, which gives natural creaminess.

Why did my soup turn gluey?

Probably over-blending. Potatoes turn gluey when blended too long, so stop as soon as the soup is smooth.

Which vegetables can I use?

Almost any you like. Don’t worry too much about the amounts, but keep one starchy vegetable like a potato for body.

Can I use cream or milk instead of coconut milk?

Yes. Cream or full-fat milk works with the same method, but then the soup is no longer vegan.

Variations and Substitutions

Spice: turmeric or curry powder (curry gives a punchier, slightly more bitter profile), and chili only if you want heat.
More heat: a pinch of chili flakes or fresh ginger.
Dairy version: full-fat milk or cream instead of coconut milk.
Extra vegetables: add more, as long as the potato stays.

Storing and Freezing Creamy Vegetable Soup

Cool the soup, then keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently over low heat, stirring well. Freezing: I haven’t frozen this soup myself, so I can’t promise how it holds up. Potatoes can change texture when frozen, so I keep it in the fridge.

Creamy Vegetable Soup FAQ

Is this soup vegan?

Yes. With coconut milk and coconut oil it is fully plant-based and dairy-free.

Do I have to use curry powder?

No. Turmeric or curry powder both work, and the chili is optional.

What does the nutritional yeast do?

It adds a savory, slightly cheesy flavor, which is why it is a family favorite in this recipe.

More Soups and Fresh Sides You Might Like

Easy Pumpkin Soup with Feta and Olives: another cozy, silky bowl.
Tomato Cucumber Feta Salad with Fruit and Bell Pepper: a fresh salad for a soup-and-salad lunch.

Bowl of creamy orange vegetable soup topped with chia seeds and chopped chives, with a spoon resting in the bowl.

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Creaminess Without Cream: A Better Way to Cook Vegetables

Creamy Vegetable Soup (Vegan, Made Without Any Cream)

Recipe by Helena-Laura

4.8 from 6 votes

Course: Appetizers, SoupsCuisine: InternationalDifficulty: Beginner

Creamy Vegetable Soup made extra rich using a secret chef technique — no cream, no butter, just pure flavor. Cooking everything in the same liquid you will later use as a soup ingredient (milk, cream, coconut milk, etc.) also ensures you get the full benefit of vitamins that would otherwise be discarded with the cooking water!

Servings

–

servings

hours

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Serving size

450

grams

Net Carbs

grams

Total time

minutes

Cook Mode

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Ask about this recipe Substitutions, scaling, timing — answered from this recipe.

Ingredients

Metric US

4 small 4 small Potatoes, Peeled And Cut Into Chunks
1 large 1 large Carrot, Peeled And Cut Into Chunks
400 ml (1 can) 1 + 2/3 cups Regular Coconut Milk
1 teaspoon 1 tsp Pink Himalaya Salt
1 medium 1 medium Sweet Bell Pepper, Sliced (no Need To Remove Seeds)
1 medium 1 medium Shallot, Sliced
1 medium 1 medium Garlic Clove, Chopped
1 teaspoon 1 tsp Turmeric or Curry Powder
1/2 teaspoon 1/2 tsp Chili Powder
2 tablespoons 2 tbsp Nutritional Yeast
1 tablespoon 1 tbsp Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
3 tablespoons 3 tbsp Chopped Chives For Garnishing (optional)
3 teaspoons 1 tbsp Chia Seeds For Garnishing, Extra Nutritional Value And Crunch (optional)

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Instructions

Prepare the carrots.
Peel the carrots and slice them into thick rounds. Peel the potatoes and cut them into slightly larger pieces than the carrot slices so they cook evenly.
Heat the coconut milk.
Pour the coconut milk into a large pot and bring it just to a boil. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer.
Cook the vegetables.
Season the coconut milk with salt and add the carrots, and about 5 minutes later, the potatoes.
Add them to the pot, cover with a lid, and cook over low heat until tender.
Sauté the aromatics.
While the vegetables cook, peel and slice the shallot, chop the garlic and slice the bell pepper. Place them into a shallow pan along with the turmeric or curry powder and the chili (if using). Sauté them in coconut oil for 7-8 minutes, until soft and lightly golden. Set aside.
Season and blend.
Add the sautéed shallot, garlic, bell pepper and spices to the pot along with the nutritional yeast.
Carefully blend the soup directly in the pot using an immersion blender or transfer in batches to a blender. Blend just until creamy — avoid over-blending, as potatoes can become gluey.
Taste and adjust.
Season with additional salt if needed
Serve.
Garnish with chives and chia seeds just before serving. Stir them into the soup if desired and allow them to swell slightly before eating. I, on the other hand, prefer them on the soup surface for an additional texture.

Recipe Video

Notes

Fat profile: This soup is rich by design, but the creaminess comes from plant-based fats, not dairy.
Make it your own: Add a pinch of chili flakes or fresh ginger for heat, or swap curry powder for turmeric to get a punchier and slightly more bitter spice profile.
Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently over low heat, stirring well.