Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Paleo, Whole30, Vegetable Loaded, Vegetarian & Vegan Option
This thick and creamy soup has a mild cheesy flavor, is filled with hearty chunks of potato, and topped with salty bits of bacon and scallions. Although it tastes like a traditional potato soup, it is a sneaky, vegetable loaded dish. Plus, this can be made on the stovetop or crock pot/slow cooker and I've added some meal prep tips below!
Why I Love This Recipe
Inspired by my mother-in-law Sherry's famous potato soup, this dairy free version is creamy, slightly cheesy and the perfect canvas for your favorite toppings. It's a wholesome bowl of comfort food that's quick and easy to make! Plus, it's under 400 calories!
A fresh, nutritious butternut squash "cheese" sauce replace the yellow cheeses typically used in potato soup recipes. Made with a smooth blend of squash, nutritional yeast, Dijon mustard and chicken broth, this sauce tastes ridiculously similar to store bought processed cheese "loafs".
Additionally, Dairy Free Potato Soup can be dressed up or down to your liking. Often, for an extra dose of vegetables, I will add the optional steamed broccoli to this soup before serving. I then top with chopped bacon, chives, and my favorite dairy free cheese. If you haven't tried Violife dairy free shredded cheese, you're missing out!
Traditional potato soups aren't particularly nutrient dense. This version, however, is actually a surprisingly vegetable loaded soup! It not only has nutrients from potato skins, but also butternut squash, nutritional yeast and broccoli if you choose to add that ingredient as well.
Cooking Tips
Be sure to use cool/room temperature broth and water to cover the potatoes. This allows the liquid and potatoes to heat up together and cook through evenly. Otherwise, adding potatoes to already boiling liquid will promote uneven cooking and can cause the potatoes to become mealy.
If you want to amp up the cheesy flavor in the Butternut Squash "Cheese" Sauce, increase the amount of nutritional yeast to ⅓ cup. I make the sauce this way in my Healthy Homemade Hamburger Helper recipe with great results.
For time saving purposes, both the bacon and butternut squash can cook at 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Cook them at the same time if you haven't premade the "cheese" sauce. The original recipe for the "cheese" sauce calls for baking at 400 degrees Fahrenheit, but can be increased. It will need less cooking time.
How to make a vegetarian and vegan version
For a vegetarian version of this soup: omit the bacon and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth in the soup and "cheese" sauce.
For a vegan version of this soup: omit the bacon, use dairy free butter instead of ghee, use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth in the soup and "cheese" sauce.
Meal Prep Tips
- Make butternut squash sauce 1-3 days ahead of time.
- Dice onions and celery. Store in separate air tight containers or storage bags up to 1 week in advance.
- Cook and dice bacon. Store in an air tight container or storage bag up to 3 days in advance.
- If using broccoli, steam or boil. Then store in an air tight container or storage bag 1-2 days in advance.
Slow cooker/crockpot directions
- First, follow steps 1-3 below. Or cook the bacon later, near the end of cooking time if you prefer. If so, only follow step 3.
- Then, add onions and celery to a large crock pot. Add potatoes, 2 teaspoon salt, chicken broth, and water. Stir to combine and cook on LOW 6-8 hours or HIGH 3-4 hours until potatoes are very tender.
- Next, add 3 tablespoon ghee (or dairy free butter if you don't need to be paleo or Whole30 compliant), Butternut Squash "Cheese" Sauce, coconut milk, and black pepper. Mash with a potato masher until everything is combined leaving some chunks of potatoes. Cover and allow to heat through an additional 15-20 minutes.
- Finally, add optional steamed broccoli if desired. Serve warm topped with chopped bacon and scallions. Add your favorite dairy free cheese if you are not on the paleo or Whole30 diet.
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📖 Recipe
Dairy Free Potato Soup {Paleo, Whole30}
Equipment
- 1 large pot with a lid
- 1 Wooden Spoon
- measuring cups and spoons
- 1 Large baking sheet
- tin foil
- 1 potato masher
Ingredients
- 1 pkg bacon
- 1½ + 3 tablespoon ghee*
- 1½ tablespoon neutral oil
- 3 stalks celery + a few leaves very small diced
- 1 medium onion very small diced
- 2 pinches salt
- 5 lbs yellow potatoes medium diced
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 4½-5 cups chicken broth to fully cover potatoes
- 1 cup water will more than cover potatoes
- 1 batch Butternut Squash "Cheese" Sauce**
- ½ cup full fat coconut milk***
- several dashes black pepper
- 12.6 oz baby broccoli florets (steamed or boiled until tender) optional
- sliced scallions (green parts only) optional for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425℉****. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy clean up.
- Add bacon in a single layer. Bake 14 minutes and flip. Bake an additional 2-3 minutes until crispy. Remove bacon to a paper towel lined plate. Chop into bite sized pieces. While bacon is cooking, start on the soup.
- In a large pot or Dutch oven heat 1½ tablespoon ghee and 1½ tablespoon neutral oil over MEDIUM heat. When pot is very warm add celery, onions and 2 pinches of salt. Sauté stirring occasionally until very tender about 5-7 minutes.
- Add diced potatoes, 2 teaspoon salt, chicken broth and water. Increase heat to HIGH and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to MEDIUM-LOW and cover. Boil until potatoes are very tender about 15-18 minutes.
- Add 3 tablespoon ghee, Butternut Squash "Cheese" Sauce, coconut milk, and black pepper. Mash with a potato masher until everything is combined leaving some chunks of potatoes. Allow to heat through an additional 1-2 minutes.
- Add optional steamed broccoli if desired. Serve warm topped with chopped bacon and scallions.
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