This is the best potato soup (no bacon)! When I was craving a warming potato soup, all the recipes I came across included bacon or some kind of meat. I just wanted a delicious vegetarian potato soup recipe! So I created this one, and it’s soooo good.
I don’t want you to get intimidated with a soup recipe because it’s an easy soup recipe to make and the ingredients are super simple. Plus, my kids love eating soup, so any dinner they’ll love is one I’m happy to make on repeat! And, you can even have the kids help in the kitchen, using these kid-safe knives.
Why You’ll Love This Soup
- Meat-Free Comfort: All the cozy goodness of classic potato soup without bacon – making it perfect for vegetarian meals or lighter weeknight dinners.
- Simple Ingredients: You probably already have most of the ingredients in your pantry. No fancy add-ins required!
- Kid-Friendly: Mild, creamy, and satisfying – great for getting dinner on the table with minimal complaints.
- Make-Ahead & Freezer Friendly: This soup reheats beautifully, so you can make a big batch for meal prep or leftovers.
What ingredients do you need for this soup?
- Butter
- Yellow onion
- Garlic cloves
- Celery stalk
- Carrot
- Russet potatoes
- Salt
- Broth – use vegetable broth if you want to keep this recipe vegetarian or chicken broth if not.
- Milk – or water
- Plain yogurt
Not only is this soup delicious and perfect for fall, but it freezes and re-heats very well, making it perfect for a make-ahead meal. When I’m looking for easy weeknight dishes, freezer meals are the way to go. Simply heat and enjoy!
Customizations
- Extra Veggie Boost: Add corn, peas, or diced bell peppers for color and nutrition.
- Herby Flavor: Stir in fresh parsley or thyme before serving.
- Cheesy Twist: Top with shredded cheddar or Gruyère.
- Creamier Texture: Substitute half-and-half or heavy cream for milk.
- Spicy Kick: Add a pinch of smoked paprika or a dash of hot sauce.
Tips for Success
- Perfect Potato Texture: Cut potatoes into similar-sized pieces so they cook evenly.
- Adjust Broth for Consistency: Want a thinner, brothy soup? Add extra vegetable or chicken broth.
- Mash or Leave Chunky: Mash to your desired texture – leave a few chunks if you like more bite.
- Use Yogurt or Sour Cream: Stir in plain yogurt or sour cream for tangy creaminess.
- Substitute Potatoes: In a pinch, golden or red potatoes can work as well.
How do I make vegetarian potato soup?
- Sauté butter, onion, garlic; cooking for 3 minutes until starting to be translucent.
- Add celery and carrot and cook for 2 more minutes.
- Add in potatoes, salt, broth and milk and cook over high heat until boiling.
- Reduce heat to low, add a cover and cook for 5 minutes, or until potatoes are fork tender.
- Mash potatoes up with a back of a spatula. Remove from heat and add in yogurt, stir, and serve.
This recipe makes 4 smaller-sized portions and you can, of course, easily double the recipe to keep some in the freezer.
Serving Suggestions
- Warm crusty bread or garlic toast
- A light green salad with vinaigrette
- Grilled cheese sandwiches or quesadillas
FAQs for potato soup
- Can I make this potato soup ahead of time? Yes! Store in the fridge for up to 3–4 days and reheat gently on the stove. Add a splash of broth if it thickens too much.
- Can I freeze potato soup without bacon? Yes, this recipe freezes well. Cool completely, then freeze in airtight containers for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Can I use different types of potatoes? Absolutely! Russets work great, but Yukon gold or red potatoes are good substitutes too – just adjust cook time as needed.
- Is this recipe vegetarian? Yes, when made with vegetable broth, this potato soup is vegetarian!
Here are some other vegetarian recipes you might like:
- Vegetarian Japanese Pan Noodles
- One Pan Vegetarian Dumpling Stir Fry
- Healthy Slow Cooker Lentil and Vegetable Soup
Find all of my vegetarian recipes here.
Potato Soup without Bacon
We've all had plenty of amazing potato soups with bacon, but I couldn't find a great one without bacon, so I made one! And it's quite tasty!
Print RateServings: 4 people
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 Tbs. butter
- 1/2 small-medium yellow onion chopped
- 1 clove pressed or finely chopped
- 1 celery stalk chopped, about 1/2 cup
- 1 large carrot chopped, about 1/2 cup
- 3-4 medium-large russet potatoes peeled and cut into 1/2 - 1 inch cubes. About 3.5 - 4 cups.
- 2 pinches of salt (generous)
- 1 cup vegetable broth (or chicken broth)
- 3 cups milk or water
- 1/4 cup plain yogurt (4 Tbs.)
Instructions
- Sauté butter, onion, garlic, cooking for 3 minutes until starting to be translucent, add celery and carrot and cook for 2 more minutes.
- Add in potatoes, salt, broth and milk and cook over high heat until boiling.
- Reduce heat to low, add a cover and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until potatoes are fork tender. Mash potatoes up with a back of a spatula. Remove from heat and add in yogurt, stir, and serve.
Notes
Note - to make this a more 'brothy-liquidy' soup, simply add more vegetable broth The nutrition information presented on this site should be considered an estimate as the calculations will change based on the exact products you use in your own kitchen.
Nutrition
Calories: 337kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 609mg | Potassium: 1005mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 3253IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 257mg | Iron: 2mg
Emilie Messmer says
Maybe if I cooked this in my instant pot it would only take 5 minutes for the potatoes to cook. It took me about 15 minutes of simmering for them to be fork tender. Other than that, it was good!
Sweetphi says
Thanks for that feedback, I’ll update the instructions, glad you enjoyed!
Maryanne says
I made this soup with some changes but it’s absolutely delicious and my husband told me to make sure I make it again.
I used golden potatoes because that’s what I had. Half and half instead of milk and sour cream in place of yogurt. I quadrupled the recipe and used some instant potatoes to help thicken the soup.
Sweetphi says
Thank you so much for taking the time to come back and leave this lovely comment. It’s always such a win when the husbands say to make it again!! I love those modifications and that you quadrupled the recipe! Thanks again for this helpful comment.
Joni Anderson says
How much garlic?
Sweetphi says
1 garlic clove, pressed or finely chopped, so sorry, adding it now to the ingredients – thanks for letting me know!
Bee says
This sounds good! Thank you for creating a potato soup recipe without bacon! We don’t eat pork so I’m very glad I found your recipe. Just wondering if I can use red potatoes instead of russet?
Sweetphi says
I’m so glad you found this recipe!! It’s super delicious. Yes, you can absolutely use whatever kind of potatoes you have on hand!