This is the best dairy free potato soup recipe! This creamy soup is the ultimate in comfort food. Made with bacon, potatoes, onion, coconut milk and broth, this soup is so rich and creamy. You will also love that it's easy to make in one pot and that this recipe is healthy, Whole30, and gluten free too!
On the menu this week is my new favourite comfort food. This soup is so creamy and delicious and is just perfect for those cold fall and winter days and nights. This recipe also makes a large amount of soup which is perfect for leftovers and for freezing for meal prep.
Why you will love this recipe:
- The taste! This cream of potato soup is so rich, creamy and delicious.
- It's really easy and simple to make in one pot so the clean up is also a breeze.
- It doesn't require any fancy or hard to find ingredients and is made with pantry staples like potatoes, bacon, broth and onions.
- You don't need to roast the potatoes.
- It's made without cream and without flour.
- Besides being dairy free this soup is also Whole30 compliant and gluten free and can be made vegan as well.
- Because this soup is dairy free it's also a lactose free potato soup.
- It can be turned into a complete meal by adding protein such as cooked chicken, pork, tofu or beef.
- It's made on the stovetop so you don't need any fancy equipment such as an Instant Pot or slow cooker.
- This recipe is a fun twist on a classic old fashioned potato soup recipe.
- If you love creamy soups you will also love dairy free cream of mushroom soup.
Taste and texture:
This soup is so rich, thick and creamy! You can make this soup smooth or chunky depending on your preference and how much you blend it. It has a delicious herb and potato flavour with hints of sweetness from the apples.
Key ingredients and substitutions:
- Bacon - I recommend using sugar free and nitrate free bacon to keep this soup as healthy as possible but you can use any type of bacon that you like. You will use the bacon fat to cook the other vegetables in this soup and then you will use the bacon to top this creamy soup when it's ready to serve. If you are vegan or want to avoid eating bacon simply omit it from the recipe.
- Potatoes - you can use any type of white or red potato that you like for this Whole30 soup recipe. I personally leave the skin on when making this soup, as that is where most of the vitamins and minerals in the potatoes are located, but if you prefer to peel the potatoes you can.
- Coconut milk - coconut milk helps makes this soup even more creamy and rich. I recommend using full fat coconut milk instead of light coconut milk which is more watery. Instead of coconut milk you could also use cashew milk or oat milk.
- Apples - apples help add a delicious sweetness to this soup recipe.
- Onions - onions are used to help give this gluten free dairy free potato soup even more aromatic flavour.
- Broth - you can use any type of broth that you like for this recipe including chicken broth, vegetable broth, beef broth or bone broth.
How to make this recipe:
Step one:
First, using a medium sized frying pan, cook your bacon until it's crisp and then set it aside.
Step two:
While the bacon is cooking, fill a large pot with water and place it on medium heat on the stove.
Step three:
Now clean the potatoes and chop them into quarters (leave the skin on - this is where most of the nutrients are located). Once the water in the pot is boiling, add the chopped potatoes and turn the burner down so that the potatoes cook at a low boil for 25-30 minutes, until they are soft.
Step four:
While the potatoes are boiling, remove the bacon from the frying pan and use the grease to saute the chopped onion and apple together, until the onion is caramelized and the apples are tender (~10-15 minutes).
Step five:
Once the potatoes are cooked, drain the water from the pot and transfer the onions, apples and bacon fat to the pot with the potatoes.
Step six:
Lastly, add the remaining ingredients to the pot and using your immersion blender blend the ingredients until they are smooth. Then top the soup with the cooked, chopped bacon and serve and enjoy!
Chef's tips:
- Feel free to make a double or triple batch and freeze some for later.
- If you don't have an immersion blender you can blend this soup in a high speed blender instead.
- This soup is great to use in recipes that call for cream of potato soup.
Recipe variations:
- For even more flavour, add 2 cloves of minced garlic to the onions and apples.
- To make this into a dairy free potato leek soup, use leeks instead of onions when you make it.
- Add some cooked chicken or ground beef to turn it into a complete meal.
- Top the soup with raw cashews or sunflower seeds to add a little crunch.
- If you don't tolerate coconut milk you can use cashew milk instead.
- To make this soup vegan: leave out the bacon or use a vegan bacon. If you make it without bacon, cook the onions and apples in a little coconut oil or avocado oil instead and make sure to use vegetable broth.
How to serve:
- It's delicious served as is!
- You can make it into a complete meal by adding some cooked chicken, turkey or beef.
- Top it with cooked bacon.
- Add some chopped green onion or chives.
- Top it with your favourite nuts such as cashews to add a little crunch.
- Serve it with a side salad or your favourite sandwich.
How to store:
- Store any leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- This soup also freezes really well.
Frequently asked questions:
Technically no. When the paleo diet was first created, potatoes were not allowed on it. However, many paleo experts now allow potatoes to be eaten on the paleo diet. Of course, always listen to your body and eat what's best for you.
As written this is not a vegan potato soup recipe because of the bacon, but you can easily make it vegan by simply leaving out the bacon or using a vegan bacon. If you make it without bacon, cook the onions and apples in a little coconut oil or avocado oil instead and make sure to use vegetable broth.
Instead of using milk or cream to make soup you can use dairy free options such as coconut milk, cashew milk or oat milk.
Using water instead of milk in a creamy soup will make the soup taste much more bland and it won't turn out thick and creamy. Instead, you can use a dairy free milk such as full fat coconut milk to give the soup that desirable creamy texture.
Other recipes you will love:
- Beef Curry Stew
- Dairy Free Clam Chowder
- Vegan Butternut Squash Soup
- Whole30 and Paleo Sloppy Joes
- Whole30 Meatloaf with Blueberries
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Recipe
Dairy Free Potato Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 package nitrate and sugar free bacon
- 3 lbs organic yellow or white potatoes
- 2 red apples of choice, chopped (such as Gala or Honey Crisp)
- 1 white onion, chopped
- 3 cups broth (you can use any type of broth including chicken broth, bone broth, vegetable broth or beef broth)
- 2 cups full fat coconut milk
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt (more or less to taste)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper (more or less to taste)
Instructions
- Using a medium sized frying pan, cook your bacon until crisp.
- While the bacon is cooking, fill a large pot with water and place on medium heat on the stove.
- Clean the potatoes and chop into quarters (leave the skin on - this is where most of the nutrients are located).
- Once the water in the pot is boiling, add the chopped potatoes.
- Turn the burner down so that the potatoes cook at a low boil for 25-30 minutes, until soft.
- While the potatoes are boiling, remove the bacon from the frying pan and use the grease to saute the chopped onion and apple together, until the onion is caramelized and the apples are tender (~10-15 minutes).
- Once the potatoes are done, drain the water from the pot.
- Transfer the onions, apples and bacon fat to the pot with the potatoes.
- Add the remaining ingredients to the pot.
- Using your immersion blender, blend the ingredients until they are smooth.
- Top the soup with the cooked, chopped bacon and enjoy!
Notes
- This soup can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- This soup can be frozen and makes great leftovers.
- Nutritional values are an estimate and will vary depending on the exact ingredients used.Â
Jocelyn Schuler
I made this soup last night for my family, and both my husband and my 10 month old loved it! It's a perfect soup for those cold January days!
Erin Carter
Oh this makes me so so happy to hear!!!
Kristie
Best comfort food!