Here in the Midwest it just snowed for the eleventy-billionth time this year. I have always said I enjoy the change of seasons but I would like to rescind that notion. I’m ready to live somewhere the season never changes from a balmy 75° and snow is something served in a cone with cherry syrup poured over it. Did I mention that our snowblower broke today?
I have a lot of time to be domestic since we are snowed in, but there’s something about an honest-to-goodness snow day that just makes you want to stay under the electric blanket with a good book. Thanks goodness for my Instant Pot or we might have starved the past few days.
I have had a serious hankering for potato soup. Something about the cold and snow makes salty broth with some starchy potatoes seem mandatory. I am not strictly vegan, but I do try to limit the dairy in our diets when possible, so I set out to mimic some of the creaminess of traditional soup in a vegan recipe.
How to make potato soup in the Instant Pot:
Peel 5 or 6 potatoes and 2 carrots, then chop into small pieces. I made my teenager help me, and as you can see, small varies from 1mm wide, to half a potato. Aren’t teenagers lovely?
Pop those into your Instant Pot with 4 cups of vegetable broth (use 3 if you want a thicker, creamier soup), 1 bay leaf, and 1 tsp of Thyme. I used 1 drop of Young Living Vitality Thyme oil in place of the dried seasoning. I also use this broth base instead of keeping actual veggie broth on hand. Salt and pepper to taste, then set on manual for 5 minutes and then do a quick release. Once in a while my Instant Pot likes to geyser liquid when I quick release soup (I take this as I sign I need to take apart my lid and clean it). To avoid this I just throw a towel over the vent when I release.
Now you’ll want to get out your food processor or high speed blender (I have a Ninja). Add 3 or 4 ladle-fulls of soup into your food processor. If you don’t want your soup to be orange, pick out the carrots and throw them back in the Instant Pot. Open a can of full-fat coconut milk and spoon off the fat that has risen to the top. We’ll call this 1/2 cup. If you live in a warmer climate you may need to put your can in the fridge for a few hours to get it to separate like this. Blend the coconut milk and soup til incorporated and thickened. Pour that mixture back into the Instant Pot and stir together.
This is really good with some crackers or baguette, but hearty enough to eat alone, too. It’s the perfect winter-time meal, and you can’t beat less than 15 minutes from prep to on your table!
- 6 potatoes, peeled and diced
- 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp thyme
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 C full fat coconut milk
- Add potatoes, carrots, vegetable broth, bay leaf, thyme, salt and pepper to Instant Pot and set to manual for 5 minutes. Quick release, then spoon 3-4 ladles into a food processor. Mix with coconut milk until thick and creamy. Pour back into the rest of the soup and stir together.
Heather says
So when I scoop off the coconut fat, don’t use that I’m the soup or do I use the liquid part??
Heather says
Wow.. autocorrect. Lol That should say “DO I use that part IN the soup or do I use the liquid part?
Melissa says
Yes, use the fat to make it creamy!