Easy Vegan Carrot Potato Soup

Easy Vegan Carrot Potato Soup That Actually Tastes Amazing

Okay, so I totally messed this up the first two times. I’m talking complete disaster—burnt vegetables, watery mess, the whole nine yards. But hey, third time’s the charm, right?

Look, I’m gonna be honest with you. I never thought I’d be the person writing about vegan carrot potato soup. Like, six months ago, I was that person who put bacon in literally everything. But then my sister went vegan, and suddenly every family dinner became this whole thing where we needed separate dishes and… anyway, long story short, I needed to learn some vegan recipes that didn’t taste like cardboard.

And here’s the thing—this easy vegan carrot potato soup is actually incredible. Not “good for vegan food” incredible. Just incredible, period.

How I Discovered This Recipe (It’s Kinda Random)

So this all started when I was stuck at home with COVID last winter. Yeah, fun times. I had ordered groceries online, and somehow the delivery person decided that instead of the chicken broth I ordered, I clearly needed vegetable broth. Thanks, universe.

I was craving soup—you know that sick-person craving where you just want something warm and comforting? I had a bag of carrots that were starting to get those weird white spots (you know the ones), some potatoes that were getting a little soft, and this random vegetable broth. Figured I’d throw it all together and see what happened.

Disaster. Complete disaster.

First attempt: I burned the onions because my neighbor decided to knock on the door right when I was sautéing. Second attempt: I added way too much salt because I wasn’t paying attention. Like, Dead Sea levels of salt. Even my dog wouldn’t eat it, and she eats literally anything.

But something about that basic combination just felt right, you know? So I kept tweaking it.

What Makes This Vegan Carrot Potato Soup Special

Third time around, I finally figured it out. The secret isn’t just the vegetables—though we’ll get to those—it’s this weird trick I discovered completely by accident.

I was making the soup and ran out of my usual olive oil halfway through cooking the vegetables. In a panic, I grabbed this coconut oil my roommate had left behind when she moved out. (Sarah, if you’re reading this, I finally found a use for it!)

Game changer. The coconut oil adds this subtle sweetness that makes the carrots taste like… I don’t know, like they’re trying to be dessert but in a good way. Not overpowering, just this hint of richness that makes the whole thing feel more substantial.

The Shopping List (And My Grocery Store Adventures)

Here’s what you’ll need for this easy vegan carrot potato soup. Fair warning: I’m that person who always forgets one ingredient and has to make a second trip to the store.

The Main Players:

• 2 pounds carrots (I buy the big bag because they’re cheaper, then use the extras for snacking)
• 3 large russet potatoes (don’t get the tiny ones, trust me on this)
• 1 large yellow onion (sweet onions work too, but yellow is classic)
• 4 cloves garlic (I usually use 6 because I’m obsessed)
• 6 cups vegetable broth (the good stuff, not the watery kind)
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil (refined, not the kind that tastes like sunscreen)
• 1 can coconut milk (full-fat, don’t even think about light)

The Supporting Cast:

• 1 teaspoon ground ginger (fresh is better, but powder works)
• 1 teaspoon cumin (this is what makes it interesting)
• Salt and pepper (obviously)
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup (real stuff, not the fake corn syrup)
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (sounds weird, tastes amazing)
• Fresh herbs if you’re feeling fancy (thyme or sage work great)

Shopping tip: Don’t buy pre-cut vegetables. They’re expensive and they taste like sadness. Also, if the carrots bend when you pick them up, they’re too old. Learned that one the hard way.

Let’s Make This Vegan Carrot Potato Soup

Alright, here we go. Put on some music, pour yourself whatever you drink while cooking (coffee for me, always coffee), and let’s do this thing.

Step 1: Prep Work (Don’t Skip This)

Peel and chop everything first. I know it’s tempting to just start cooking, but trust me—you want all your vegetables ready to go before you start heating anything up.

Cut the carrots into rough chunks, about 1-inch pieces. They don’t have to be perfect; they’re getting blended anyway. Same with the potatoes—just cube them up. The onion gets diced, and the garlic gets minced. If you’re lazy like me, a garlic press works fine.

Pro tip: Keep the potato chunks in water so they don’t turn brown. Learned this from my mom, who learned it from her mom, and so on.

Step 2: The Base (This Is Where The Magic Starts)

Heat that coconut oil in your biggest pot over medium heat. Don’t go crazy with the temperature—medium is your friend here. Once it’s melted and shimmery, toss in the diced onion.

Now here’s where most people mess up: they rush this part. Let the onions cook slowly until they’re translucent and starting to smell amazing. This takes about 5-7 minutes. I usually do dishes or scroll through my phone during this part because if I stand there watching, I get impatient and crank up the heat.

Add the garlic and cook for maybe a minute until it smells incredible. Don’t let it brown—burnt garlic tastes bitter and ruins everything.

Step 3: Build The Flavor

Add the ginger and cumin to the pot. Stir it around for about 30 seconds until it’s fragrant. This step makes your kitchen smell like a fancy restaurant, which is always a good sign.

Toss in all those carrots and potatoes. Stir everything together so the vegetables get coated with all that aromatic oil and spice mixture. Cook this for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Step 4: The Liquid Situation

Pour in the vegetable broth. It should cover the vegetables by about an inch. If it doesn’t, add a little water. No big deal.

Bring the whole thing to a boil (this takes forever, be patient), then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer. Cover the pot and walk away for 20-25 minutes. Set a timer because I always forget and then panic when I smell something.

The vegetables are done when you can easily pierce them with a fork. The potatoes should basically fall apart when you poke them.

Step 5: The Blending Drama

Okay, this is where things get interesting. You need to blend this soup, but hot soup and blenders can be… explosive. Literally.

I use an immersion blender directly in the pot because I’m too lazy to transfer everything to a regular blender. Plus, less dishes. If you don’t have an immersion blender, let the soup cool down a bit before carefully transferring it to a regular blender in batches.

Blend until it’s smooth, or mostly smooth if you like some texture. I usually leave it slightly chunky because I like having something to chew on.

Step 6: The Finishing Touches

Stir in that coconut milk, maple syrup, and apple cider vinegar. I know the vinegar sounds weird, but it brightens everything up and makes all the flavors pop.

Taste it and adjust the seasoning. It probably needs salt—everything always needs salt. Add pepper if you want. If it tastes flat, add a little more vinegar. If it’s not sweet enough, add more maple syrup.

Let it simmer for another 5 minutes to let everything come together.

What I Learned From Making This A Million Times

Temperature matters: Don’t rush the onion cooking. Seriously. I burned so many batches because I was impatient.

Coconut milk quality is everything: The cheap stuff is watery and weird. Spend the extra dollar on good coconut milk. Your taste buds will thank you.

The vinegar trick: This was my accidental discovery. I was making the soup and knocked over the vinegar bottle. Instead of starting over, I just stirred it in. Best mistake ever.

Storage notes: This keeps in the fridge for about 4 days. It actually tastes better the next day because all the flavors have time to get acquainted. You can freeze it too, but the texture gets a little weird when you thaw it. Still tastes good though.

Serving This Beautiful Creation

I usually serve this with some crusty bread—the kind that makes a mess when you tear it apart. My 8-year-old nephew (who normally won’t eat anything that isn’t chicken nuggets) actually requests this soup now. He calls it “the orange soup,” which is probably the best review I’ve ever gotten.

Sometimes I add a dollop of coconut cream on top, or some fresh herbs if I’m feeling fancy. A drizzle of good olive oil is nice too. But honestly, it’s perfect just as it is.

The leftovers make an amazing lunch. I heat it up and eat it straight from the mug while working. Way better than whatever sad desk lunch I usually eat.

Real Talk About This Recipe

Look, I’m not gonna lie and say this tastes exactly like some fancy restaurant soup. But it’s warm, it’s filling, it’s healthy-ish, and it makes your kitchen smell amazing while you’re making it.

More importantly, it’s the kind of soup that makes you feel like you have your life together, even when you definitely don’t. There’s something about making soup from scratch that feels very adult and responsible.

And the fact that it’s vegan? Honestly, most people can’t tell. I’ve served this to my dad, who thinks vegetables are what his food eats, and he went back for seconds.

Why This Works (The Science-y Stuff)

The potatoes make it creamy without needing dairy. The carrots add natural sweetness. The coconut milk brings richness. The spices make it interesting instead of boring. The acid from the vinegar balances everything out.

It’s like all these ingredients got together and decided to be best friends. Chemistry, but make it delicious.

Final Thoughts On This Easy Vegan Carrot Potato Soup

I’ve been making variations of this soup for months now, and I’m still not tired of it. Sometimes I add other vegetables—sweet potatoes work great, so do parsnips if you can find them. I’ve tried it with different spices too. A little smoked paprika is incredible if you want a more complex flavor.

But this basic version? It’s perfect as is. Simple enough that you can make it on a Tuesday night when you’re tired, fancy enough that you could serve it to guests without being embarrassed.

Plus, your house will smell amazing while it’s cooking, which is honestly half the reason I make soup in the first place.

Try this recipe and let me know how it turns out! I’m always curious to hear how other people’s versions turn out. And if you mess it up the first time like I did, don’t give up. The third time really is the charm.

Now I’m craving this soup again just from writing about it. Thanks a lot, brain.

Happy cooking! (And may your vegetables cooperate better than mine usually do) 🍲