Cream of Vegetables Soup
Cream of vegetables soup is a velvety, blended soup made from a handful of humble root vegetables, olive oil, and a splash of vegan cooking cream, ready in about 30 minutes. It is the kind of warm, spoonable comfort food you reach for when the weather turns dull and cold, and it comes together with barely any effort. If you love hearty veggies, this is today’s recipe for you.
When I look out the window and see that grey, cold weather outside, there is only one thing that pops into my mind: comfort food. Creamy soups, to be more precise. What could cure a bad day better than a big bowl of cream of vegetables soup? Carrots, potatoes, zucchini, parsnip, sweet potato, and some good olive oil. I literally can’t think of a better combo. 🙂
The vegetables that make this soup so creamy
The beauty of this soup is that every ingredient is one you probably already have in the pantry or the crisper drawer. Here is what each one brings to the bowl:
- Carrots (5) are the base. They give the soup its natural sweetness and that warm orange colour.
- Potatoes (2, peeled) are what make the texture thick and smooth. Their starch is the secret to a creamy body without any dairy.
- Zucchini (1) keeps things light and fresh. It cooks fast, so it goes in later than the rest.
- Parsnip (1, peeled) adds a gentle, earthy sweetness that rounds out the carrots.
- Sweet potato (1, peeled) deepens both the colour and the natural sweetness. If you love it, I have a whole roundup of vegan sweet potato recipes.
- Olive oil (4 Tbsp) blends in for richness and a silky mouthfeel.
- Vegan cooking cream (250 ml). I prefer using rice or soy cream, as it doesn’t have a strong flavour compared to coconut cream, for example, which can take over the whole pot.
- The cooking water, salt, and pepper to finish. More on the water below, because it does more than you would expect.
How to make cream of vegetables soup
What I love most about creamy vegetable soups is that, besides their amazing taste, they are so easy to make. You just boil some veggies and then throw them in a blender with cooking cream, spices, and olive oil, and you are good to go. It doesn’t get easier than this, trust me.
- Cut the vegetables into cubes and put them to boil in lightly salted water, except for the zucchini, which you add after 10 minutes.
- Let the vegetables boil for 20 minutes, or until they are fork-tender.
- Turn off the heat and drain the cooking water into a separate bowl. Don’t throw it out, you will need it in a moment.
- Add the boiled vegetables to a blender with the olive oil, the cooking cream, and a little of the reserved water.
- Blend until smooth, adding more of that water until you reach the consistency you like.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve warm.
A few small things make a real difference here. Cut all the vegetables to a similar size so they cook evenly and finish at the same time. Adding the zucchini ten minutes late keeps it from turning to mush and helps the soup taste fresh rather than flat. Blending the vegetables while they are still hot gives you the smoothest cream, and the olive oil and vegan cream emulsify into that glossy, velvety texture. For this recipe, in order to speed things up and preserve as many ingredients as possible, I used some of the water in which the veggies boiled to adjust the consistency. It is starchy and flavourful enough in my opinion, so I prefer using what I have on hand rather than reaching for fresh water.
Easy swaps, add-ins, and other creamy soups
The sky is the limit when it comes to a yummy cream of vegetables soup, and I am all for it. This recipe is so easy to adapt and improve, and if you hate throwing away old veggies as much as I do, you can even make it with whatever scraps or leftovers you have in the back of your fridge or in your pantry. Swap in a handful of cauliflower, a leftover leek, or a few celery stalks and the method stays exactly the same.
If you get hooked on blended soups like I am, there are plenty more to explore. Try a cream of parsnip soup when you want something a little more delicate, a cream of potato and carrot soup for pure comfort, or a bowl of creamy peas soup for a fresh, green change of pace.
What to serve with your bowl of soup
A creamy soup like this is lovely on its own, but it turns into a proper meal with something to dip or crunch alongside it. A slice of warm crusty bread is the classic move. For something more substantial, I like serving it with a crisp side like this broccoli salad for contrast, or a plate of zucchini fritters to scoop through the cream. Both add texture that plays nicely against the smooth soup.
Storing and meal-prepping this soup
You may know about my love for organization and meal prepping, and this soup is a number one recommendation. It keeps beautifully in an airtight container in the fridge for three to four days, and it reheats gently on the stove or in the microwave. Stir in a splash of water or cream if it has thickened as it sat. It also freezes well, so it fits right in with the rest of my freezer-friendly meal-prep ideas. Cool it fully, portion it into containers, and thaw overnight in the fridge before warming through.
These being said, I hope I convinced you to try this delicious cream of vegetables soup soon. If you do, come back and give it a star rating, and tell me in the comments which veggies you threw in and how thick you like yours. I am always curious to read your opinions and experiences.
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Cream of vegetables soup
Ingredients
- 5 carrots
- 2 potatoes peeled
- 1 zucchini
- 1 parsnip peeled
- 1 sweet potato peeled
- 4 Tbsp olive oil
- 250 ml vegan cooking cream rice or soy
- the water in which the veggies have boiled as much as you want; we'll use it to adjust the soup's consistency
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cut the vegetables into cubes and put them to a boil in water with a little bit of salt (except for the zucchini, which you’ll add after 10 minutes).
- Let the vegetables boil for 20 minutes or until they’re tender.
- Turn off the heat and drain the water in which they boiled in a bowl.
- Add the boiled vegetables to a mixer or blender with olive oil, cooking cream, and a bit of water.
- Mix until you achieve a smooth cream. Add water until you reach the desired consistency.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. This version is fully plant-based. It uses vegan cooking cream (rice or soy), olive oil, and vegetables, with no butter, milk, or dairy cream. It works as an everyday vegan comfort meal that everyone at the table can enjoy.
This recipe uses carrots, potatoes, zucchini, parsnip, and sweet potato. The potatoes and sweet potato give it body, while carrots and parsnip bring natural sweetness. The mix is flexible, so you can swap in whatever root vegetables or leftovers you have on hand.
The creaminess comes from two things: starchy vegetables and a good blend. Potatoes and sweet potato release starch as they cook, which thickens the soup naturally. Blending the hot vegetables with olive oil and vegan cooking cream emulsifies everything into a smooth, velvety texture, no dairy needed.
Zucchini is much softer than roots like carrot, parsnip, and potato, so it cooks far more quickly. Adding it after the first 10 minutes keeps it from overcooking into mush and helps the finished soup taste fresh rather than flat.
Save the water the vegetables boiled in and add it back gradually while blending. It is starchy and flavourful, so it thins the soup without watering down the taste. Add a little at a time until you reach the thickness you like, whether that is a thick purée or a pourable cream.
Absolutely, this soup is made for meal prep. It keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for three to four days and reheats well on the stove or in the microwave. It also freezes nicely; cool it completely, portion it, and thaw overnight in the fridge before warming through. Stir in a splash of water or cream if it has thickened.
Simple and delicious, just how I like it. Yum!