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This Dairy Free Loaded Potato Soup is a lightened-up version of two soups you grew up loving! It has all of the flavors of Broccoli Cheese Soup and Loaded Baked Potato Soup without any dairy or gluten (regular dairy option included).
Why You'll Love This Loaded Potato Soup Recipe
This Dairy Free Loaded Potato Soup Recipe with broccoli and “cheese” tastes like your favorite cheesy potato soup you loved growing up, except without the dairy and gluten!
It’s a combination of broccoli cheese soup and creamy potato soup with all your favorite toppings- bacon and green onions (and chives if you want!). Basically, it's the stuff dreams are made of and one of my favorite comfort foods! Nothing better than a warm bowl of soup on a cold day.
This hearty soup is a complete meal on its own! Serve with some crusty bread – gluten-free of course- and enjoy! This soup comes together in just 30 minutes and makes amazing leftovers, as well. It is also Whole30-friendly and packed with nutrient-dense, good-for-you ingredients.
I've made this recipe completely dairy-free, but I have the option of making it with regular dairy if desired.
Recipe Highlights
- Gluten free & dairy free
- Easy, creamy soup recipe made with simple ingredients
- No heavy cream needed (but you can use regular dairy if you want!)
- Whole30 & Paleo-friendly
- Nut-free option included
- Pure comfort food made healthier!
- Perfect weeknight meal for the whole family!
Ingredient Notes
- Bacon: I like to use sugar-free bacon from Butcher Box. Use your favorite brand.
- Ghee: This is clarified butter and you can find it at your local grocery store. Use olive oil or dairy-free butter for dairy allergies. If you're not dairy-free, feel free to use regular butter.
- Onion: White onion or yellow onion will work.
- Carrots: Baby carrots or fully peeled and chopped carrots will work.
- Garlic
- Fresh potatoes: I’ve found that Russet potatoes work best for this recipe and give it a nice smooth and creamy texture. I have not tried it with red potatoes, but Yukon gold potatoes could also work. If you try this with a different kind of potato, let me know how it turns out!
- Chicken broth: Chicken stock also works. Vegetable broth can be subbed for a vegetarian version of this dairy free potato soup. My favorite brand is Kettle and Fire – they make a great Whole30-compliant chicken broth.
- Broccoli florets: Pre-chopped bagged, or fresh chopped from a head of broccoli will both work.
- Cashews: These make an incredible dairy-free cashew cream sauce when pureed. Make sure to use raw and unsalted. See the recipe card for a nut-free option. If not dairy-free, feel free to substitute heavy cream or whole milk.
- Nutritional yeast: This is deactivated yeast, and it gives dishes a “cheesy” flavor without the dairy! It’s also loaded with vitamins. If not dairy-free, you can use shredded sharp cheddar cheese or mild cheddar if desired.
- Lemon juice: You can also sub a splash of apple cider vinegar if you do not have lemons.
- Spices: Paprika, onion powder, salt, and black pepper.
- Garnish with green onions and fresh chives.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1
Place the cashews in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Let them soak while you make the soup. If using regular dairy, skip this step.
Step 2
Set your oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Lay the bacon pieces out flat on the baking sheet and cook until crispy, approximately 12-15 minutes. (No need to let the oven pre-heat first – just pop the pan in!) When the bacon is done, remove the pan from the oven and drain it on a paper towel-lined plate. While the bacon is cooking, chop your onions, carrots, and chunks of potatoes. Heat your cooking oil of choice in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add in onions, carrots, and garlic. Sauté for 3-4 minutes until they begin to soften.
Step 3
Add in the potatoes, chicken broth, paprika, onion powder, 1 tsp of sea salt, and black pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook for 10 minutes until fork tender.
Step 4
Stir in the broccoli and cook for an additional 10 minutes.
Step 5
Remove 1 cup of diced potatoes from the pot using a slotted spoon and place them into a high-powered blender.
Step 6
Drain the cashews and add them to the blender along with the nutritional yeast, lemon juice, remaining 1 tsp of sea salt, and water.
Step 7
Blend on high for 1 minute or until it becomes very thick and creamy.
Step 8
Pour the mixture into the soup pot and stir well until combined. Taste test and add more salt and pepper if needed. I recommend using a high-speed blender and not an immersion blender for this. Break the cooked bacon into pieces. Serve the soup topped with the crispy bacon bits and chopped green onion. Fresh chives are also a great garnish.
Expert Tips & Variations
- Thickness: If it’s too thick for your liking, you can add additional chicken broth at the end to thin it out.
- No oven version: To avoid using the oven, you can cook the bacon pieces first directly in the large pot or in a large skillet on the stove top while you are chopping the vegetables. Remove the bacon pieces using a slotted spoon and set them aside to drain. Use the rendered bacon fat to saute the onions, carrots, and garlic, and omit the cooking oil. This will increase prep time by 5 minutes.
- Nut-free: To make this nut-free, you can use 1 cup full-fat coconut milk or coconut cream in place of the cashews. Reduce water to 1 cup. I personally do not think it gives this soup a strong coconut flavor. You can also use light coconut milk if preferred.
- Vegetarian: To make this into a vegan potato soup recipe, use vegetable stock instead of chicken broth and omit the bacon. You could also use vegan bacon.
- Dairy Option: If you want to make this with full dairy, feel free to substitute butter and ½ cup heavy cream for the cashew cream. Serve with a dollop of sour cream for extra creaminess if desired.
Serving and Storage Tips
Serve this loaded potato soup garnished with bacon, chives, and green onions. If you're making a regular dairy option, feel free to top it with shredded cheese and sour cream as well.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To freeze, simply add the soup to an airtight freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 6 months.
More Gluten Free Soup Recipes
The BEST Dairy Free Loaded Baked Potato Soup Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 8 strips sugar free bacon, omit for vegan
- 1 tbsp ghee or olive oil
- ½ medium onion, diced
- 3 carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 lbs russett potatoes , (3 medium or 4 small), peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
- 4 cups chicken broth, + more to thin it out
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 2 tsp sea salt, divided
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 2 cups chopped broccoli florets
- 1 cup raw, unsalted cashews*, see notes for sub!
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 ½ cups water
- 2 green onions, diced, for garnish
Instructions
- Place the cashews in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Let them soak while you make the soup.
- Set your oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Lay the bacon pieces out flat on the baking sheet and cook until crispy, approximately 12-15 minutes. (No need to let the oven pre-heat first – just pop the pan in!) When the bacon is done, remove the pan from the oven and drain them on a paper towel-lined plate.
- While the bacon is cooking, chop your onions, carrots, and potatoes. Heat your cooking oil of choice in a large stock pot over medium heat. Add in onions, carrots, and garlic. Saute for 3-4 minutes until they begin to soften. Add in the potatoes, chicken broth, paprika, onion powder, 1 tsp of the sea salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook for 10 minutes.
- Stir in the broccoli and cook for an additional 10 minutes.
- Remove 1 cup of diced potatoes from the pot using a slotted spoon and place them into a high-powdered blender. Drain the cashews and add them to the blender along with the nutritional yeast, lemon juice, remaining 1 tsp of sea salt, and water. Blend on high for 1 minute or until it becomes very thick and creamy. Pour the mixture into the soup pot and stir well until combined. Taste test and add more salt and pepper if needed.
- Break the bacon into pieces. Serve the soup topped with bacon bits and chopped green onion.
Notes
Expert Tips & Variations
- Thickness: If it’s too thick for your liking, you can add additional chicken broth at the end to thin it out.
- No oven version: To avoid using the oven, you can cook the bacon pieces first directly in the large pot or in a large skillet on the stove top while you are chopping the vegetables. Remove the bacon pieces using a slotted spoon and set them aside to drain. Use the rendered bacon fat to saute the onions, carrots, and garlic, and omit the cooking oil. This will increase prep time by 5 minutes.
- Nut-free: To make this nut-free, you can use 1 cup full-fat coconut milk or coconut cream in place of the cashews. Reduce water to 1 cup. I personally do not think it gives this soup a strong coconut flavor. You can also use light coconut milk if preferred.
- Vegetarian: To make this into a vegan potato soup recipe, use vegetable stock instead of chicken broth and omit the bacon. You could also use vegan bacon.
- Dairy Option: If you want to make this with full dairy, feel free to substitute butter and heavy cream. Serve with a dollop of sour cream for extra creaminess if desired.
Serving and Storage Tips
Serve this loaded potato soup garnished with bacon, chives, and green onions. If you're making a regular dairy option, feel free to top it with shredded cheese and sour cream as well. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To freeze, simply add the soup to an airtight freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 6 months.Nutrition
All nutrition facts are an estimate and automatically calculated. While I fact check them using My Fitness Pal, please note that they may not always be 100% accurate and depend on ingredients used. Weigh your total and divide by the number of servings for the most accurate grams per serving size.
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This dairy free potato soup recipe was originally published on November 24, 2019 and updated with new content and photos on July 21, 2024. Updated again with new photos and content on July 22, 2024.
Love this soup! Made it many times
Thank you!!
Love this! I’m gluten and dairy, free but not vegan so this was perfect. From what I’ve experienced with vegan cheese sauce recipes, this would probably be good with vegetable broth would be just about as good.
This was so good! I was looking for a way to use some of my potatoes from the garden and I’m so glad I found this recipe! It’s similar to a summer corn chowder recipe I make, so I blended a little more of the potatoes (I also used more potatoes than the recipe called for) and didn’t use the cashews or coconut milk (mostly bc I didn’t have either) and it was delicious, I even forgot to add the bacon, haha!! I put a few servings in the in the freezer for easy lunches 😊. Great recipe!!
Thank you Sarah!
This is the best soup I have ever made! My husband absolutely loves it. It’s super filling and the bacon on top adds an extra kick.
Thank you, Kim!
This is one of my absolute favorite recipes! The soup is thick and “cheesy” and oh so tasty! I found Mary when I was doing my first round of Whole 30. And now she is my go-to for healthy recipes because they are always full of flavor while being nourishing and wholesome.
Thank you Amber! Means a lot!!
This is my daughter’s weekly request! Another smashing success from Mary’s whole life!
Thank you Maggie!!
This soup was so comforting and delicious! You definitely don’t even miss the dairy 😉
Thanks Erin!!
We eat this on a regular basis. You don’t miss the dairy at all.
I’m so glad you love it!
Loves this recipe! And made it without the bacon and it was still delicious. Even my picky eaters enjoyed it!
Glad to hear it! Thanks, Ellen!
I’m such a fan of broccoli cheddar soup, this was delicious!
Great option for Friday’s during Lent or just something to warm you up in the winter. You’d never know there wasn’t dairy in it!
I appreciate your review so much, thank you!