Creamy Vegan Potato Spinach Soup

I wanted to make a vegan version of the potato soups I used to love at restaurants, and I came up with this variation. It's rich, creamy, delicious and most importantly, filling!

6 Russet potatoes

5-10 vegan bacon strips (like Smart Bacon), depending on how bacony you like your soup

Olive oil for cooking

1 onion

2 cloves garlic

3 cups baby spinach (about 1 bag)

1/2 cup vegan sour cream

4-6 cups vegetable broth

2 tbsp. nutritional yeast

1 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp finely chopped basil

Salt and pepper to taste

Depending on your preference, you can either peel your potatoes before boiling, or boil & then peel them. Both ways work well, although I find that I get much less waste if I boil the potatoes before peeling. Drain and allow the cooked potatoes to cool before handling.

While your potatoes are boiling and cooling, prepare the other ingredients for the soup.

Heat just enough oil to cook the bacon strips in a large skillet. Stack the bacon strips on top of each other and cut into strips of about 1/4 inch in width. Cook in heated oil until crispy, stirring regularly to keep the strips from sticking. Remove from oil and drain on a paper towel.

In the same skillet used for the bacon, add about one cup of vegetable broth and bring to a slow simmer. Finely chop the onion and garlic and add to the broth. Cover and cook until soft, about 5-10 minutes.

While the onion and garlic are cooking, chop the spinach into small pieces, about 1/4 inch in width. Add to the skillet when the onion and garlic are soft. Cover and cook until the spinach is wilted.

Put the boiled and peeled potatoes in a food processor or blender and blend until still slightly chunky. Transfer to a large pot over medium heat and add in spinach mixture and 3/4 of the bacon. Stir until combined. Set aside the remainder of the bacon for garnishing.

Add the sour cream and stir until fully blended with the potato mixture. Gradually add vegetable stock until the soup is the consistency desired. Stir in seasonings and cover. Allow to simmer for approximately 20 minutes.

Check the seasonings after the soup has simmered and adjust if necessary. Serve while hot and garnish with remaining bacon pieces.