For week #36 of my 2018 challenge to try one new whole-food plant-based (WFPB) recipe each week, I created this WFPB version of cheesy potato soup.

Years ago I learned a cheesy potato soup recipe that was an instant hit with my family. This recipe used:

• Butter and white flour cooked together to form a roux

• Ham or bacon

• Whole milk

• Lots of cheese

• Chicken broth

• Potatoes, celery, carrots, and onion

Of course it was an instant hit. I mean, how can these ingredients not be delicious?

The challenge was to make a healthier, entirely plant-based version of this soup. And I’m happy to say that I succeeded! :)

What I like about this recipe (besides the fact that it's healthy):

• It’s delicious comfort food.

• You can make a huge pot and enjoy it throughout the week.

• It’s a nice way to prepare lots of veggies at one time.

What I ended up using/doing:

Ingredients:

• One 5-pound bag of potatoes, cleaned and diced. I used gold potatoes and left the peels intact.

• Half of a package of celery (about 8 stalks), cleaned and diced

• Half of a package of carrots (4-6 large carrots), cleaned and diced. I’ve also used shredded carrots before. (Since the shreds are a bit long, I usually chop them up shorter.)

• One medium to large yellow onion, peeled and diced

• 1 sweet potato, peeled and cut in half. (Do not dice the sweet potato. This will later be removed and pureed, to thicken and add color to the soup.)

• 32 oz. water

• Salt to taste (Start with 1 Tbsp Kosher salt and go from there.)

• Pepper to taste (I used 1 tsp.)

• 32 oz. unsweetened almond milk

• Chopped fresh green onions for garnish (optional)

Steps:

1. Add all except last two ingredients (almond milk and green onions) to a large stock pot.

2. Bring to a boil, then simmer over medium heat until the veggies have softened, about 45 minutes.

3. Remove the sweet potato and a couple cups of the cooked soup. Let this cool a bit, then puree in a blender. (Be careful with hot foods in a blender, as the steam can cause pressure to build up, creating an explosion of hot liquids.) Alternatively, you can use an immersion blender.

4. Add the pureed mixture back into the soup. This will thicken the soup and give it a nice “cheesy” appearance.

5. Add 4 cups almond milk to the soup and mix well. Warm over low heat if necessary. (Avoid boiling the soup once the almond milk has been added.)

6. Dish soup into bowls.

7. Get fancy and garnish with some fresh chopped green onions, if you wish. :)

8. Enjoy!