Mmmm, comfort food. This soup is smooth, creamy and will warm you up from the inside out; the perfect fit for a cold rainy day.

Most leek and potato soups are already super yummy, but this soup kicks it up a notch with the addition of marinated artichoke hearts and hemp seeds. The artichokes give a pop of flavour and add to the luxurious, creamy texture while providing lots of gut-healthy fibre. Artichokes are also a great antioxidant and are low in calories. Hemp seeds amp up the protein intake and fill out the body of the soup, helping you feel full and satisfied. If you’re using organic potatoes leave those skins on as they’re a great source of fibre and nutrients!

I often make this soup on its own for dinner; a heaping bowl each with a side of homemade bread for my husband and I goes a long way. If you really enjoy a chunky soup, you can always double your toppings making a super filling single bowl dinner. You can forgo the topping altogether if you like, but I find it really does make this soup exceptional.

Creamy Artichoke, Leek & Potato Soup

Soup:
1 Tbsp. extra virgin organic olive oil
2 Leeks, white parts and a little bit of the green, cleaned and sliced thin
1/3 Cup yellow onion, chopped
3 Cloves of garlic, minced
2 ½ Cups of potatoes, diced into small pieces*
1 Tsp. dried thyme, or the leaves of 2 sprigs of fresh thyme
½ Tsp. dried oregano
¼ Tsp. sea salt
1 Tbsp. nutritional yeast flakes
3 Cups vegetable broth
¼ Cup hemp seeds**
1 Cup marinated artichoke hearts, chopped and divided in two
Almond milk (for thinning, while blending)
Squeeze of lemon juice

Topping:
The other ½ cup marinated artichoke hearts, chopped
2 green onions, finely chopped
Hemp hearts, to sprinkle on top
Vegan sour cream, regular sour cream or plain Greek yoghurt
Sea salt and pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large pot, add leeks, onion and garlic, sauté until translucent.

Add potato, thyme, oregano and nutritional yeast to the pot making sure to stir well to combine. Add the vegetable broth and bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer until potatoes are cooked through, stirring occasionally to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pot. Once potatoes are cooked through add hemp hearts and artichokes, stir to combine.

Use an emersion blender to blend everything until creamy, adding almond milk to thin out as needed. (You can also use a normal blender, but be sure to let the soup cool before blending. You don’t want hot soup exploding all over! Return to pot once blended.)

Season with salt and pepper to taste and let the soup simmer on low heat for 5 to 10 minutes.

When you’re ready to serve, top with a dollop of sour cream, green onions, chopped artichokes and more salt/pepper to taste.

*Note: I like to use the pulp left over from making my hemp milk in this recipe. Top off with whole shelled seeds if you don’t have enough pulp for the whole ¼ cup.

Enjoy!

Sprouted Tip: Keep those skins on! Potato skins provide a wealth of nutrients including vitamins, minerals and fibre. Make sure to use organic potatoes as non-organic skins can contain unwanted chemicals and pesticides.