IRISH POTATO-CHEESE SOUP WITH RED ALE, VEGAN

Here’s the recipe for my vegan version of this luscious Irish soup, perfect for St. Patrick’s Day. And here’s the full story — in which you’ll learn a lot about its ingredients, and a smattering of Irish history.

RECIPE NOTE: This is very adaptable. You may use all leeks or all onions instead of a combination of the two; the potatoes may be peeled or unpeeled; and you may use a more readily available beer or ale. This is the dairy-free version (for the traditional full-cream-and-cheese version, click here).

In any case, this is a full meal when served with a spinach salad and whole grain toast or crisp baguette slices. For dessert, try my baked apples.

INGREDIENTS

 1/3 cup Miyoko’s Vegan Cultured Butter

2 medium onions, chopped (about 2 cups)

Leeks often hide quite a bit of soil, hence the detailed directions on washing them.

3 medium leeks, white and light green part only, slit lengthwise, de-rooted, very well washed, and sliced

3/4 cup sliced celery (about 3 stalks)

10 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled or not as you prefer, and coarsely chopped

1 can (12-ounce) Irish red ale

4 cups vegetable broth 

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 to 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

4 cups unsweetened, unflavored plant-based milk (I tested this using half almond milk, half macadamia nut milk; this was perfect)

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 cup nutritional yeast

1 7.5 ounces Miyoko’s Farmhouse-style non-dairy Sharp Farmhouse cheese wheel, crumbled

3/4 cup finely minced parsley (optional)

nicely browned strips of smoked tempeh, sch as Light Life’s “Fakin’ Bacon” crumbled (optional, but really good)

Instructions

1. Melt 2 tablespoons of the plant-based butter in a 6- to 8-quart stockpot. Add onion, leek and celery; cook over medium heat about 10 minutes.
2. Add potatoes, ale, stock, salt and pepper, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 35 minutes. Mash a few of the potatoes against the pot, to thicken the soup slightly.
3. Melt remaining plant-based butter in a medium saucepan; gradually add flour, whisking until smooth. Cook 3 minutes over medium-low heat, stirring constantly. Slowly stir in non-dairy milk, whisking until hot and thickened. Add turmeric, nutritional yeast, and crumbled Miyoko’s cheddar cheese. Stir until melted (it’s okay if a few crumbles of cheese remain).
4. Combine the potato mixture and plant-based milk-and-cheese mixture, combining. Cook over very low heat 10 minutes. (If you haven’t already browned the tempeh bacon, this would be a good time to do that).
5. Ladle into soup bowls and sprinkle with parsley, and tempeh bacon.Makes 8 entree-sized servings (when accompanied by bread and salad).

For another Irish recipe, see my Guinness Stout Chocolate Cake.