Vegan Cullen Skink (Scottish Soup)
Hold the haddock and step into the wonderful world of vegan cullen skink. This recipe takes the traditional Scottish soup and gives it a plant-based makeover for a tasty dish that's fish-free, dairy-free, and gluten-free.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon plant-based butter
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1.3 lb (600 g) potatoes, scrubbed and diced into 1 cm cubes
- 1 bay leaf
- Small handful fresh parsley (leaves and stems)
- 7 oz (200 g) smoked tofu, cut into small cubes or 'flakes' (save any packaging liquid)
- 1x 14 oz (400 g) tin banana blossom, drained and cut into bite-sized pieces (optional – see notes)
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika (plus more to taste)
- 7 oz (200 ml) unsweetened soy milk
- 7 oz (200 ml) cashew cream (see notes)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat the butter in a large saucepan on medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion and soften for 5-6 minutes, stirring regularly and reducing the heat if starting to colour. Season with salt and pepper.
- Once the onions are soft, add the diced potatoes and 3 cups (720 ml) of water. Finely chop the parsley stems and add these along with the bay leaf and any smoky liquid from the tofu packaging. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 12-15 minutes until the potatoes are starting to soften.
- Optional step: Once the potatoes have softened – and before adding the other ingredients – I like to gently mash some of them in the pan to get a mix of textures. It's completely up to you how much or little you want to mash.
- Next, add the tofu pieces, banana blossom pieces, nutritional yeast, smoked paprika, soy milk, and cashew cream. There'll likely be some smaller bits in the banana blossom tin, so add these as well. Season again with salt and pepper and simmer for 5 minutes to let everything come together.
- After 5 minutes, adjust the seasoning (I'll often add a little extra salt and smoked paprika), remove the bay leaf, and serve with chopped parsley leaves.🌱 Serving suggestions >📸 See recipe steps >📖 Table of contents >
Notes
Banana blossom: It's not exactly the same as fish, but it's a fun ingredient to try out and adds lots of flaky texture to dishes like this. If you don't have it, you could try ingredients such as jackfruit, heart of palm, artichoke hearts, mushrooms, or simply leave it out.
See my recipe for vegan 'fish' pie to learn more.
Cashew cream: I really like the combination of soy milk and homemade cashew cream, but you could use another plant-based cream (or extra soy milk). If you only want enough cashew cream for this soup recipe, you'll want approx. ½ cup (75 g) raw cashews to ½ cup (120 ml) water, blitzed thoroughly in a high-speed blender until very smooth.
See more recipes with cashew cream.
Seasoning: Keep checking and adjusting the levels of salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. You don't want them to be overpowering, but at the same time you don't want the soup to be too bland.
Other flavours: This recipe is intended to be fairly delicate in terms of flavour, but you could also try adding the likes of seaweed flakes, caper brine, lemon, or a small dash of liquid smoke.
Gluten-free: This recipe is 100% gluten-free as written.
Storage: Once cool, you can store the soup in the fridge for up to four days or freezer for up to six months.
See recipe testing notes and recipe FAQ sections for more info.
* The nutrition info below is for one serving, based on a total of four servings.
Nutrition
Calories: 327kcalCarbohydrates: 41gProtein: 14gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0.01gSodium: 377mgPotassium: 1224mgFiber: 8gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 575IUVitamin C: 35mgVitamin D: 1µgCalcium: 112mgIron: 25mg
Nutrition Facts
Vegan Cullen Skink (Scottish Soup)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 327
Calories from Fat 117
% Daily Value*
Fat 13g20%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Trans Fat 0.01g
Polyunsaturated Fat 3g
Monounsaturated Fat 6g
Sodium 377mg16%
Potassium 1224mg35%
Carbohydrates 41g14%
Fiber 8g33%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 14g28%
Vitamin A 575IU12%
Vitamin C 35mg42%
Vitamin D 1µg7%
Calcium 112mg11%
Iron 25mg139%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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