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As cozy as it is comforting, Potato Leek Soup is just the remedy for a cold, dreary day. Leeks and garlic add a subtle layer of flavor to the earthy and noble potato.
Potato Leek Soup is of the easiest, quicklest soups in the world to make. I sauté garlic and leeks in butter then add potatoes, a bay leaf, and broth, simmering until the potatoes are soft. Afterwards, I purée it until it’s smooth and I finish it off with some heavy cream to make this potato soup really irresistible.
My recipe keeps things simple, so all you need is a few easily-sourced ingredients, a little time, and your favorite mystery novel while the soup cooks. While Spring may be around the corner, this soup makes it easy to hibernate for one more day.
Table of Contents
Ingredient notes
- Leeks: Leeks are grown by having sand and dirt piled up around the base of the plant (the part under the dirt stays white). Because of this, leeks tend to be quite dirty and need to be washed carefully. To clean leeks, trim both the root end and the top where the dark green leaves begin. Cut the remaining white section in half lengthwise to expose the layers. Rinse the layers thoroughly in a basin of water until no dirt remains. Transfer to a cutting board and slice thinly. Discard the green parts.
- Potatoes: For thick and creamy puréed soups, I like to use high-starch russet potatoes. If you like a chunky soup with a little more texture, use Yukon Gold potatoes, as they hold their shape better.
Step-by-step instructions
- In a Dutch oven or large saucepan, melt butter until foaming. Add leeks and soften without browning, about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add broth, potatoes, bay leaf, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper, and bring to a simmer (do not boil). Simmer over medium-low heat until leeks and potatoes are fork-tender, about 30 minutes.
- Remove bay leaf. Using an immersion blender or regular blender, puree soup until smooth (work in batches if necessary). Return to pot and stir in cream. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Serve hot garnished with chives.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: This recipe makes about 6 servings of hearty Potato Leek Soup.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Equipment: A stick (immersion) blender works wonders, but you can use a traditional blender too. No matter what you use, please use caution when blending hot liquids.
- No leeks: Substitute 1 large onion for the leeks.
- Garnishes: Think of this soup as a sort of baked potato when choosing a garnish: top with crumbles of crisp bacon, scallions, chopped dill, fresh thyme sprigs, or a dollop of sour cream. Whatever you might like on your potatoes, you’ll love it on this soup. A squeeze of lemon juice is good too!
- Hot or cold: You can serve this soup hot or cold. Vichyssoise, a French potato leek soup, is traditionally eaten chilled. But because this recipe is made with chicken stock, I like to serve it piping hot, especially when it’s chilly outside.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you’re avoiding dairy, use olive oil for sautéing the leeks, and finish the soup with unsweetened nut milk in place of cream.
Vegetarians and omnivores alike will enjoy this recipe if you make it with vegetable stock instead of chicken broth.
While some soups might be thickened with flour, this particular Potato Leek Soup recipe is gluten-free.
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Potato Leek Soup
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup butter (½ stick)
- 4 large leeks white part only, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced (see note 1)
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 quarts chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 2 pounds potatoes peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes (see note 2)
- 1 bay leaf
- salt and ground white pepper
- 1 cup heavy cream
- fresh chives sliced, for garnish
Instructions
- In a Dutch oven or large saucepan, melt butter until foaming. Add leeks and soften without browning, about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add broth, potatoes, bay leaf, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper, and bring to a simmer (do not boil). Simmer until leeks and potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes.
- Remove bay leaf. Using an immersion or regular blender, puree soup until smooth. Return to pot and stir in cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve hot garnished with chives.
Notes
- Leeks: Leeks are grown by having sand and dirt piled up around the base of the plant (the part under the dirt stays white). Because of this, leeks tend to be quite dirty and need to be washed carefully. To clean leeks, trim both the root end and the top where the dark green leaves begin. Cut the remaining white section in half lengthwise to expose the layers. Rinse the layers thoroughly in a basin of water until no dirt remains. Transfer to a cutting board and slice thinly. Discard the green parts.
- Potatoes: For thick puréed soups, I like to use high-starch russet potatoes. If you like a chunky soup with a little more texture, use Yukon Golds, as they hold their shape better.
- Yield: This recipe makes about 6 servings of hearty Potato Leek Soup.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.
hey MEGGAN, Thanks for Potato leek soup publish. I like it very much. But I get a new idea from your recipes. This is a very easy way to make it. But I don”t use heavy cream to make it. I use a normal white cream. and I hope that it is best for me.