As an elegant starter or a hearty vegetarian main dish, this easy Potato Leek Soup will really hit the spot!
Fresh, simple ingredients combined in the most amazing way will make this smooth, creamy, savory dish in under an hour.
Dreamy, creamy, and ridiculously simple, this Potato Leek Soup is the perfect comforting thing for a cold, dreary day.
A tasty vegetarian dish, leek and potato soup is wonderful on its own topped with crispy croutons and chopped chives. Or you can use it as an appetizer for a sophisticated dinner party. It’s so versatile that way!
If you need more deliciously creamy soups to make, be sure to try my cream of broccoli soup, roasted carrot soup, Hungarian mushroom soup, and creamy chicken florentine soup recipes.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Simple Ingredients – Potatoes, leeks, garlic, some fresh herbs, plus butter, cream, and broth. This soup is classic, rustic, and made with minimal ingredients, all of which are delicious and fresh.
- Easy to Make – This creamy potato leek soup recipe is made on the stovetop, and it’s ready in about 45 minutes.
- Versatile Recipe – As a starter, this recipe will serve 8, or you can serve potato leek soup with some bread or light sandwich and make it the main dish! In that case, plan on serving 4 to 6 people.
Key Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make this delicious and classic leek and potato soup recipe:
- Leeks: Part of the onion family, this vegetable has a flavor like mild garlic, and is perfect for soup-making.
- Potatoes: Choose a lower starch potato such as Yukon Gold in the US. If you’re in the UK, look for Maris Piper or King Edward Potatoes. In Australia, your best choice will be Sebago potatoes.
- Garlic, Thyme, Pepper, Salt: Simple seasonings are all you need.
- Heavy Cream: Use about a half cup of rich heavy cream to make your soup silky smooth and extra creamy.
- Stock: You can use either vegetable stock or chicken stock to make this recipe.
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
How To Make Potato Leek Soup
- Prep the Leeks: Wash the leeks well, and discard the dark green tops. Slice the light green and white parts of the leeks into thin slices.
- Sauté: In a Dutch oven or soup pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the sliced leeks and minced garlic. Saute until the leeks are soft, but don’t let them get brown. This should take about 10 minutes.
- Add the Potatoes: Once the leeks are soft, add the chopped potatoes, fresh thyme, salt, and pepper to the pot. Pour in the stock, ensuring that the potatoes are fully covered.
Tip!
You may need to add a bit more vegetable or chicken stock to fully cover the potatoes in the pot.
- Simmer: Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Partially cover the pot to allow steam to escape, and cook for 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft.
- Blend: Remove the soup from the heat. Discard the thyme sprigs, and use an immersion blender to blend the soup until smooth. Be careful not to overblend, as this can cause the texture of the soup to be sticky or gluey.
- Add Cream: Stir in the heavy cream and then taste the soup. Adjust with salt and pepper if needed before serving.
Recipe Tips
- To Prep the Leeks: It’s important to wash the leeks very well, as their layers will hold on to dirt from the growing process. I like to thinly slice the white and light green parts only of the leek, then rinse the slices in cold water to remove any grit. You can toss the tough dark green tops of the leeks, or save them to add flavor to your next batch of vegetable stock.
- Potato Choice is Important: While you can technically use any kind of potato to make potato leek soup, I suggest that you choose an all-purpose potato such as Yukon Gold. Russet potatoes can be used, but they will make the soup thicker, so you may need to adjust the amount of liquid.
- Don’t Blend Too Much: Use a hand blender, and blend only enough to make the soup smooth. Overmixing will make this soup sticky and unpleasantly textured.
- To Make Dairy-Free Soup: Omit the heavy cream, or replace it with canned coconut milk or cream. Even without any milk, the soup will still be delicious and creamy from the potatoes.
- Garnishes: Crunchy homemade croutons (or try my air fryer croutons) are so tasty with this creamy soup! Fresh chives or parsley will add a beautiful bit of color too.
Storing Tips
Leftover potato leek soup can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat servings on the stovetop over low heat, stirring occasionally until it’s warmed through.
To freeze this soup, allow it to cool first, then transfer it to freezer bags or containers. Soup with potatoes is best if you don’t keep it frozen for more than a month. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat the next day.
What To Serve With Potato Leek Soup
As you see here, I love to enjoy this rich and silky smooth soup with crunchy homemade croutons. It’s also delicious with slices of rustic bread or a side of homemade breadsticks.
This soup pairs well with sandwiches too. Just like at your favorite diner restaurant, soup and sandwiches make a wonderful dinner or lunch meal.
Try my tarragon chicken salad, chicken pesto sandwich, or a classic patty melt.
Recipe FAQs
Can I Make Leek Soup Without Potatoes?
For a lower-carb version of potato leek soup, try my recipe for cauliflower leek soup instead! It’s blended the same way so that it’s nice and creamy but without any potatoes.
Can I Make This Soup Without a Blender?
If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can mash the potatoes in the soup with a potato masher instead. The soup will be less smooth, but still delicious.
How Should I Clean Leeks?
Start by trimming off the roots and the dark green tops of the leeks. Then use a sharp knife to slice the leeks into thin pieces. Rinse the sliced leeks in cool running water to remove any grit.
This creamy and comforting Potato Leek Soup is a total mood booster for a dreary day. Enjoy this simple soup recipe, and don’t forget to Pin it so more people can enjoy it too.
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Potato Leek Soup
Equipment
- Immersion (stick) blender
Ingredients
- 3 leeks white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
- 2 pounds (900 g) potatoes See note 2, peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 3 tablespoons (39 g) butter
- 3 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- 6 cups (1.5 liters) vegetable or chicken stock
- ½ cup (240 ml) heavy cream double cream in the UK
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- Optional for garnish: chopped chives croutons
Instructions
- In a Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the sliced leeks and minced garlic. Sauté until the leeks are soft but not browned, about 10 minutes.
- Add the chopped potatoes, fresh thyme, salt, and pepper to the pot. Pour in the stock, ensuring that the potatoes are completely covered (add more stock if necessary).
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Partially cover the pot and cook for 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft.
- Remove the pot from heat. Discard the thyme sprigs. Use an immersion blender to blend the soup until smooth. Be careful not to over-blend, as this can affect the texture.
- Stir in the heavy cream and adjust the salt and pepper according to your taste.
- Serve the soup warm in bowls. Garnish with chopped chives and croutons if desired.
Notes:
- To Prep the Leeks: It’s important to wash the leeks very well, as their layers will hold on to dirt from the growing process. I like to thinly slice the white and light green parts only of the leek, then rinse the slices in cold water to remove any grit. You can toss the tough dark green tops of the leeks, or save them to add flavor to your next batch of vegetable stock.
- Potato Choice is Important: While you can technically use any kind of potato to make potato leek soup, I suggest that you choose an all-purpose potato such as Yukon Gold. Russet potatoes can be used, but they will make the soup thicker, so you may need to adjust the amount of liquid.
- Don’t Blend Too Much: Use a hand blender, and blend only enough to make the soup smooth. Overmixing will make this soup sticky and unpleasantly textured.
- To Make Dairy-Free Soup: Omit the heavy cream, or replace it with canned coconut milk or cream. Even without any milk, the soup will still be delicious and creamy from the potatoes.
- Serving Size: This recipe will serve 8 as an appetizer or 4-6 as a main dish.
- To Store: The soup can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month. Reheat gently before serving to maintain the creamy texture.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
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