Potato leek soup is so creamy, comforting, and warm, and if you like potatoes, this soup is really hard not to like. Leeks are one of my favorite ingredients to cook with during the spring when they’re in peak season. They have a mild onion flavor, and you can use both the green and the white parts. While this recipe only calls for the whites, you can always save the greens for another purpose. OR you can sauté them with some oil and garlic and top your soup with them at the end.
the basics
Potato leek soup is a classic French dish, and follows the French culinary ethos of using simple, fresh ingredients. The two most important ingredients for this dish are – you guessed it – potatoes and leeks. Leeks are very easy to find this time of year, and even though they’re HUGE and leafy, they’re very easy to work with. Just make sure you clean your leaks very well, getting into the crevices, as they tend to be dirty straight from the store or the farmer’s market.
Then for your potatoes, you’ll want to use a light, semi-soft potato like Yukon Gold or basic yellow potatoes. Your choice if you want to keep the skins. I love the extra flavor and fiber, but it’s not for everyone!
Your other ingredients for potato leek soup are equally simple. You’ll need butter (preferably real, unsalted butter), celery, garlic, white wine (optional), veggie broth, heavy cream, and some herbs. The nice thing about potato leek soup is you can also customize it to your liking. Don’t like the heaviness of the cream? Add a splash of milk instead or omit it altogether. Want to add more veggies? Go for it, with veggies like diced carrots, onions, or greens.
an immersive experience
Now there are two really main textural ways to enjoy potato leek soup. You can blend the ingredients together to make a creamy bisque-like dish, or you can keep the vegetables whole so the soup remains brothy. Both ways are completely valid and delicious, but there are just a few things to think about before you decide.
If you go the blended route like I’ve done, the easiest tool to use is an immersion blender. You can keep all the components in the pot, and just remove it from the stove before blending everything up. You can also keep your veggie chunks larger so they’re easier to blend together. Another way to do this is to transfer the contents to a blender, and then transfer back to the pot to heat and season. If you choose the second method, just be very careful when handling the hot soup, and use oven mitts!
If you go the brothier route, you’ll want to make sure your veggies chunks (especially the potatoes) are a bit smaller so they’re bite sized.
Once you’re ready to make the soup, pick your methods and follow the instructions below. I hope you enjoy this soup as much as I do! Pair it with some crusty French bread and a simple leafy salad, and you are all set for a delicious, comforting dinner.
⟶ the recipe
potato leek soup
ingredients
2 tablespoons of butter
2-3 large leeks, chopped, white and light green parts only
2 stalks of celery, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
½ cup dry white wine
6 cups vegetable broth
1 ½ pounds white or yellow potatoes, diced
2 bay leaves
3-4 sprigs of thyme
½ cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper
Prep time
30 minutes
Cook time
30 minutes
Total time
1 hour
6 servings
instructions
Heat butter in a stockpot or large Dutch oven. Add the chopped leeks and celery, and cook for about 5 minutes, until leeks are soft and fragrant. Add garlic, stirring, and cook for another minute or two.
Add the white wine, vegetable broth, potatoes, bay leaves, and thyme. Stir the soup and make sure potatoes are fully submerged in the liquid.
Bring liquid to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 15 minutes. Potatoes should be fork tender. Remove pot from the heat.
Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until there are no large chunks remaining. Stir in the heavy cream, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Garnish with fresh parsley or chives and serve with a crusty bread.
⟶ recipe notes
- If you don’t have an immersion blender (which allows you to thoroughly blend the soup while it sits in the pot), you can transfer the soup to a blender and emulsify before transferring back to the pot. Just be careful during the transfer, as the soup will be very hot!
- If you prefer chunky soup, you don’t have to blend it at all! Just skip that step and make sure your potato chunks are bite-size when you initially dice them
- Save your leek greens! They don’t really work for this recipe, but the greens are a delicious and nutritious part of the leek. After separating them from the white and light green part, I store the greens in a large ziploc back and save them for another use
⟶ modifications
- I like to leave the skins on my potatoes, but if you’re not a fan you can definitely peel them first. I like the extra flavor and texture they give to the soup!
- If you’d prefer not to cook with alcohol, you can skip the wine and just add a little extra veggie broth
- This is a vegetarian recipe, but feel free to add some protein to the soup. Some chopped ham or pancetta would be delicious
⟶ store it
- Store soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can also freeze after the first 2 days, and reheat up to 3 months later
