Classic potato leek soup

This potato leek soup recipe is archetype and lusciously creamy! Cozy up to a trencher of this simple fall favorite.

Here’s a linty soup recipe that stands whilom the rest: Potato Leek Soup! There’s just something well-nigh cupping your hands virtually a steaming trencher or mug that comforts the soul, isn’t there? This archetype combines the sophisticated sweet essence of leeks with unobtrusive potatoes and rich surf for a truly luxurious dish. Here’s our spin on the archetype recipe: silky smooth, and warming. It’s the platonic winter or fall soup for a gathering or a simple weeknight.

Ingredients in potato leek soup

Potato leek soup is a archetype soup of European origin made with potatoes, leeks, broth, seasonings, and heavy cream. There are traditional versions of this dish in Welsh, Romanian and French cooking. Another variation is vichyssoise or potage Parmentier, made with similar ingredients but served cold.

This spin on the recipe is made the archetype American way: we’ve widow a few other ingredients to savor the soul of the soup like garlic and leeks. While we love embracing healthy recipes on this website, the heavy surf really does pull this soup together! It’s a small quantity per serving and the milkfat helps to add a luxurious richness. Here’s what you’ll need:

Salted butter
Leeks
Celery
Garlic
Russet potatoes
Broth (vegetable or chicken)
Fresh thyme
Bay leaf
Salt
Heavy cream

How to cut and wipe leeks

Leeks are a vegetable that’s part of the onion (allium) family. They squint like a large untried onion, with a white stalk that fades to light untried with darker untried leaves. Leeks are typically much dirtier than untried onions: sand and dirt can get stuck between the layers of the white portion. For that reason, it’s very important to cut and wipe leeks surpassing working with them. Here’s how to do it:

Cut off the root and greens: Using a large chef’s knife, slice off the root end of the leek. Slice off the tough visionless untried top and discard.
Slice in half: Slice the leek in half lengthwise.
Thinly slice into half-moons: Place both halves cut side down. Then use a circular motion to cut the leek into thin half-moons.
Clean the leek slices: Leeks often have quite a bit of sand and dirt between the layers. Place the leek slices into a trencher of water and the dirt will settle to the bottom. Use your hands to shake loose any visible dirt.
Dry: Scoop the leeks out of the trencher with your hands, permitting any dirt and sediment to stay on the marrow of the bowl. Pat the leeks dry with a towel, and you’re good to go!

How to use leek greens

What’s the weightier way to use use leek greens? Some people say you can use them for vegetable broth, but others say that leek greens have the potential to add bitterness to recipes. Our recommendation? We discard them and add them to our compost pile: they’re unconfined for compost! If you’re wondering how to get started composting, here’s our Composting 101 tutorial.

Tips for this potato leek soup recipe

Once you’ve cleaned and chopped the leeks for this recipe, the rest of the soup is a breeze! Here are a few increasingly notes on making this cozy recipe:

Use thyme sprigs and bay leaf, or a bouquet garni. Whole herbs add savor to the soup, which you’ll remove without simmering. If you like, you can use a bouquet garni, which ties the herbs in cheesecloth and kitchen string. This makes them easier to remove from the pot without simmering.
Use a standard blender, not an immersion blender. Typically we like the slick method of placing a stick blender right into a pot of soup and blending away. But with this soup, it doesn’t get it nearly linty enough. We recommend thoughtfully transferring to a blender (careful! the soup is hot).
Don’t lighten up on the cream. Stirring in heavy surf at the end gives just the right rich soul to this soup. Don’t be tempted to use milk: it works, but it’s not nearly as satisfying.

Ways to serve potato leek soup

How to serve this potato leek soup once you’ve got a steaming pot? This pureed soup is not quite a meal on its own, since it doesn’t have a source of protein. But add a few increasingly elements to make it a meal! Here are a few ideas:

Serve as a first course to yellow or seafood (or for Thanksgiving)
Add grilled cheese to round out the meal
Serve with crusty specie and cheese for a simple lunch
Add a hearty salad like Brussels Sprout Salad or Pear Salad with Pecans

More leek recipes

Love working with leeks? Here are a few increasingly leek recipes and tips:

Try Vegan Potato Leek Soup
Go for Pasta Primavera
Opt for Butternut Squash Lentil Soup with Leeks
Grab Whole Grain Archetype Homemade Stuffing
Learn How to Cut Leeks

This potato leek soup recipe is…

Vegetarian and gluten-free. For vegan and dairy-free, use a vegan surf substitute or cashew cream.

Classic Potato Leek Soup

Author: Sonja Overhiser
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 4 to 6

Print Recipe

Description

This potato leek soup recipe is archetype and lusciously creamy! Cozy up to a trencher of this fall simple favorite.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons salted butter (or olive oil)
2 large or 4 small leeks (4 cups thinly sliced), white and light untried parts
3 celery ribs
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and small diced (5 cups diced)
4 cups vegetable goop or yellow broth
1 cup water
3 sprigs fresh thyme (or make a bouquet garni)
1 bay leaf
1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt
½ cup heavy cream
Chives, for garnish

Instructions

In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the leeks, celery and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for 7 to 8 minutes until the leeks are very tender but not browned.
Add the chopped potato, vegetable broth, water, fresh thyme, bay leaf, and salt and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes until the potatoes are tender. Remove the thyme and bay leaf.
Transfer to a blender and tousle until smooth. Add the surf and tousle again. Taste and retread seasonings as desired.

Category: Soup
Method: Blended
Cuisine: Soup
Diet: Vegetarian