Julie Clark
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Potato Leek Soup
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There are two ways to make this delicious potato leek soup….cream the potatoes, or leave them in chunks! This easy soup recipe is so comforting and the croutons add a burst of flavor.
We shared our baked potato soup on the site a few weeks ago and you all are loving it! It’s thick, creamy and rich….totally worth the calories. If you’re looking for something a little lighter and healthier, give this potato leek soup a try.
Potato Leek Soup Recipe
Leeks aren’t something I usually run to when it is time to make dinner. When potatoes are in the picture, everything changes. Do you use leeks regularly? If you don’t, I suggest trying them in this easy soup!
What are leeks good for?
Leeks are closely related to onions, but they have a very mild flavor. So what can you add them to? Soups, stir-frys, salads…just about anything you’d add onions to you can add leeks to.
What herbs go with potato leek soup?
The key to this soup is fresh sprigs of thyme and garlic. Between this and the leeks, it is what adds the most flavor to soup. Bay leaves help also!
*I recommend fresh thyme for this recipe. If you use ground thyme, you’ll have to go by taste, but I’d start with ½ teaspoon.*
How do you make the best potato leek soup?
We use a dutch oven (or a big stock pot) to make this soup and you’ll need about 45 minutes to an hour to make it. Once the leeks and potatoes are cut, it’s quite hands off. While the soup is cooking you can get the rest of dinner ready or clean up the kitchen.
- Use the white and light colored part of the leek. Slice the leek thinly so that it is in the shape of half moons. Discard the darker part.
- Use a mixture of both Russet and red potatoes. Russet potatoes will crumble apart more easily than red potatoes. You can use one type of potato if that’s all you have, but a combination of the 2 potatoes jazzes up the texture a bit.
- We usually take the easy route and use jarred minced garlic. You can crush garlic cloves yourself if you’d like.
- Chicken broth and vegetable broth are both good in this recipe. Each one will have just a little bit of a different flavor.
- Notice in the instructions there are two ways to serve the soup: one with creamed potatoes and one with chunkier potatoes. We generally prefer the chunkier style, but you’ll see pictures here with creamy potatoes.
How do you make potato leek soup taste better?
Add croutons to the top. Make your own croutons if you’d like, or just buy garlic salad croutons at the store. The crunchy texture and garlic infused flavor is amazing on this soup. If you think your soup is bland, just add croutons.
Can you freeze potato leek soup?
The important thing to remember is that potatoes tend to break down after they are frozen. The good thing is that you can serve this soup pureed. So yes, you can freeze potato leek soup. You may just wanted to use an immersion blender to mix it after freezing so that it is well blended. You can freeze for 2-3 months.
How long does potato leek soup last in the fridge?
Potato leek soup lasts about 3-4 days in the fridge if it is covered well.
Other Potato Recipes
If you’ll be blending this soup, it’s super easy with an immersion blender. See the one we have here.
Potato Leek Soup
There are two ways to make this delicious potato leek soup….cream the potatoes, or leave them in chunks! This easy soup recipe is so comforting and the croutons add a burst of flavor.
Servings 10
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 medium leek (white and light green part only, halved and sliced into thin half moons)
- 4 teaspoons minced garlic (8 cloves)
- 8 cups vegetable broth (or chicken broth)
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 sprigs of thyme
- 4 medium russet potatoes (peeled and cut into chunks)
- 4 medium red potatoes (peeled and cut into chunks)
- ½ cup heavy cream (optional)
- 2 cups garlic croutons (to garnish)
Instructions
- In a large dutch oven over medium heat melt butter and add in the leek. Lower heat to medium low and allow leeks to soften, stirring occasionally. Cook for 8-10 minutes or until leeks soften and start to slightly brown.
- Add in garlic, bay leaves and thyme. Cook for 30 seconds before adding in broth.
- Turn heat to high to bring broth to a simmer. Add in potatoes.
- Keep temperature on medium high, where potatoes can gently simmer for the next 20-25 minutes, or until where the potatoes can be pierced with a fork.
- Once potatoes have cooked, remove pot from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
- Remove and discard thyme sprigs and bay leaves.
Two ways to serve:
- For a smooth soup: Add potatoes with a little bit of broth to a food processor (not to pass the max amount), pulse until smooth and place into a large bowl until all the potatoes have been processed.
- If there is any remaining broth liquid, place into a small bowl on the side.
- Return potato mixture into the pot and place on the stove over medium low heat. Depending on how thin you want your potato soup, you can now add in either reserved broth or heavy cream.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste and garnish with garlic croutons and serve.
- For a chunky soup: After you remove the herbs, use a potato masher to lightly mash the potatoes. You’ll end up with a lightly creamy soup with potato chunks. Add in the heavy cream and stir until well mixed.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste and garnish with garlic croutons and serve.
Video
Notes
The calories shown are based on the recipe serving 10 people, with 1 serving being 1/10 of the recipe. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information.**
Nutrition
Calories: 221kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 854mg | Potassium: 776mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 835IU | Vitamin C: 18.5mg | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 3.8mg
