My potato and leek soup recipe is a new take on an old classic. Itβs hearty and easy to make. Delicious comfort food youβll fall in love with and that youβll get right the first time you try it.
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π Recommended tools
- Dutch oven
- Colander
- Wooden chopping board
- Chefβs knife
- Immersion blender (optional)
π§Ύ Ingredients
Leeks
Leeks are part of the allium family, which includes garlic, chives, onion, and shallots. Theyβre so versatile, having a slightly sweet, oniony flavor.
Potato and leek soup is probably one of the more well-known combinations, but you can add leeks to any stew or soup to add depth and flavor. They also make a fantastic side dish by simply grilling them whole with salt and pepper.
Whenever you sautΓ© leeks, hereβs how to prepare them:
First, remove the dark green part (excellent for making vegetable stock) and cut off the roots on the bottom of the white part. Youβll be left with the white and light green parts.
Cut a shallow slit lengthwise and remove the outermost layer. Then, cut the leek in half (lengthwise). Lay them cut side down on the chopping board and chop. For this recipe, chop them about β β thick.
Put the chopped leeks in a colander and rinse in cold water. The white part of the leek grows mostly underground, so there might be some grit stuck in there that you definitely want to remove. Dry with a paper towel.
Potatoes
I use Yukon gold with the skin on. Because my recipe does not purΓ©e the ingredients at the end, a medium-starch, high-moisture potato like Yukon gold will get soft without losing its shape, which is the goal.
I donβt recommend using all-purpose baking potatoes like Idaho or russet potatoes - with their high-starch and low-moisture content, they tend to become mealy. Itβs okay if you use them to thicken a soup that youβre blending anyway before serving.
Stock
Whatever your preference is. Use your favorite vegetable or chicken stock. My everyday go-to product is Knorr bouillon cubes. Theyβre easy to store, very budget-friendly, and very tasty.
Herbs
Every good soup - well, any good dish - needs some herb love. You can never go wrong with adding dried bay leaves to a soup (or stew). In addition to a whole bay leaf or two, I like to add a handful of fresh thyme (dried thyme is fine, too) and fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley. Remember to remove the bay leaves before serving - theyβre really tough to chew π
πΏ Substitution tips
- Use extra virgin olive oil instead of butter
- Use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock
- Mix and match herbs. Adding sage is tasty too, or sometimes I simply add a tablespoon of Herbes de Provence.
Substitutions are ideas. Just because you donβt have an ingredient mentioned in a recipe doesnβt mean you canβt make it. The more you cook, the less youβll follow a recipe. Itβs like slowly removing the training wheels from your first bike. And suddenly youβll say it out loud: βWow, I just did that!β But not yet: βLook, mom, no handsβ......
π Variations
Endless. This dish is so incredibly versatile that I donβt even know where to start. Sometimes Iβll use my immersion blender and purΓ©e the whole thing. How about adding some sautΓ©ed mushrooms at the end, or a handful of fresh spinach leaves.
If you have some croutons, add them.
If youβve just passed your yearly cholesterol test, you might as well add some heavy cream, bacon, and top it off with some Parmigiano Reggiano. Iβm just sayingβ¦
π₯ The directions
In a large pan - I like to use my Dutch oven for this recipe - heat 4 tablespoons butter until it bubbles. Then add the chopped leeks.
Authorβs confession: Sometimes I use bacon in this dish. I cook the bacon first in the Dutch oven and use the bacon fat mixed with some butter for the step above.
Season with Β½ teaspoon kosher salt and Β½ teaspoon pepper. Stir occasionally for about 10 minutes until the leeks get really soft and the edges begin to brown. This will partially caramelize the leeks and bring out their sweetness.
Add garlic and stir for another couple of minutes. Taste before the next step.
Add 5 cups liquid (I use 50% chicken stock and 50% water) and the herbs. Taste and see if you like the balance so far. Some stocks are saltier than others. Crank up the heat to bring it to a quick boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
Add 1 pound of thinly sliced Yukon gold potatoes and let it simmer with the lid on for about 40 minutes. Stir a couple of times in between and wash the dishes in the meantime.
The soup is done when the potatoes are very tender and starting to fall apart. We might still have to add some more salt and pepper. Potatoes soak up some salt. Taste again. Season with salt until you achieve the desired yumminess. If you like, add a pinch of cayenne pepper, which really makes it pop.
π₯ Serving
Serve in a bowl, add a splash of heavy cream (if desired), and top with some fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley.
If you prefer a creamy consistency, use an immersion blender and blend everything together before serving.
π« Storage tip
Most soups are easy to store. They will stay good for either a couple of days in the fridge or up to two months in the freezer. If you decide to make some extra for later and plan to use heavy cream for this soup, hold off on the cream for the batch thatβs going into the fridge or freezer. Also, make sure to let the soup cool before putting it in the refrigerator or freezer.
Do you love great comfort food? Check out a few more of our recipes now!
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- Mushroom Risotto with Parmigiano Reggiano and Fresh Italian Parsley
- Gougeres Gruyere
- Baked Ziti with Ricotta and Italian Sausage
- Julia Child's Beef Bourguignon recipe, simplified
- Easy Homemade Chicken and Dumplings from Scratch
- Creamy Balsamic Chicken with Mushrooms and Fresh Parsley
- Red Wine Braised Short Ribs in a Dutch Oven
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- Super Easy Sheet Pan Shrimp Boil
Did you make this Potato and Leek Soup? Let us know in the comments below!
π Recipe
Potato and Leek Soup β Potage Parmentier
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 4 leeks, trimmed and chopped to β "
- 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- Β½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Β½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 2 Β½ cups chicken stock
- 2 Β½ cups water
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf Italian parsley (plus more for garnish)
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1 pound Yukon potatoes, thinly sliced
- ΒΌ cup heavy cream
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large pan, heat 4 tablespoons butter until it bubbles.Β
- Then add the chopped leeks.Β Season with Β½ teaspoon kosher salt and Β½ teaspoon pepper. Stir occasionally for about 10 minutes until the leeks get really soft and the edges begin to brown.Β
- Add garlic and stir for another couple of minutes. Taste before the next step.Β
- Add 5 cups liquid (I use 50% chicken stock and 50% water) and the herbs. Taste and see if you like the balance so far. Some stocks are saltier than others.Β
- Crank up the heat to bring it to a quick boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add 1 pound of thinly sliced Yukon gold potatoes and let it simmer with the lid on for about 40 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- The soup is done when the potatoes are very tender and starting to fall apart. We might still have to add some more salt and pepper. Potatoes soak up some salt. Taste again. Season with salt until you achieve the desired yumminess. If you like, add a pinch of cayenne pepper, which really makes it pop.Β
- Serve in a bowl, add a splash of heavy cream (if desired), and top with some fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley.
- If you prefer a creamy consistency, use an immersion blender and blend everything together before serving.Β
Notes
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Sarah
I always like finding new soup recipes. I only recently used leeks for the first time and really enjoyed them. I think the potato and leek combination sounds amazing!
maplewoodroad
Thanks so much! Leeks are a delicious vegetable and make a tasty combination with potatoes in this soup. Enjoy! π