Potato Leek Soup is a classic comfort food that is easy to make and incredibly delicious. In this blog post, we’ll share our favorite recipe and tips for creating the perfect creamy and flavorful soup. Whether you’re a seasoned cook or a beginner, this recipe is sure to become a family favorite.

While potato soup is wonderful on it’s own, adding leeks turns it into a completely different soup. Potato leek soup is a French classic and is often used as a base to make other soups. French cooking tends to be a little fussy, so if you’ve ever seen Julia Child’s leek and potato soup recipe, you’d think that this soup takes all day to prepare. But not this recipe! We’ve simplified the process but kept the amazing flavor so you can have this easy soup recipe on the table quickly. 

Most potato leek soup recipes are actually a thicker soup, more like a chowder. This recipe has a thinner consistency. You could thicken it with a roux if you choose. There are so many variations and ways to serve this soup, feel free to change it up to fit your family’s preferences. 

How to Clean Leeks

Many people don’t like leeks because they think they’re too bitter. This however is due to the misconception that you use leeks much of the same way that green onions are used.

This is incorrect. Only the white parts and light green parts of the leeks should be used for recipes.

The dark green parts are too tough and bitter to be eaten on their own. Add the dark green parts to your stock of veggie scraps in the freezer and use then for broth making.

Rise the leeks well before cutting them. Sometimes dirt will get logged in between the layers. Don’t worry, it’s easy to get out. For now, just rise them well and get any dirt on the outside off. 

Cut off the dark green part and slice the leek in thin rings. Stop when you get just above the roots. You can compost the roots or add them to the broth bag in the freezer.

Put the rings in a bowl of cool water for a couple of minutes and swish them around to loosen the layers and remove any dirt that trapped. Scoop the leek rings out and drain them in a colander. Now they’re ready to use for potato leek soup or any other leek recipe.

Best Potatoes to Use for Potato Leek Soup

Traditionally, potato leek soup is a creamy, pureed soup. So, you’ll want to use potatoes that don’t hold their shape well when cooked. Yukon gold and russet potatoes both fit that bill. Yukon gold potatoes are have a more creamy texture than russets, which makes them a better choice. Also, russet potatoes are starchy potatoes which tend to get “gummy” when blended in a blender.

That being said, if you didn’t want a pureed soup and instead want a soup with a little texture, you can use waxy potatoes such as red potatoes which hold their shape better when cooked. 

Ingredients Needed to Make Potato and Leek Soup

• Potatoes – Yukon gold or russet potatoes
• Olive oil
• Butter
• Leeks
• Herbs – Garlic power and parsley
• Vegetable broth or chicken broth
• Heavy cream – or cashew cream or canned coconut milk for a vegan soup
• Salt and black pepper – to taste
• Garnishes – chopped green onions, fresh herbs, bacon bits, sour cream

How to Make Easy Potato Leek Soup

The trick to making this soup so quick is to roast the potatoes in the oven while you prep the rest of the soup. This not only adds some more flavor, but makes sure your potatoes are nice and soft too. 

Another time saving trick is using an immersion blender (also called a hand blender or stick blender) instead of a potato ricer puree the soup.

Pressing the soup through a ricer or sieve will keep the potatoes from becoming “gummy.” You can get a creamy potato leek soup that isn’t gummy using a blender if you DON’T over-blend the soup. More is not better when pureeing potatoes in a blender. 

• Wash and peel the potatoes, dice them, and then toss them in a bit of olive oil and salt and pepper. Pop in the oven to bake while making the rest of the soup.
• Wash and chop leeks.
• In a large dutch oven or soup pot, saute chopped leeks until translucent.
• Add spices and roasted potatoes.
• Add vegetable broth and heavy cream. 

If you’re using a regular blender, be sure to work in small batches. Carefully ladle the hot soup into the blender, filling it only about half way for each batch. Leave the hole in the lid open but put a towel over the lid to let the heat escape. 

Variations and Garnishes for Leek and Potato Soup

Creamy Vegan Potato Leek Soup – use non-dairy cream such as canned coconut milk or cashew cream, vegan butter, and vegetable broth

Rustic Potato Leek Soup – use a potato masher instead of a blender to mash some of the potatoes. Garnish with white cheddar cheese and bacon bits.

For a deeper flavor – add a bit of white wine to the soup when cooking. 

Garnishes – cheddar cheese, parmesan cheese, sour cream, splash of heavy cream, fresh chives, rosemary or thyme sprigs, chopped green onions, hot sauce, bacon bits, or drizzle of olive oil

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What to Serve with Potato Leek Soup

This soup makes a great appetizer or side for a steak or chicken dinner. In the winter time, when the weather calls for a comforting soup, potato leek soup can be used as the main dish by adding one of these Spring Salad Recipes and a slice of crusty bread. 

How to Freeze Potato Leek Soup

Put leftover potato leek soup in an airtight container to freeze. Since the potatoes are pureed, it actually freeze very well. 

Thaw in the refrigerator for 12 hours and then reheat in large soup pot on the stove over medium heat. There might be some separation when you freeze and defrost potato leek soup. As the soup heats up, the excess water will get mixed back into the soup and it will be fine. If you think it’s too thin, you can add some cornstarch or arrowroot to thicken it up. 

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