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Potato Soup · Potato Leek

Silky Potato Leek Soup

Leeks cooked slowly in butter until sweet, simmered with Yukon gold potatoes and blended smooth with a little cream. Simple, elegant and meatless.

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Prep
20 min
Cook
40 min
Total
1 hr
Serves
6
Level
Easy

Ingredients

  • 3 large leeks, white and light green parts
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 pinch kosher salt
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 lb Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 5 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 bay leaf
  • ½ tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • 2 tbsp fresh chives, chopped

Steps

  1. Cut the dark green tops and the root ends off the leeks.
  2. Halve the leeks lengthwise, then slice them thinly crosswise.
  3. Put the sliced leeks in a big bowl of cold water and swish to loosen any grit. Lift them out into a colander so the grit stays in the bowl.
  4. Melt the butter in a Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add the leeks and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring often, until very soft but not browned.
  5. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant.
  6. Add the potatoes, broth, bay leaf, thyme, salt and pepper and bring to a boil.
  7. Lower the heat and simmer until the potatoes are very tender.
  8. Remove the bay leaf.
  9. Blend with an immersion blender in short bursts until smooth. Blending too long can make potatoes gluey.
  10. Stir in the cream and warm through without boiling.
  11. Taste for salt and serve topped with chives.

Tip: Leeks trap a lot of dirt between their layers, so don't skip the soak.

Tip: Most broths are gluten-free, but some contain wheat. Check the label if that matters to you.

Storage: Refrigerate up to 4 days. Freeze before adding the cream, up to 3 months.

Make ahead: Make the soup through blending up to 3 days ahead. Reheat and stir in the cream before serving.

Estimated nutrition per serving: 270 calories · protein 5 g · carbohydrates 36 g · fiber 4 g · sugars 5 g · fat 13 g (saturated 8 g) · sodium 880 mg. Estimate from USDA FoodData Central; not medical or dietary advice. Based on 12 of 12 ingredients.