This Potato Leek Soup recipe is incredibly flavorful, thick and creamy. It is one of the ultimate comfort food recipes perfectly paired with a pair of sweatpants and a cold night. The recipe starts with leeks, which are like a mild onion or a really big green onion, the are cooked down with garlic and then simmer in broth with potatoes. The finishing touches are cream, sour cream and parmesan cheese. Now that sounds good!
If you love a potato based soup then you should also check out this Instant Pot Creamy Potato Soup, Ham and Potato Chowder, Zuppa Toscana, or Cauliflower and Potato Chowder.
Ingredients & Supplies
Here are the groceries and kitchen supplies you will need to make this Potato Leek Soup Recipe:
- One of the following to mash or puree the potatoes – potato masher, potato ricer, blender
- Large heavy bottomed pot – like a dutch oven
- leeks
- butter
- yukon gold potatoes
- bay leaves
- garlic
- chicken broth
- chicken base (I like Better Than Bouillon brand)
- season salt (Lawry’s)
- dried basil
- heavy whipping cream
- sour cream
- parmesan cheese
Leeks
A leek is a vegetable that looks like a really huge green onion. It is related to garlic, onions and shallots, which makes sense because it tastes like a very mild onion. It is the perfect addition to a Potato Soup! You can find them in just about any grocery store.
To learn more about leeks, you can pop over to this article All About Leeks from Spruce Eats.
Leeks are grown in very sandy soil so they have a tendency to be sandy and dirty through all their layers. To prepare, trim the root end and the dark green stems and discard. Split the remaining white and light green part of the leek in half lengthwise and run under water splitting the layers open with your fingers.
How to Make Potato Leek Soup
Start with your pot over medium heat and melt the butter. Add the sliced leeks and saute until they are wilted, about 5 minutes.
Add the garlic and saute another 2 minutes.
Stir in the season salt, pepper, dried basil, bay leaves, chicken base and chopped potatoes.
Pour in the chicken broth and water. Increase the heat to medium high and simmer for 20 minutes. If it starts to boil turn the heat back to medium.
Once the potatoes are fork tender lower the heat back to low. Remove the bay leaves and discard.
This next part is completely up to personal preference…. do you want your soup silky, chunky, semi chunky?
Silky Soup
With a slotted spoon remove as much of the potatoes and leeks as you can, place in a blender or food processor. Add enough liquid from the soup so that the solids will process smooth. Add the puree back to the soup and stir.
Tip: Be careful when you blend hot food, leave room in the blender do not fill it to the top and vent the blender or processor.
Semi-Chunky Soup
This is usually how I make my soup…
Take a hand held potato masher and mash all the large chunks right in the pot. You will basically be making smaller chunks… so a mix of chunky and silky.
Chunky Soup
Using a wooden spoon lightly mash about half of the potatoes right in the pot and stir the mash into the soup.
Finishing the Soup
To finish the soup stir in the cream, sour cream, and parmesan cheese until it is completely melted in and incorporated.
Let it cool for a few minutes, taste for seasonings, and serve!
Garnish
To make a white swirl garnish like in the photos thin a little sour cream with milk or cream, until it is a drizzle consistency.
Reheating
This Potato Leek Soup will thicken in the fridge. So when you are reheating you may need to add a little milk or broth to reconstitute the soup.
Make It A Meal
This Potato Leek Soup is pretty filling on its own, so it really just needs a dipper. Some warm crusty bread will do nicely!
Creamy Potato Leek Soup Recipe
Creamy Potato Leek Soup
Equipment
- potato masher, food processor, immersion blender, or blender (for mashing/pureeing the potatoes)
- large heavy bottomed pot – like a dutch oven
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp butter
- 3 cups leeks washed, trimmed and chopped (white and light green parts)
- 3 garlic cloves chopped
- 3 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes peeled and ½ inch dice
- 2 tsp chicken base
- 2 bay leaves
- 32 oz chicken broth
- 1 cup water
- 1 ¼ tsp season salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
Optional Garnish
- sour cream thinned with milk or cream until it is drizzle consistency
Instructions
- Start with your pot over medium heat and melt the butter. Add the sliced leeks and saute while stirring occasionally until they are wilted, about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic and saute another 2 minutes.
- Stir in the season salt, pepper, dried basil, bay leaves, chicken base and chopped potatoes.
- Pour in the chicken broth and water. Increase the heat to medium high and simmer for 20 minutes. If it starts to boil turn the heat back to medium.
- Once the potatoes are fork tender lower the heat back to low. Remove the bay leaves and discard.
- This next part is completely up to personal preference…. do you want your soup silky, chunky, semi chunky?SILKY : with a slotted spoon remove as much of the potatoes and leeks as you can. Place in a blender or food processor, add enough liquid from the soup so the solids will process smooth. Add back to the soup and stir to combine.If you have an immersion blender you can process it smooth right in the pot.SEMI-CHUNKY : Using a hand held potato masher smash the potatoes so they are smaller pieces. Stir the soup to combine. (this method is pictured above)CHUNKY : With a wooden spoon lightly smash a few of the potatoes right in the pot and then stir the mash into the soup.
- Finish by stirring in the cream, sour cream, and the parmesan cheese. Once it is all melted and incorporated it is ready!
- Let cool for 5 minutes, taste for seasoning, and serve!
Notes:
If nutrition facts are provided they are calculated as an estimate to the best of our knowledge.
Lauren says
YUM! So creamy and delicious, perfect for a big family dinner!