This Potato and Leek Soup is a creamy and warm cure for the corona-winter blues. Potatoes, fresh cream and vegetable broth come together beautifully to form this classic French soup. Perfect for sitting on the couch in sweats. Again.
It snowed in Chicago today. This is pretty rare before Halloween, but it’s 2020. I definitely don’t feel ready for winter yet, especially with all the new covid restrictions. It’s going to be a very long winter that’s for sure. The thought about getting on Zoom with friends again and playing Jackbox makes me cringe. But one thing that is sure to cheer us up during these unfortunate and cold times is a big bowl of hot homemade soup.
How to cut and clean a leek
To cut a leek, start but cutting off the large green top. Your leek may be precut and you can skip this step. Then cut an inch off the bottom of the leek and discard. Then cut the leek in half, vertically. Rinse the cut leek under running water, peeling back the layers and removing any dirt. When your leek has been cleaned return it to the cutting board and cut the half leek into 1/2 inch moons. Repeat until all the leeks are cleaned and cut.
How to make Creamy Potato and Leek Soup
- Cook the leeks and garlic. In a large pot heat the butter over medium heat. When melted add the chopped leeks and cook until soft, around 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook an additional minute, until fragrant.
- Soften the potatoes. Add the potatoes, vegetable stock, thyme, bay leaves, salt and pepper and cook covered until the potatoes are very soft, around 15 minutes.
- Blend the soup and add the cream. Remove the thyme sprigs and bay leaves from the soup and discard. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until creamy. If you do not have an immersion blender you can use a blender and then return the blended soup back to the pot. Add the cream to the soup and stir until blended.
- Garnish with fresh chives and cheddar cheese. Serve hot.
Tips and Tricks
- If the soup is too thick you can add additional stock. If it is too thin cook it down until it thickens up.
- Add additional salt and pepper to taste.
- Make sure potatoes are completely soft before blending. Harder potatoes will not get as smooth.
Looking for other soup options? You may also like:
- French Onion Soup with Red Wine
- Instant Pot Coconut Ginger Stew with Chicken Thighs
- Instant Pot Pozole Verde with Chicken
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Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 large leeks, cleaned and chopped
- 2 lbs potatoes, skinned and chopped into small chunks
- 6-7 cups vegetable stock
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 fresh bay leaves
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper
- 1 cup heavy cream
- chives, chopped for serving
- shredded cheddar cheese, for serving
Instructions
- In a large pot heat the butter over medium heat. When melted add the chopped leeks and cook until soft, around 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook an additional minute, until fragrant.
- Add the potatoes, vegetable stock, thyme, bay leaves, salt and pepper and cook covered until the potatoes are very soft, around 15 minutes.
- Remove the thyme sprigs and bay leaves from the soup and discard. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until creamy. If you do not have an immersion blender you can use a blender and then return the blended soup back to the pot. Add the cream to the soup and stir until blended. If the soup is too thick you can add additional vegetable stock.
- Garnish with fresh chives and cheddar cheese and serve hot.
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