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This easy potato leek soup recipe is the simplest version out there! It’s so silky and comforting, and it uses just a small number of everyday ingredients.
If you’re wondering how else to use up leeks, you might also like my Bacon and Leek Pasta or Potato Leek Tomato Soup next.
Why you’ll love it
Leeks are so beautiful that they don’t need much to dress them up. They’re honestly one of the most underrated foods. My healthy potato leek soup recipe has just six ingredients plus water and salt & pepper, and the simplicity is what makes it shine! If you haven’t tried delicate, buttery leeks, you’re in for a treat with this cozy soup.
This classic potato leek soup naturally has a silky, creamy texture without the addition of any milk or cream, so it’s easy on the calories and excellent if you’re sensitive to dairy. I did swirl a little coconut milk in for the photos, but that’s totally not necessary. If you’d prefer to make it with another method, try my Instant Pot Potato Leek Soup instead.
What you’ll need
- Leeks – they’re in the same family as onions and shallots but taste sweeter and mild. They’re lovely in soups especially. Look for firm ones with bright white bulbs and dark green leaves.
- Potatoes – I prefer Russet potatoes for this soup since they blend so easily, but Yukon Gold potatoes will work too. I do find they take a little longer to get very soft.
- Butter – for sautéing
- Garlic – use even more if you’d like a more intense flavor. I like to use this garlic press since there’s no need to peel or chop the cloves.
- Chicken broth – for another layer of savory flavor
- Thyme – dried thyme is really the only herb you need to complement the leeks!
Can I make this vegetarian or vegan?
- Absolutely. To make this a vegetarian potato and leek soup, swap the chicken broth for vegetable broth.
- To make it vegan, do the above and also substitute the butter for 1 tbsp olive oil, and you’re good to go.
How to prepare leeks
- Start by chopping the dark green part of the leeks off and discarding it. Slice up the light green and white portions into rings.
- Leeks usually have some stubborn hidden dirt, so I am always extra careful about washing them. Once you’ve done the step above, you can then add the chopped leeks to a sieve/colander and rinse them, using your hands to dislodge any soil, or you can add them to a bowl of cool water then drain it once they’ve soaked for a bit.
- Another method you can try: after removing the dark green top portion of the leek, cut the leeks lengthwise in half before slicing them, then fan out each half under running water, and then slice them up after you’ve rinsed them.
- I have a whole in-depth guide on How to Prepare Leeks if you’re interested.
Helpful tips
- This is a very forgiving soup. You don’t have to worry too much about the size of the leeks. It’s quite subjective, and they all vary in size. If the leeks are particularly large, use 3 of them. If they’re on the smaller side, use 4.
- You can use more than 2 pounds of potatoes, but you may need to add more chicken broth as the soup could be quite thick.
- Go ahead and use 5 cups of chicken broth instead of 4 cups plus 1 cup of water. I just suggest that in case you only want to open up one standard 32 oz/4 cups carton of broth.
- It’s very important to generously salt this soup to bring out all the flavors. Without enough salt, it won’t taste as intended.
How to make potato leek soup
This is an overview, and full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
- Prep and chop the potatoes and leeks. Sauté the chopped leeks in a soup pot with the butter until they’ve softened.
- Stir in the garlic, followed by the chicken broth, water, thyme, and potatoes. Bring the soup to a boil, and then reduce the heat and simmer it until the potatoes are nice and soft.
- Blend it with an immersion blender, and season generously with salt & pepper. That’s it!
Substitutions and variations
- You can definitely jazz the soup up a bit. I love it as-is, but you could stir in 1/2 cup of cream or coconut milk if you want it to be creamy, or stir in a handful of grated cheddar for a cheesy twist. Try white cheddar.
- For a major flavor boost, I like to sprinkle a bit of Tony Chachere’s Original Creole Seasoning on my bowl.
- If you prefer a more rustic soup, you could even skip the blending step or just blend some of it.
What to serve with potato leek soup
- I’m a fan of topping this soup with chopped fresh chives for a pop of freshness along with Homemade Garlic Parmesan Croutons.
- A big slice of crusty bread, Garlic Bread, or a dinner roll ties this tasty soup together.
- For something lighter, a side salad with my Creamy Balsamic Dressing is a wonderful pairing.
Leftovers and storage
- This potato leek soup will last for a few days in the fridge no problem in a covered container. It tastes even better the next day!
- It freezes well for up to 6 months. I like to do individual portions.
- Reheat in a saucepan over a low heat, giving it a stir every so often, until warmed through.
I’m hoping you’ll agree this is the best potato leek soup you’ve tried. I’d love to hear from you in the comments below if you made it! You can also tag me #saltandlavender on Instagram.
Simple Potato Leek Soup
Ingredients
- 3-4 medium-to-large leeks (use the white parts) sliced
- 2 pounds Russet potatoes peeled & diced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 4 cups chicken broth or stock (or use veg broth)
- 1 cup water
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
- pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prep your leeks and peel and chop your potatoes. Discard the top dark green portion of the leeks, retaining the bulbs. Slice the bulbs into rings. Add leeks to a colander and rinse them thoroughly (use your hands to dislodge any stubborn dirt – it likes to hide).
- Add the butter to a large soup pot and sauté the leeks for about 7-10 minutes or until they're softened/wilted.
- Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the broth, water, potatoes, and thyme to the pot. Increase the heat to high and bring the soup to a boil. Once it's boiling, cover the pot with the lid slightly ajar and reduce the heat so it's simmering for 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes are very soft.
- Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth. You could also blend it in batches using a regular blender (you may want to let the soup cool a bit first). Season soup with salt & pepper. If the soup is too thick, simply add in some more chicken broth.
Notes
- Serves 4-6 depending on how much people eat/what it’s served with.
- To make this recipe vegetarian, swap the chicken broth for veggie broth. To make it vegan, do that and also swap the butter for 1 tbsp olive oil.
- This recipe is pretty forgiving, so you don’t really have to worry too much about the size of the leeks. 2 pounds Russet potatoes is approx. 3 large potatoes. The leeks will make about 4-5 cups when chopped.
- Be sure to add enough salt to this soup. It’ll be bland without it. I suggest adding 1/2 teaspoon, but you can always add more as needed.
- Try my Instant Pot Potato Leek Soup if you happen to own an electric pressure cooker.
- Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I have made this soup several times. The recipe is delicious, this time instead of water I added 1 cup of cream. Oh how we enjoyed a little richness and sure did deliver the taste to the next level. Will add cream again another time but otherwise I will stick with 1 cup water.
Thanks, Carol!
Yum! Ok, as you always have heavy cream on hand I automatically bought some and used 1/2 cup to the water portion. How could that fail? It didn’t , and it was excellent. Added some fresh grated parm to top it off.
Yum and served it with your arugula parm salad. Perfect dinner for us! Thanks
You’re very welcome!! 😀
After going to the doctors and being told I’m boarder line type 2 diabetes I’ve decided to take soup to work everyday and not buy shop bought soup. Just made this with homemade chicken broth and it’s fantastic and quite satisfying. My science department all tried mine and I have been persuaded to make a big batch for soup Friday for everyone.
Thank you
Ps what is the difference between broth and stock?
I’m so happy it was a hit, Mike!! 😀 Stock tends to have a thicker, more gelatinous consistency than broth. Either would work fine in this recipe, though.
Never made potato soup or anything with leeks. This was excellent! Delicious and easy!
I’m thrilled to hear it, Peggy! Thanks for your review!
Love this simple recipe. I used a potato masher instead of the blender and it had a beautiful consistency. Thank you.
Wonderful to hear, Laneice! Thank you so much for leaving a review. 🙂
Looks delicious! Never made leek soup but will give it a try!
Let me know if you give it a try! 🙂