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This 35-minute potato leek tomato soup is an easy to make, healthy, and ultra comforting soup that uses everyday ingredients. The unique flavor is hard to resist!
You might also enjoy my Easy Tomato Soup or Simple Potato Leek Soup.
Why you’ll love it
The flavor of this soup is truly hard to describe. It tastes neither like potato leek soup nor tomato soup but takes elements from both to make an irresistible flavor all its own! It’s a fantastic year-round soup and is great for eating throughout the week as meal prep.
This soup was a highlight of my childhood. The funny thing is that I never actually got the recipe from my mom. I watched her make it many times, but I am pretty sure I make mine differently. I remember her version being much more labor intensive. But easier is always better, am I right?
What you’ll need
- Leeks – size isn’t super important in this recipe, but if you’re staring at leeks at the store, try to go for ones that are medium-sized vs. tiny or super large
- Butter and olive oil – for sautéing
- Garlic – for a pop of aromatic flavor
- Tomatoes – I use a can of Italian stewed tomatoes
- Chicken broth – for the savory base of the soup
- Potatoes – I suggest using Yukon Golds. You can use Russets, but the soup may end up a bit thicker and need some thinning out with more broth if you go that route. If I happen to have Russets in my pantry, I will throw a large one in and that works fine without having to weigh it out.
- Heavy cream – it adds a touch of luxuriousness to the broth. Don’t skip it!
Pro tips for leeks
- Chop the dark green part of the leeks off and discard it. Keep the light green and white portions and then slice them up from there into circles/rings.
- Dirt tends to hide, so I am always extra careful about washing the leeks. Once you’ve done the step above, you can then add them to a sieve/colander and rinse them. Use your hands to dislodge any stubborn dirt, or you can add them to a bowl of cool water then drain it once they’ve soaked for a bit.
- I published a How to Prepare Leeks guide if you’re interested in learning more.
How to make potato leek tomato soup
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Clean and prep the leeks. In a soup pot or Dutch oven, sauté the leeks, stirring occasionally. Stir in the garlic. Add the tomatoes, broth, and tomatoes to the pot. Bring a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the potatoes are soft.
Using an immersion blender or regular blender, purée the soup. Once smooth, stir in the heavy cream. Season generously with salt & pepper, and enjoy.
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- A metal colander is the easiest way to clean the leeks in your sink.
- This is the Dutch oven I used in this recipe and for many other soups.
- Use an immersion blender to purée this soup right in the pot.
- A sturdy ladle makes it simple to dish up this soup without spilling.
Substitutions and variations
- You can easily make this vegetarian if you replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth.
- I used Italian seasoned stewed tomatoes. If you’re using plain ones, you may want to add some Italian seasoning to the soup (a few dashes or 1/4 teaspoon or so). If you can’t find stewed tomatoes, try diced tomatoes with juices.
- The consistency of this soup is medium-thick, but if you do want it very thick, try throwing in another potato.
What to serve with this leek soup
- I enjoy serving it with Homemade Croutons on top. You could also make Garlic Bread or serve it with breadsticks or a slice of fresh baguette.
- For a soup and salad combo, try spring mix with my Creamy Balsamic Dressing, or make my popular 10-Minute Caesar Dressing if you’re in a Caesar salad kind of mood.
- Craving a sandwich with it? Try my Caprese Grilled Cheese Sandwiches for a twist.
Leftovers and storage
- Store any leftovers of this tomato leek soup in the fridge in a covered container for 3-4 days.
- When reheating, you can simply add a little more broth to thin out the leftovers if needed.
- You can freeze this one for up to 3 months. Try individual portions for convenience.
I hope you’ll enjoy this potato leek tomato soup recipe! If you made it, please leave a star rating and review below. You can also find me on Instagram.
Potato Leek Tomato Soup
Ingredients
- 3 leeks see note
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 (28 ounce) can Italian seasoned stewed tomatoes with juices
- 3 cups chicken broth or veg broth
- 1 pound Yukon Gold (yellow) potatoes peeled and diced
- 1/2 cup heavy/whipping cream
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Discard the top dark green portion of the leeks, retaining the bulbs. Cut the bulbs into rings. Add leeks to a colander and rinse thoroughly (dirt tends to hide).
- Melt the butter and oil over medium-high heat in a large pot. Add leeks to the pot and sauté for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir the garlic in and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add the stewed tomatoes, chicken broth, and potatoes to the pot. Bring to a boil and then cover the pot with the lid slightly ajar, reducing heat to a simmer. Cook until the potatoes are soft, approx. 15-20 minutes depending on their size.
- Test if the potatoes are cooked. If they are, use an immersion blender (or a regular blender) to puree the soup. You may want to let the soup cool for a bit if you're clumsy like me and afraid of accidentally burning yourself. Once the soup is smooth, add the cream. Season with salt & pepper as needed (I am fairly generous). Serve immediately.
Notes
- I don’t worry too much about the size of the leeks. If they’re not equal size, that’s fine. Try to aim for ones that are more medium-sized vs. ones that look very large or very small.
- If you can’t find Italian seasoned stewed tomatoes, add a few dashes of Italian seasoning to the soup. If you can’t find stewed tomatoes, try diced ones.
- If you want a very thick soup, add another potato. If the soup gets too thick (e.g. reheating leftovers), add a splash more broth.
- This soup can also be found on page 20 of the Salt & Lavender: Everyday Essentials cookbook.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
© Salt & Lavender Inc. Content and photographs are copyrighted. Sharing this blog post is much appreciated, but copying and pasting full recipes without authorization to social media is strictly prohibited.
This recipe was originally published on March 16, 2016. It’s been updated with new photos and better instructions but is the same great recipe!
This soup hits the spot. Omitted the cream. Nice for a cold winter night. This is a keeper.
Thanks
Phil
Elmira Ontario Canada 🇨🇦 😊🙏🇨🇦👍
You’re very welcome, Phil!
This was excellent. I needed some variety while recovering from gum surgery. I like it and my family does too. Thanks.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Hope you’re feeling better now.
Remarkably tasty and very easy to make!
Thank you so much!!
This soup was so easy to make, healthy and very delicious!
I’m so happy you liked it!! 😀 One of my favs for sure!! 😀
how would you make this in an Instant Pot?
Hi! I haven’t tested it, so this is purely a guess, but I’d do the sauté steps right in the IP, add the remaining ingredients except for the cream, and then do it for 10 minutes on high pressure, do a quick release, and then blend the soup in the IP using an immersion blender, then stir in the cream and S&P.
I only had red potatoes, and only about half of what was needed, so I added the potatoes I had, plus a can of white butter beans. I used a can of San Marzano tomatoes instead of stewed – after I pureed the soup, I a added fresh shredded basil. The soup was really amazing! My husband has already asked me to make it again!!
I’m so happy you enjoyed it!! 🙂
This sounds delightful……am crazy bout leeks so will give this recipe a whirl during this week and revert to u once made and devoured…….love yr blog. Thanku for all gthe good ideas. Hugs frm Cape Town
You’re very welcome!! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do… it’s a childhood favorite of mine and I will usually make it weekly during the cooler months. 🙂 Hugs from Canada!
This was really fantastic! A perfect marriage of two delicious soups. I topped our bowls with some crisped prosciutto, roasted cherry tomatoes, and a sprinkle of parmesan. I had promised fajitas and realized last minute that I was out of tortillas, so I had to come up with something quick. My family ate this and they weren’t even disappointed about the fajitas. Potato leek soup can be kind of rich, but the tomatoes lighten it up beautifully. I added some basil because my tomatoes weren’t seasoned, and it went well with the other flavors. Thanks for sharing this recipe! You saved my Saturday night.
I’m so happy you all enjoyed it, Mary!! I love this one myself, it was a childhood favorite. I will have to try your toppings… they sound delicious. 🙂
Oh my, my, my! This is a 5+ soup recipe. I make many different soups and this recipe intrigued me from the first reading. I did not have stewed tomatoes, but sauteed some diced green pepper and celery then added those to the diced tomatoes Italian style that was in the pantry. I doubt that made that much difference to the recipe, but it worked wonderfully. Thank you for sharing this soup with us. It will be in my “favorite recipes book”, and can’t wait to share it with friends and family.
You’re very welcome, and I appreciate you sharing it with friends/family. I love this soup too… I sometimes make it as often as weekly. 🙂