Creamy Potato Leek Soup (Printable)
Silky French-style soup with tender potatoes and sweet leeks, finished with cream for richness.
# What You'll Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 2 large leeks, white and light green parts only, sliced and rinsed
02 - 1 medium onion, diced
03 - 3 large russet potatoes, peeled and diced
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
→ Liquids
05 - 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
06 - 1 cup whole milk
07 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
08 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
→ Seasonings
09 - 1 bay leaf
10 - 1/2 tsp dried thyme
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
→ Garnish
12 - Chopped fresh chives or parsley
13 - Croutons
# Directions:
01 - Slice leeks lengthwise, rinse thoroughly to remove grit, then slice into thin half-moons.
02 - Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add leeks and onion; sauté until soft and translucent, about 8 minutes.
03 - Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Add diced potatoes, bay leaf, thyme, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
05 - Pour in vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20-25 minutes until potatoes are very tender.
06 - Remove and discard the bay leaf from the pot.
07 - Using an immersion blender, purée the soup directly in the pot until smooth and creamy. Alternatively, blend in batches in a countertop blender, then return to pot.
08 - Stir in milk and heavy cream. Warm through over low heat, but do not boil. Adjust seasoning to taste.
09 - Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh chives or parsley and croutons, if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The soup comes together in under an hour with mostly pantry staples
- It freezes beautifully for those nights when cooking feels impossible
- Something magical happens when leeks slowly melt into butter
02 -
- Leeks hide grit between their layers so rinse them thoroughly after slicing
- Over-blending can make potatoes gummy so stop as soon as the soup looks smooth
- Adding dairy at too high a heat can cause it to separate, so keep the temperature low
03 -
- Cooking the leeks slowly until theyre meltingly soft is what makes the soup taste luxurious
- Taste and adjust the salt after adding the cream since dairy can mellow seasoning