Potato Leek Soup
Easy Potato Leek Soup Recipe – This cozy vegetarian dish is brimming with sautéed leeks and tender potatoes in a rich, creamy soup base. It’s easy to make in under an hour, and can even be made vegan with a couple of simple swaps!
Why We Love This Potato Leek Soup Recipe
There is nothing I love more than cuddling up with a warm bowl of homemade soup on a chilly night. And this gloriously rich and flavorful Potato and Leek Soup is perfect for fall and winter meals! It’s a quick and easy vegetarian recipe that allows for maximum flavor and coziness, with minimal effort.
It also happens to be a gluten-free creamy soup recipe, too!
But why leeks and not just “regular” onions? Leeks are a firm onion variety that looks similar to extra-large scallions, AKA green onions. But they have a unique savory-sweet flavor that when cooked offers a bright delicate note to rustic potato soup. It’s really a delicious pairing that you have to experience for yourself.
While it is soup-er simple, there are several ways to customize the recipe: Easily make it a vegan potato leek soup with just a couple of swaps, add meat for a more protein-rich dish, or change up the veggies to your tastes. So long as you keep the leeks and potatoes in there *wink*, you’re sure to have a winning dish to warm you from the inside out!
Ingredients You Need
- Golden potatoes – unpeeled, sliced into thin quarters
- Leeks – chop just the stalks and discard the leaves (the dark green parts)
- Garlic – minced
- Butter – unsalted
- Vegetable broth – or chicken stock for a non-vegetarian version
- Italian seasoning – store bought or try our homemade Italian seasoning
- Heavy cream – optional (can also be subbed with vegan options … More below!)
- Salt and pepper – a bit of each to taste
Note: Some grocery chains carry frozen chopped leeks, for quick-prep, or if you can’t find them in the produce department.
How to Make the Best Leek and Potato Soup
- First, prep the leeks. When cooking with leeks, it’s important to use the solid white and light green stalks, cutting off the tops to discard. Leeks grow in sand so you should always quarter and chop them first, then use a colander to rinse them in cold water to remove any grains of sand and dirt.
Let the leeks drain in the colander while you prep the remaining ingredients.
- Add the butter, chopped leeks, and garlic to a large soup pot and set over medium heat. Stir and allow the aromatics to sauté and soften for several minutes.
- Once the leeks are very soft and fragrant, add the sliced potatoes to the pot. Pour in the broth, then stir in the Italian herb seasoning.
- Cover the pot and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring on occasion. Then remove the lid and continue to simmer for another 10 minutes until the potatoes are very soft and disintegrating into the soup base.
- Taste, then salt and pepper as desired. For a creamier soup without flour, stir in ¼ cup of heavy cream or cashew cream.
Get the Complete (Printable) Potato Leek Soup Recipe + VIDEO Below. Enjoy!
Recipe Variations
- Vegan – Simply use your favorite plant-based nondairy butter and cashew cream to easily make this a vegan potato leek soup recipe.
- Meat – Add some extra protein and include a couple of handfuls of cooked chopped ham, bacon, ground sausage turkey, or chicken in the last few minutes of simmering the leek and potato soup. You can also use chicken broth in place of vegetable broth, if you like.
- Potatoes – Here we’re also using thin waxy skinned golden potatoes that do not need to be peeled. You can use any variety of thin skin potatoes. However, if you choose to use thicker skin potatoes, like russet potatoes, you will need to peel them first.
- Veggies – There are so many ways to change up this basic recipe! Include diced carrots, celery, chopped cauliflower florets, or even chopped kale leaves for a heartier but still veggie-centric dish.
- Servings – As-is this recipe makes about 8 generous servings. Halve the ingredients to make a smaller batch for 4 people. To double the recipe you’ll need a large 20 quart stockpot.
Serving Suggestions
Ladle the hot leek and potato soup into large bowls. Add a pop of freshness to the rich soup and garnish each bowl with a bit of chopped green onions or fresh chives, fresh thyme sprigs, or fresh basil leaves. Or go the opposite direction and load on some crispy fried onions!
For a nice kick of spicy heat consider sprinkling on crushed red pepper flakes!
You can also sprinkle the top with parmesan cheese, or nondairy parm to serve as a vegan potato leek soup.
I don’t know about your household, but around here, it’s practically a rule that soup has to be served with some sort of bread! This creamy soup is delicious for dunking in slices of toasty baguette or a hunk of any warm, crusty bread.
Oh, and don’t forget a salad! Soup, bread, and salad… Is there a more perfect trio for a satisfying dinner that won’t weigh you down? I think not!
Frequently Asked Questions
Usually the culprit of bitter leeks is either A) you accidentally used some of the darker green bits of the stalk, or/and B) they were not sautéed for long enough before adding the broth. Leeks need to be cooked down a good bit to develop the light, earthy, and sweet flavor.
Leftover potato leek soup will keep well for up to 4 days. Let it cool completely before transferring the soup to an airtight container and storing it in the fridge.
You technically can freeze the soup for up to 3 months. However, the texture will not be quite the same after freezing, thawing, and reheating.
Looking for More Easy Soup Recipes? Be Sure to Try:
- Wild Mushroom Soup
- Creamy Vegetable Soup
- Irish Creamy Cauliflower Soup
- Creamy Carrot Soup
- Vegan Creamy Golden Vegetable Soup
Leek Potato Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 cups sliced Golden potatoes or other thin-skinned potatoes, about 2 lbs
- 4 cups chopped leeks about 3 large leeks
- 3-5 cloves garlic minced
- 4 tablespoons butter or plant-based butter for vegan
- 8 cups vegetable broth
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- Optional: ¼ cup heavy cream or cashew cream for vegan
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Prep the Leeks: Cut the dark green tops off the leeks. Then cut the root end off the stocks as well. Quarter the stocks, lengthwise, and cut into ½-inch slices. Place the chopped leeks in a bowl and rinse thoroughly with cold water to remove any sand and debris. (You can save the green tops for making stock, but do not use them in this recipe.)Move the leeks to a colander to drain while you mince the garlic.
- Set a large 6-8 quart soup pot over medium heat. Add the butter, chopped leeks, and garlic to the pot. Stir and allow the aromatics to sauté and soften for 5-10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, quarter the potatoes, lengthwise. Then slice into thin slices. Once the leeks are very soft and fragrant, add the sliced potatoes to the pot. Pour in the broth, then stir in the Italian herb seasoning.
- Cover the pot and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring on occasion. Then uncover the pot and continue to simmer for another 10 minutes until the potatoes are very soft, and disintegrating into the soup base.
- Taste, then salt and pepper as desired. For extra creamy soup, stir in ¼ cup of heavy cream or cashew cream.
I’m a vegetarian so I always enjoy a veggie-packed recipe, and this soup was great!
I make lots of soups this time of year and was excited to give this one a try. It’s definitely one of the easier soups I’ve made with just a handful of ingredients, but packs tons of flavor. YUM!
My husband always order potato leek soup when it’s on a menu, so I decided to make this for him as a little surprise. He loved it!!! I’m so pleased with this recipe.