Classic Potato Leek Soup (Printer View)

Rich, creamy blend of potatoes and leeks simmered to velvety perfection.

# Components:

→ Vegetables

01 - 3 medium leeks (white and light green parts only), cleaned and sliced
02 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
03 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
04 - 3 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Liquids

06 - 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
07 - 1 cup whole milk or heavy cream
08 - 1 bay leaf

→ Seasonings

09 - 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
10 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
11 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, optional

→ Garnish

12 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives or parsley
13 - Olive oil or cream for drizzling, optional

# Method steps:

01 - Slice leeks lengthwise, then cut into thin half-moons. Rinse thoroughly under running water to remove any trapped grit between layers.
02 - Melt butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add sliced leeks and diced onion, stirring occasionally until softened but not browned, approximately 7 minutes.
03 - Add minced garlic to the pot and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Stir in diced potatoes, bay leaf, and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for 20 to 25 minutes until potatoes are very tender.
05 - Remove bay leaf from pot. Using an immersion blender, purée soup until smooth and creamy. Alternatively, transfer soup in batches to a blender, purée, and return to pot.
06 - Stir in milk or cream and heat gently until warmed through without boiling. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg if desired. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
07 - Ladle hot soup into bowls and garnish with chopped chives or parsley. Add a swirl of cream or drizzle of olive oil if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes infinitely more elegant than the 50 minutes it takes to make, which means you'll feel secretly brilliant serving it.
  • The texture is naturally creamy without any pretense—just potatoes and leeks doing what they do best together.
  • It's forgiving enough for a weeknight but fancy enough to serve when you want to impress someone without fussing.
02 -
  • Don't skip cleaning your leeks—I learned this the hard way, and biting into sand in front of guests is a feeling you don't want to experience.
  • Yukon Gold potatoes are worth seeking out because they naturally create a creamier texture, meaning you can use less cream and still feel luxurious.
  • If your soup breaks when you add the cream, it's usually because the temperature spiked too high; gentle heat at the end is non-negotiable.
03 -
  • If you don't have an immersion blender, a regular blender works, but be patient and work in small batches to avoid hot soup exploding everywhere—voice of experience.
  • Taste the soup before you finish cooking it; this teaches you what it needs rather than relying on a recipe to tell you, and your palate gets sharper every time you do this.
Return