Creamy Potato Leek Soup (Printable Version)

Silky smooth French classic featuring tender potatoes and leeks in a rich, comforting broth ready in 50 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ 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 - Drizzle of olive oil or swirl of cream, optional

# How To Make It:

01 - Slice leeks lengthwise, then into thin half-moons. Rinse thoroughly under cold water to remove any grit between layers.
02 - Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add leeks and onion, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned, approximately 7 minutes.
03 - Add minced garlic 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 simmer. Cover and cook for 20 to 25 minutes until potatoes are very tender.
05 - Remove bay leaf. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth and creamy. Alternatively, carefully transfer soup in batches to a blender, purée, and return to pot.
06 - Stir in milk or cream. Heat gently until warmed through without boiling. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg if desired. Adjust seasoning to taste.
07 - Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh chives or parsley. Optionally drizzle with cream or olive oil.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The velvety texture comes from the natural starch in the potatoes, no flour needed, so each spoonful feels indulgent while actually being quite light.
  • You can make this on Sunday and enjoy it all week, as the flavors actually deepen and get friendlier with each other after a day in the fridge.
02 -
  • Never skip cleaning your leeks thoroughly, even if they look clean, as one spoonful of grit can ruin the entire pot, something I learned after serving a crunchy batch to my in-laws years ago.
  • Adding the milk or cream after blending, not before, prevents it from potentially curdling during the heating process, a revelation that came after one disappointing separated batch.
03 -
  • For a restaurant-worthy presentation, reserve a few sautéed leek rounds before blending and float them on top of each serving with a tiny drizzle of good olive oil.
  • The soup freezes beautifully without the dairy, so consider making a double batch and freezing half before adding cream, then simply thaw, heat, and finish with fresh dairy when youre ready to serve.
Return