Cozy and comforting, this Potato Leek Soup recipe combines potatoes, leeks, and broth for a simple homemade soup the whole family will love. It’s creamy without any heavy cream!
Creamy Potato Leek Soup Recipe
This potato leek soup is the kind of soup that is so simple to make, yet it tastes like you really know your way around the kitchen. I grew up loving this classic soup as a kid, and eating it always brings me back to a happy place. Because my parents always cooked soup from scratch, I have a ton of soup recipes, from old-fashioned Chicken Noodle Soup to Cucumber Soup!
Why This Potato Leek Soup Is a Comfort Food Classic
I always think of my childhood when I eat a bowl of potato leek soup. Since my parents made soup for dinner as a starter or main dish almost daily, I certainly had my fair share over the years. The soups I enjoyed most as a kid were the purees, as I was pretty picky. On nights we had potato leek soup, I never complained, and to this day I crave this soup when the weather gets cold.
- Rich and creamy without heavy cream. Pureeing the potatoes and making a roux, rather than thickening the soup with heavy cream, helps make it creamy without all the calories.
- Cozy, comforting flavor. Potato leek soup is flavorful, but not in a complicated way. It’s simply delicious!
- Easy to make. There’s really not much to this recipe! You’ll make a roux, then add the veggies and simmer until the potatoes are tender and puree until smooth. That’s it!
Potato Leek Soup
Ingredients
- 4 medium leeks, dark green stems removed
- 1/2 large white onion, chopped
- 2 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
- 1 tablespoon flour, use AP gluten free flour for GF
- 1 tbsp butter
- 4 cups chicken broth, or use vegetable broth for vegetarians
- 1/2 cup 2% milk
- salt and fresh pepper, to taste
- fresh chives, optional for garnish
Instructions
- Wash leeks very carefully to remove all grit. I usually cut them horizontally and separate the rings to make sure no dirt remains. Coarsely chop them when washed.
- In a medium soup pot, melt the butter and add the flour on low heat.
- Using a wooden spoon, mix well. This will thicken your soup and give it a wonderful flavor.
- Add chicken broth, leeks, onion, potatoes and bring to a boil.
- Cover and simmer on low for about 20-25 minutes, until potatoes are soft.
- Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth adding the milk and adjusting salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve immediately.
Last Step:
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Nutrition
Ingredients You’ll Need
Below is everything you’ll need to make this potato leek soup recipe. See the recipe card above for the exact measurements.
- Onions and Leeks are the base of flavor in this soup. Discard the dark green stems of the leeks, which are too tough to eat.
- Potatoes give the soup its smooth, silky texture. Use 2 medium russet or Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes.
- Roux is made with 1 tablespoon all purpose flour (or gluten free flour such as Cup4Cup) and salted butter. This helps thickens the soup.
- Broth, either chicken broth or vegetable broth for vegetarians.
- Milk, not cream! I use 2% milk, but dairy-free milk will work too.
- Fresh Chives for garnish and a little extra flavor.
- Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper, to taste.
How To Make Potato Leek Soup
Once you clean the leeks, making potato leek soup is easy!
- Prep the leeks: Roughly chop the washed leeks.
- Make the roux: Add butter and flour to a heavy pot or Dutch oven.
- Simmer: Add leeks, onion, chicken stock and potatoes and simmer until the potatoes are tender.
- Puree: Blend the soup with an immersion blender or puree in a regular blender in batches until smooth.
Tips and Variations
Here are a few more pointers for perfect potato leek soup.
- Make it chunky. Although I like mine pureed, if you prefer your soup with a chunky texture you can use a potato masher instead of an immersion blender.
- Skip the dairy. If you wish to make this potato leek soup dairy free, simply leave the milk out and add more broth. You can use oil or a plant-based butter to make the roux.
- Make it cheesy. Add some shredded cheddar cheese on top.
- Add herbs. Use bay leaves or thyme sprigs to the pot while cooking for extra flavor.
How To Clean Leeks
The most important thing to know about making this soup is how to clean the leeks. They’re sandy and dirty, and hide it pretty well.
- The first step is cutting off and discarding the root ends and thick dark green parts.
- Then cut the leeks in half lengthwise and rinse each half under cold water, pulling apart the layers to remove any grit that’s tucked inside.
- Once clean, you can proceed to chop them.
Serving Suggestions
Here are some ideas for making this potato leek soup into a meal.
Sandwiches
Potato leek soup and a sandwich makes for a satisfying lunch!
Salads
For a lighter option, pair your soup with a salad.
Proper Storage and Reheating
- Refrigerator: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: You can also freeze potato leek soup in a freezer bag or freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
- To reheat: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator then reheat on the stove or in the microwave.
