Description
This creamy Potato Leek Soup is a classic French comfort dish made with tender leeks, buttery potatoes, and rich cream. Smooth, flavorful, and easy to make, it’s perfect for cozy dinners, elegant starters, or nourishing lunches all year round.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 large leeks, white and light green parts only, roughly chopped (about 5 cups)
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
- 2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped into ½-inch pieces
- 7 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup heavy cream
- Chives, finely chopped, for serving
Instructions
- Trim and clean the leeks thoroughly by slicing them lengthwise and rinsing out any grit. Roughly chop and set aside.
- In a large soup pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the leeks and garlic, stirring frequently until soft and wilted, about 10 minutes. Avoid browning.
- Add the potatoes, broth, bay leaves, thyme, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cover. Simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are very soft.
- Remove the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Use an immersion blender to purée the soup until smooth. (Alternatively, blend in batches using a standard blender, venting the lid slightly to release steam.)
- Stir in the heavy cream and bring the soup back to a gentle simmer. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Serve hot, garnished with chives or your favorite toppings such as bacon bits, fried leeks, or fresh herbs.
Notes
- For a vegan version, substitute butter with olive oil and cream with coconut milk or cashew cream.
- If the soup is too thick, add more broth or water until desired consistency.
- Freeze the soup before adding cream; stir in cream after reheating for best texture.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days in an airtight container.
- Blend only until smooth to prevent the soup from turning gluey due to over-processing the potatoes.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1½ cups
- Calories: 454
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 828 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 49 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 78 mg
Keywords: Potato Leek Soup, creamy soup, French soup, comfort food, leek recipes, winter soup, vegetarian soup, homemade soup