As the weather gets colder, we crave comfort food at our house. Leek and Potato Soup is a fantastic, filling soup to make in the fall and winter but it is good anytime.
This simple soup is lovely on its own but it's really delicious when topped with homemade croutons and a little fresh parsley for color.
Why You’ll Love This Leek And Potato Soup
- Hearty and satisfying - The potatoes and carrots in this soup are naturally filling and the warm, flavorful broth will fill you up for hours!
- Naturally vegetarian & vegan - Need a soup that can satisfy different dietary preferences? This vegetarian leek and potato soup has absolutely no meat and is totally dairy-free.
- Inexpensive - This soup is made with primarily cheap vegetables like carrots and potatoes, so you can feed a crew without breaking the bank!
Ingredients
- Olive oil - You’ll need a bit of oil to saute the leeks and draw out their flavors.
- Leeks - Be sure to clean these well. They’re notorious for holding dirt between the layers.
- Celery - has a savory, aromatic flavor that adds a lot to this soup.
- Carrots - Sweet carrots add a little color and extra meatiness to make this soup satisfying.
- Garlic - Fresh garlic is best. You can substitute about ½ teaspoon granulated garlic if you don't have any.
- White pepper - This type of pepper has a milder flavor than black pepper and tastes lovely with leeks.
- Water - Since you're making your own vegetable stock with the vegetables, you can use just water!
- Vegetable bouillon cubes - This adds salt and flavor to make sure your broth is really flavorful.
- Salt - It’s essential to season as you go to bring out the flavors. Potatoes usually require a lot of seasoning!
- Red potatoes - These small potatoes are great in soups because they tend to keep their texture. You can also use white or gold potatoes.
- Coconut milk - For a little extra creaminess, finish off the whole soup with a can of full-fat coconut milk. If you eat dairy, you can also use heavy cream.
- Parsley & croutons - Sprinkle these on top as a flavorful garnish!
Variations
- Add chicken - For a meaty soup, use chicken stock and add leftover rotisserie chicken.
- Deglaze with white wine - A dry white wine adds a slight sweetness that pairs well with the natural sweetness in leeks. After you add the garlic, add about ¼ cup and let it cook off before you add the water and seasonings.
- Use stock - Instead of the inexpensive vegetable bouillon cubes, you can make your own stock or use some from the store.
How to Make Leek and Potato Soup
Serve this soup as a side or an appetizer or enjoy a big bowl with some French Bread and a Green Salad.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 leeks (white and tender green part only, about 4 cups diced)
- 2 stalks celery
- 3 carrots
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
- 8 cups water
- 2 vegetable bouillon cubes (or Better than Bouillon vegetarian, gluten free seasoning sauce, 1 teaspoon)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 6 medium red potatoes with skins (or any white or gold potato, peeled and diced)
- 1 13.5-ounce can coconut milk (full fat)
- Parsley and croutons (to garnish)
Instructions
- Remove the very end of the leeks. Then, slice the leeks lengthwise and wash thoroughly. Leeks tend to have dirt between the layers, so you must be careful and remove all the dirt.
- Dice the leeks (white and tender green parts only).
- Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or soup pot.
- Add the leeks and cook until tender, about 5-7 minutes.
- Slice the celery and add it to the leeks.
- Peel the carrots and slice them in rounds. Add them to the leek mixture.
- Mince the garlic and add it to the other veggies, cooking for another few minutes.
- Add the pepper, salt, bouillon cubes, and water.
- Cut the potatoes (peel or leave skins on if desired) into bite-sized pieces and add them to the pot.
- Cook for another 20 minutes over medium heat until the potatoes are tender.
- Add the coconut milk and heat for another 5 minutes until hot.
- Serve with some chopped fresh parsley and a few Homemade Croutons, if desired.
Expert Tips
- Build flavors gradually - It’s essential to sautee the leeks well before cooking. This will soften them up so they’re lovely to eat and release so much flavor.
- Wash your leeks thoroughly - It’s hard to know what to keep and toss if you've never cooked with them. Remove the end right before the root. Depending on the thickness of the leeks, you’ll either need to slice lengthwise or cut the pieces into rounds. Leeks often hold dirt between the layers, so you’ll want to wash them very well before slicing, and you probably should wash the pieces after cutting.
- To blend or not - Most leek and potato soup recipes are blended, but that’s unnecessary. The potatoes release their starches as this soup cooks, giving it a lovely texture. Coconut milk helps with this, too. If you’d prefer a smooth soup, use a stick blender and blend until the individual vegetable pieces break down. Be careful not to over-blend.
Recipe FAQs
Why does my leek and potato soup taste bland?
Seasoning your soup and building flavor as you go properly is essential. If you’ve ever made mashed potatoes before, you know that potatoes need a lot of seasoning! This is true in soup, too. Allow the vegetables to sautee and release their flavors gradually; don’t rush the process. Taste the soup several times while cooking, and add more salt or other spices as needed.
Why is my leek and potato soup gluey?
If you process potatoes too much, they take on an unpleasant, gluey texture. This usually happens if you blend the potatoes in a food processor, blender, or immersion blender. To avoid it, carefully blend your ingredients as little as possible. You also don’t have to mash or blend your potatoes at all! Instead, make a chunky leek and potato soup, and you won’t have to worry about this.
Can you make leek and potato soup in the crockpot?
Absolutely! The slow cooker is a great way to cook this hearty vegetable soup. Like usual, you’ll want to sautee the vegetables in a stock pot to draw out all the flavors and soften them properly. Then, add the veggies with the water, bouillon cubes, and salt to your slow cooker. It won’t take too long since the vegetables are partially cooked. Let the soup slow cook for about 2-3 hours and serve!
Leek and Potato Soup
Good peasant potato soup, flavored with mild leeks
Author: Recipe Idea Shop
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 leeks (white and tender green part only, about 4 cups diced)
- 2 stalks celery
- 3 carrots
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
- 8 cups water
- 2 vegetable bouillon cubes (or Better than Bouillon vegetarian, gluten free seasoning sauce, 1 teaspoon)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 6 medium red potatoes with skins (or any white or gold potato, peeled and diced)
- 1 13.5-ounce can coconut milk (full fat)
- Parsley and croutons (to garnish)
Instructions
- Remove the very end of the leeks. Then slice the leeks lengthwise and wash thoroughly. Leeks tend to have dirt between the layers, so you need to be careful and remove all the dirt.
- Dice the leeks (white and tender green parts only).
- Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or soup pot.
- Add the leeks and cook until tender, about 5-7 minutes.
- Slice the celery and add it to the leeks.
- Peel the carrots and slice them in rounds. Add them to the leek mixture.
- Mince the garlic and add it to the other veggies, cooking another couple of minutes.
- Add the pepper, salt, bouillon cubes and water.
- Cut the potatoes (peel or leave skins on if desired) into bite-sized pieces and add them to the pot.
- Cook for another 20 minutes or so over medium heat until the potatoes are tender.
- Add the coconut milk and heat for another 5 minutes until hot.
- Serve with a little chopped fresh parsley and a few Homemade Croutons, if desired.
Nutrition (may vary depending on ingredients and amounts used)
Calories: 171kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 401mg | Potassium: 844mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 4204IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 2mg
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