Description
This classic Potato Leek Soup is a creamy, comforting dish made with tender Yukon Gold potatoes and mild, flavorful leeks simmered in broth and finished with rich heavy cream. Perfect as a warming starter or a light meal, this soup blends simple ingredients into a smooth, velvety texture and is garnished with fresh chives for a pop of freshness.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Ingredients
- 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
- Sauté the Aromatics: Melt the unsalted butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the chopped leeks and smashed garlic cloves and cook, stirring regularly, until the leeks are soft and wilted, about 10 minutes. Adjust the heat as needed to avoid browning the ingredients, ensuring gentle cooking to release flavors.
- Simmer the Soup: Add the peeled and chopped Yukon Gold potatoes, broth, bay leaves, fresh thyme sprigs, salt, and black pepper to the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, then cover and reduce the heat to low. Let it simmer gently for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are very soft and tender.
- Puree the Soup: Remove the thyme sprigs and bay leaves from the pot. Using a hand-held immersion blender, puree the soup directly in the pot until it is smooth and creamy. Alternatively, you can puree the soup in batches using a standard blender; be careful to fill the jar only halfway, leave the lid hole open, cover loosely with a towel to let steam escape, and pour blended soup back into a clean pot.
- Finish and Adjust Seasoning: Stir in the heavy cream and bring the soup back to a gentle simmer. Taste and adjust the seasoning with additional salt and black pepper if needed. If the soup is too thin, simmer uncovered until it thickens to your liking. If too thick, thin with a bit of water or broth.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with finely chopped fresh chives. Serve warm for a delicious, comforting meal.
- Freezing Instructions: To freeze the soup, omit the cream and store the soup in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat over medium heat on the stovetop until hot. Add the cream and bring to a simmer before serving.
Notes
- When pureeing in a standard blender, do not fill it more than halfway to allow expansion of hot liquid and prevent spills.
- Leave the lid hole open and cover loosely with a towel to allow steam to escape and avoid pressure buildup.
- The soup can be made vegetarian by using vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
- For a richer flavor, use homemade broth and fresh thyme sprigs.
- This soup is freezer-friendly without the cream; adding cream fresh after reheating preserves its texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 620mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 25g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 40mg
