Leek and Potato Soup
Leek and potato soup is one of my all time favorites and a standard in many British restaurants and cafes. It’s not as popular in the US, but hopefully I’m helping that to change.
I bet many of you reading this in the US have never touched a leek. Am I right?
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Leek and potato soup is probably the most widely known recipe for using leeks in the UK and North America, and for good reason: it’s a splendidly flavorful soup!
Becoming adventurous and enjoy artichokes? Try this sunchoke soup!
Don’t be afraid of leeks
A few years ago, when I was homeschooling, I used to have cooking lessons for my daughter and three other 10 year old girls, once a week. One of the first things I taught these young ladies to make was leek and potato soup. While it was “old hat” for my daughter, two of the girls seemed anxious to dive in and try anything, but the fourth little girl appeared to be extremely doubtful of this particular vegetable.
How to clean leeks
I showed them how to clean and cut the leeks~
- Cut off the dark green leaves at the top, and about 1/4″ off the bottom.
- Starting at the top, cut into the leek, halfway through and make the cut all the way down to the bottom of the leek, lengthwise, to open all the layers, so the dirt can be washed out properly.
- Wash thoroughly, and cut into pieces or slices, as needed.
Becoming leek-lovers!
Then I showed the girls how to make the soup. Everything was fine, until it came time to taste it for salt. The hesitant student was the last to taste the soup. I could bet anything that if this had been taking place in her own home, she probably would have refused to try it. Most kids are much more daring in someone else’s home, right?
I still remember the look on her face when she tasted the soup for the first time–her eyes grew large, she smiled and exclaimed “It’s good!” as if she was completely flabbergasted by the flavor.
Turkey schnitzel with leeks and butter sage sauce
I loved how it felt, seeing this child introduced to something new and healthy, which would hopefully open more doors for her, possibly trying other things she may not have tried in future. She and the rest of the girls had a bowl of soup that afternoon, and went home with the ability and skills to make leek and potato soup on their own. The girls also made the soup for their respective families later on, and everyone loved it.
Most people who taste leek and potato soup for the first time, don’t just like it, they love it. Leeks have a very mild flavor, so they’re not something to which one needs to acquire a taste. These are Spanish leek croquettes, and are insanely good!
I have been making this soup for many years, and passed it on to lots of friends who ask for the recipe after tasting it. As most of my recipes are, this soup is very simple to make, just like celery soup or cream of mushroom soup. Despite the fact that you’ve never cooked a leek before, be brave and do something different for a change, and give them a try.
NOTE: when buying leeks, look for leeks with more white than green, as most of the tough, dark green leaves will be cut off. They should be firm and fresh looking; if they look old and limp, make another kind of soup like cream of broccoli! Remember–quality ingredients make everything taste better!
Leek and Potato Soup
Recipe by Christina Conte (taught to me by my mother) serves 6
FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW
Ingredients
- butter
- olive oil
- leeks
- onion
- chicken broth or water with Better Than Bouillon
- potatoes
- sea salt
- pepper
- optional: milk, cream or half and half
*vegetarian version: use vegetable stock instead of chicken broth
*vegan version: make as vegetarian; only use olive oil and do not add any dairy
Directions to Make Leek and Potato Soup
Put the butter and oil in a large soup pot, over medium heat, then add the leeks and onion with a pinch or two of salt. Sauté for about 5 to 6 minutes, stirring often. You can cover the pot in between stirring.
Add the chicken broth to the leeks and onion and bring to a simmer.
Next, add the chopped potatoes and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally until potatoes are soft. Add some salt to taste.
Once the potatoes are cooked, remove from heat and blend with an immersion blender, or place in a traditional blender to puree until smooth.
At this point, the soup is ready to eat, however, unless you or someone in your family is lactose intolerant, I would advise adding one of the following, more or less, to your liking:
- 1/2 cup of milk
- 1/4 cup of heavy cream
- 1/3 cup half and half
It makes the soup more creamy and delicious.
After adding the milk and/or cream, taste for salt, and add pepper if desired.
You can also just add a little milk and or cream into individual bowls for individual preferences, too.
Oh, and this is a photo I found on my camera when I came home from the East Coast earlier last week–apparently, my daughter (15 years old) still remembers how to make leek and potato soup!
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Leek and Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 12 oz leeks (approximately 2 leeks, cleaned and chopped)
- 1 onion (medium sized, chopped)
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 3 potatoes (medium-sized, peeled and diced)
- ½ tsp salt
- ⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper more or less to taste
- ½ cup milk (or cream/half and half (optional)
Instructions
- Put the butter and oil in a large soup pot, over medium heat, then add the leeks and onion. Saute for about 5 to 6 minutes, stirring often. You can cover the pot in between stirring.
- Add the chicken broth to the leeks and onion and bring to a simmer.
- Next, add the chopped potatoes and continue to simmer, stirring occastionally until potatoes are soft. Add some salt to taste.
- Once the potatoes are cooked, remove from heat and blend with an immersion blender, or place in a traditional blender to puree until smooth.
At this point, the soup is ready to eat, however, unless you or someone in your family is lactose intolerant, I would advise adding one of the following, more or less, to your liking: milk (or half and half/heavy cream). It makes the soup more creamy and delicious. After adding the milk and/or cream, taste for salt, and add pepper if desired. You can also just add a little milk and or cream into individual bowls for individual preferences, too.
Notes
- *vegetarian version: use vegetable stock instead of chicken broth
- *vegan version: make as vegetarian; only use olive oil and do not add any dairy
- You can also just add a little milk and or cream into individual bowls for individual preferences, too.
- If using cream: 1/4 cup
- If using half and half: 1/3 cup
Nutrition
Want to expand your soup repertoire? Try this wonderful oxtail soup recipe!
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Great recipe and my favorite potato soup! I lean milk or H&H; like it a bit more brothy.
Really like adjustable servings to customize for smaller households… THANKS!
I’ve seen some recipe cards that have a slide button to keep my ipad screen open to the recipe and not close; very helpful on multi-step recipes.
Thanks, Joan! Never heard of that option, but I will ask about it!