Creamy Potato Leek Soup (Printable)

Silky French-style soup with tender potatoes, sweet leeks, and rich cream. Ready in 50 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 large leeks, white and light green parts only, sliced and rinsed
02 - 1 medium onion, diced
03 - 3 large russet potatoes, peeled and diced
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Liquids

05 - 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
06 - 1 cup whole milk
07 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
08 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

→ Seasonings

09 - 1 bay leaf
10 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish (optional)

12 - Chopped fresh chives or parsley
13 - Croutons

# How-To Steps:

01 - Slice leeks lengthwise, rinse thoroughly under cold running water to remove grit and sand from between layers, then slice into thin half-moons.
02 - Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add prepared leeks and diced onion. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft and translucent, approximately 8 minutes.
03 - Stir minced garlic into the pot and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to burn it.
04 - Add diced potatoes, bay leaf, dried thyme, and a generous pinch of salt and black pepper. Stir well to coat everything and combine flavors.
05 - Pour in vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 20-25 minutes, until potatoes are completely tender when pierced with a fork.
06 - Remove and discard the bay leaf from the soup.
07 - Using an immersion blender, purée the soup directly in the pot until completely smooth and creamy. Alternatively, transfer soup in batches to a countertop blender, purée until smooth, then return to pot.
08 - Stir in whole milk and heavy cream. Warm through over low heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Do not allow to boil. Taste and adjust salt and pepper seasoning as needed.
09 - Ladle hot soup into bowls. Garnish with chopped fresh chives or parsley and croutons, if desired. Serve immediately.

# Helpful Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together with humble ingredients you probably already have in your pantry
  • The texture is incredibly silky without any fancy techniques
02 -
  • Leeks hide sand deep between their layers, so slice them first and rinse thoroughly in a bowl of water, swishing them around
  • Never boil the soup after adding cream, or it can separate and become grainy instead of smooth
03 -
  • Use an immersion blender if possible, because transferring hot soup to a countertop blender is messy and requires cooling first
  • Always taste before serving, because potatoes vary in starchiness and absorb salt differently

Return