Description
This creamy leek and potato soup is a comforting and classic dish made with tender potatoes, sweet leeks, and fragrant garlic, gently simmered in chicken stock and finished with rich cream. Crisp pancetta, crunchy croutons, and fresh chives add perfect texture and flavor contrasts, making it an ideal starter or light main for any time of year.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 4 tbsp butter (60g)
- 2 ribs celery, finely diced
- 2 large cloves garlic, finely diced
- 3 large leeks, firm/dark parts removed then finely diced (save firm/dark parts)
- 1.2 litres chicken stock (5 cups), or as needed
- 1 kg Maris Piper or Russet potatoes, peeled and diced (weighed before peeling)
- 1 tsp salt, plus more as needed
- 1/2 tsp black pepper, plus more as needed
- 160 ml heavy or double cream (2/3 cup), at room temperature
Toppings
- Extra drizzle of cream
- Diced pancetta or bacon, cooked until crisp
- Croutons
- Finely diced fresh chives
Instructions
- Melt butter and sauté vegetables: Melt the butter in a large deep pot over medium heat. Add the diced celery and fry for a few minutes until it begins to soften. Add the garlic and diced leeks and continue frying until the mixture is soft and sweet, approximately 8 minutes.
- Add stock, potatoes, and seasonings: Pour in the chicken stock, then stir in the diced potatoes, salt, and pepper. Check the reserved firm/dark green parts of the leeks for dirt, add them to the pot, and bring the soup to a simmer.
- Simmer the soup: Once simmering, lower the heat slightly, cover with a lid, and simmer for 30 minutes until the potatoes are very soft and tender.
- Remove leek ends and blend soup: Remove the lid and pluck out the leek ends. Turn off the heat and carefully blend the soup until smooth. Avoid over-blending to prevent a gluey texture.
- Finish with cream and adjust seasoning: Stir in the room temperature cream, taste, and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Add more stock if you prefer a thinner consistency.
- Serve with toppings: Ladle the soup into bowls and add desired toppings such as a drizzle of cream, crispy pancetta or bacon, croutons, and fresh chives. Enjoy immediately.
Notes
- This is the easiest and most delicious method to make a classic leek and potato soup.
- Be sure to check the firm dark parts of the leeks thoroughly for dirt before adding them to the pot to avoid grit in your soup.
- Use Maris Piper or Russet potatoes for the best texture and creaminess.
- Avoid over-blending to maintain a silky smooth but not gluey consistency.
- Adjust the soup thickness by adding more stock if desired.
- The soup can be made vegetarian by substituting vegetable stock and omitting pancetta or bacon toppings.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 305 kcal
- Sugar: 4.76 g
- Sodium: 517 mg
- Fat: 12.57 g
- Saturated Fat: 7.67 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4.179 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 44.45 g
- Fiber: 5.7 g
- Protein: 5.74 g
- Cholesterol: 44 mg
