Leek and Potato Soup is a thick and creamy classic French Potato Soup that starts with garlic butter in which leeks are slowly sautéed to bring out the sweet flavour.
It’s simple to make, cosy and comforting yet also luxurious and elegant. I love how this Leek Soup can be Couch Food OR an elegant starter for a dinner party. Good food is a universal language!
Leek and Potato Soup
Though France might be the epicentre of Michelin star restaurants (second only to Tokyo!), where sauces come in the form of foam and dishes are given excessively fancy names, the heart and soul of French food is simple food made well. It’s rustic, cosy, and often generous on the butter and cheese.
Hence French food and I are very good friends. (Hello Quiche Lorraine, Gougeres, Potato au Gratin, French Onion Soup…to name a few of my best mates!)
Leek soup is another such example. (Though, shockingly, no cheese!). Few ingredients, prepared well, simple to make, and so enjoyable.
What goes in Leek and Potato Soup
Here what you need:
Leeks – essential for a LEEK soup!! 😂 Leeks are sweeter and have a more subtle flavour than onions. Though if you are desperate to make this an leeks are obscenely expensive / you can’t get your hands on them, substitute for regular onions (brown, white or yellow);
Potatoes – use starchy or all rounders, they fall apart when simmered which means less blending for creamy soup = less risk of gluey soup*. 🇦🇺Australia: Sebago (dirt brushed, most common potatoes), 🇺🇸US: Russet 🇬🇧UK: Maris Piper;
Broth – I choose chicken because it has more depth of flavour than vegetable stock/broth. But vegetable stock is also ideal here!
Creamy is optional. This soup is still thick and creamy even without, it just adds a luxurious mouthfeel.
* Common problem with Potato Leek Soups that call for blitzing to death until completely smooth. Power of blender = activates starch in potatoes = gluey. Same thing that happens if you use a food processor or blender for mashed potato!
How to cut leeks
Trim the root off. Take a peek and if you can see dirt in the layers, then split the leek in half and separate all the layers, wash them well, then slice per below.
If you don’t see dirt (like mine pictured above), cut your leeks as pictured below:
Cut off the dark green reedy top and discard (leftmost on leek above);
White end (and the very pale green part) – finely slice; and
Pale green middle part – peel off reedy outer layers and finely slice the softer middle part.
How to make Leek and Potato Soup
Leek are like onions – they have a pretty harsh raw flavour. So the key to a really great Leek Soup is to slowly sauté them in garlic butter until they transform and become soft and sweet. It’s kind of like caramelising onions for French Onion Soup – except we don’t take it as far.
After that, just plonk the potatoes and stock in, simmer until the potato is literally crumbling (the softer they are, the less blending we have to do = better soup texture, no risk of “gluey soup”).
Blitz, stir in cream and serve!
I like to serve mine with croutons. Just a teeny tiny sprinkle of crunchy buttery bread somehow magically makes any soup so much more fabulous.
And while this is a potato based soup, that still doesn’t stop me from tearing up hunks of crusty warm bread, slathering in butter and dunking into the soup.
Carb on carb fabulousness! – Nagi x
PS Or try one of these Soup Dippers – these existing on my website pretty much solely for the purpose of dunking into soups and stews.
Soup Dippers
Watch how to make it
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Leek and Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp (30g) butter
- 2 garlic cloves , large, finely minced
- 3 leeks , white and pale green parts only sliced thinly (about 2 cups) (Note 1)
- 1 kg / 2lb potatoes (Sebago/Russet/Maris Piper) , peeled a diced into 1"/2.5cm cubes (Note 2)
- 1.5 litre / 1.5 qt chicken or vegetable stock , low sodium (6 cups)
- 3/4 cup cream , heavy/thickened (sub milk)
- 1 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt (table salt – reduce by 25%)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Croutons
- 2 thick slices bread , torn into crouton size pieces
- 1 tbsp melted butter, or olive oil spray
- Salt
Garnish
- Chives , finely chopped
- Extra cream , for garnish
Instructions
- Sauté – Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add garlic and leek and sauté for 7 minutes until soft and sweet.
- Simmer 25 minutes – Add potatoes and broth. Turn heat up and bring to simmer, then place lid on and lower heat so it's simmering gently. Simmer for 25 minutes or until potato is very soft and almost falling apart.
- Minimal blitz – Turn the stove off and puree with a stick blender until JUST smooth. Do not over puree (Note 3).
- Season – Add salt and pepper, then stir through cream.
- Serve, drizzled with cream and sprinkled with chives and croutons.
Croutons
- Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan-forced). Drizzle bread with melted butter (or spray with oil). Bake for 5 minutes or until golden and crunchy. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt while hot!
Recipe Notes:
- Australia – Sebago (dirty brushed / common washed potatoes you can get at any supermarket. Do not use red potatoes or new potatoes i.e. the ones that you use for potato salad because they are low in starch so will not break down as much when boiling to create a creamy soup)
- US – Russet
- UK – Maris Piper
- I use vegetable or chicken stock instead of water;
- Leeks are sautéed in garlic butter instead of just simmered in water
- I added garlic. Because in my world, where there is butter, there is garlic!
- I added croutons. Because buttery crunch + creamy leek soup = match made in heaven
Nutrition Information:
Originally published October 2015. Spiffed up March 2020 – most importantly, new Life of Dozer section added!
Life of Dozer
Cactus and Dozer is like me and chilli – I know it’s gonna hurt, but I just can’t resist.
I’ve been making leek soup for years. This was a game changer. I now know how to use leeks! No green! Soup was smooth and creamy. Previously I’ve found it fibrousy. Thanks for the lesson nagi.
Firstly, sincere condolences for Dozer. What a delight he was. Thank you for sharing him with us.
I love this recipe. I make it a lot. The only difference is I also add one onion to further boost the flavour. My question relates to freezing and fridge time. I am a single person household. How long will this keep in the fridge and can it be frozen? I know freezing potatoes can be iffy. Many thanks.
For a novice cook this was simple to make and very delicious
Amazing soup. So delicious and easy to make. I will definitely make it again. I love all your recipes Nagi and everything i make comes out so well. All credit to you. Thank you once again.
Excellent! Creamy and is always a success.
EXCELLENT!!
I ended up using the greens from the leeks,
half chicken mixed with half vegetable broth and I used white potatoes
An immersion blender makes it creamy
Delicious soup!
Thank you!!
I wash my leek tips well and long sauté them. Then I make a roast pumpkin and marinated feta fettuccine. So delicious! Don’t throw them away! They are the best bit, prepared well!
I enjoyed this a lot as is, but I have to confess it gave me dirty thoughts of adding cheese and bacon bits.
First time I’ve ever made soup. Tasted great. Easy to make. Thanks Nagi.
Honestly you could serve this in a fancy restaurant and charge top dollar…it’s hands down the easiest and most delicious soup. I love everything Nagi makes, she’s my food Goddesses.
Thank you for another great recipe. I came to check the ratio of potatoes to leeks. I’ve always made my leek and potato soup the same as your recipe except I finish my soup with a Liaison of blended egg yolk and cream (passed through a sieve). It gives the soup a beautiful smooth finish. I also like to use chicken stock, and always sweat the leaks in butter.
I bought 2 big fat leeks at the farmers market – made for much more than 2 cups but it all went in!! I LOVE potato leek soup and the leek-ier the better!
This soup is Devine , soft and silky smooth.
I’ve made it just about every weekend ! And never goes to waste.
I have added some crispy bacon on the top and it takes it next level !
Yum
Thanks Nagi
Fabulous soup – amazing how much flavour is produced by so few ingredients. I used quite large leeks and they produced quite a lot more than 2 cups when sliced, but this wasn’t a problem – I added a bit of extra oil and liquid and the flavour was terrific. It’s so good, you could even skip the cream (but I didn’t!).
Family loved it. My father-in-law who doesn’t usually like soup even asked for a second bowl! High praise right there
Really liked this recipe! I tweaked a couple of things (added carrots to sauté along with the leeks; didn’t blend it) and it came out delicious. Really simple and with minimal cleanup (-:
The first soup I have ever made, inspired by someone else who made Potato and Leek soup. This is delicious!! I’ve added cooked bacon and also put in more leek and garlic…. Delicious!!! Especially with crusty fresh bread. Mmmmmmmm
This was so wonderfull.
Have been making this since I was a child and still find it one of the better winter soups.
My variation I fry up white pudding in rounds to add/crumble instead of croutons.
The first soup I have ever made, inspired by someone else who made Potato and Leek soup. This is delicious!! I’ve added cooked bacon and also put in more leek and garlic…. Delicious!!! Especially with crusty fresh bread. Mmmmmmmm
Such a good soup! Very simple and easy to follow, I did only use 2 leeks though as 3 felt like a bit to much for me, but served it with freshly baked bread with garlic butter, and was perfect
Love it Nagi! Thanks x