Creamy Potato Leek Soup

Creamy, comforting Potato Leek Soup - made with just six simple ingredients. This soup is packed with the delicious flavors of potatoes, leeks, garlic, and a hint of fresh thyme. The perfect way to warm up on a cold day!

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Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 25

Servings:

Calories: 267kcal

Author: Cathy Trochelman

Equipment

1 immersion blender

Ingredients

3 Tablespoons olive oil
3 large leeks white and light green parts only, chopped
4 cloves garlic minced
2 pounds potatoes Yukon Gold, peeled and chopped
5 cups chicken broth OR vegetable broth
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup heavy cream

Instructions

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large soup pot. Add chopped leaks and sauté 5-6 minutes, stirring regularly until tender.
Add the minced garlic and continue sautéing, stirring regularly, for one minute.
Add the peeled, chopped potatoes, broth, salt, pepper and thyme. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer 20 minutes until potatoes are tender. Remove from heat.
Use an immersion blender to blend until smooth and creamy. Be careful not to over-mix as the potatoes can become gummy. (Note: this can also be done in batches in a regular high powered blender.)
Once the soup is smooth, add in the cream and blend to incorporate.

Notes

Helpful Tips

Add the garlic after the leeks - this ensures that the leeks have time to get nice and tender and sweet without burning the garlic. The garlic really only needs about a minute alone in the pot with the leeks.

Chop the potatoes to 1 inch - although it can be tempting to chop them into large pieces to save time, the smaller size allows the potatoes to soften up more quickly on the stovetop.

Be sure ingredients are tender - When in doubt, over-cook the mixture before blending. For best results, the potatoes should be very tender before you remove them from the heat to blend.

Don't over-blend - Once the soup is smooth and creamy, there's no need to keep going. Over-blending can result in a gummy texture that nobody wants!

Recipe Variations

Use another variety of potato in place of Yukon Gold
Add yellow onion for extra flavor
Substitute vegetable broth to make it vegetarian
Add additional fresh herbs, such as rosemary or sage
Omit the cream (or use a dairy-free cream) to make it vegan
Blend only halfway for a chunkier soup

Nutrition