Creamy Potato Leek Soup (Printable Version)

Classic French-style soup with tender potatoes and leeks, creamy and comforting.

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 3 medium leeks (white and light green parts), cleaned and sliced
02 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
03 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
04 - 3 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Liquids

06 - 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
07 - 1 cup whole milk or heavy cream
08 - 1 bay leaf

→ Seasonings

09 - 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
10 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
11 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)

→ Garnish

12 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives or parsley
13 - Drizzle of olive oil or swirl of cream (optional)

# Steps:

01 - Slice leeks lengthwise, then into thin half-moons. Rinse thoroughly under cold running water to remove any grit between layers.
02 - Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add leeks and diced onion, stirring occasionally until softened but not browned, approximately 7 minutes.
03 - Add minced garlic to the pot and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Stir in diced potatoes, bay leaf, and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for 20 to 25 minutes until potatoes are very tender.
05 - Remove bay leaf from pot. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth and creamy. Alternatively, carefully transfer the soup in batches to a blender, purée, and return to the pot.
06 - Stir in milk or heavy cream and heat gently until warmed through without boiling. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg if desired. Adjust seasoning to taste.
07 - Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with fresh chives or parsley. Optional drizzle of cream or olive oil adds richness.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour, making it perfect for weeknight dinners when you want something that feels special.
  • The creamy texture requires no heavy cream tricks—just blended potatoes doing their job naturally.
  • One pot means less cleanup, and the whole thing tastes even better the next day.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the leeks thoroughly—one grain of sand ruins the whole experience, and it takes literally thirty seconds to do it right.
  • The soup thickens a bit as it cools, so what looks like the perfect consistency when hot might be slightly thick the next day; thin it with a splash of broth or milk if needed.
  • Blending temperature matters—if you blend boiling hot soup, the heat can sometimes cause the immersion blender to splash, so let it cool for 2 minutes first if you're nervous.
03 -
  • Make sure your potatoes are cut into roughly equal-sized pieces so they cook at the same rate—no racing between a tiny chunk and a large one.
  • If your soup breaks or looks grainy after blending, it's usually because the heat was too high when you added the dairy; next time, cool it slightly before adding cream and heat gently afterward.
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