Easy Potato Leek Soup — Learn how to make this classic soup recipe that’s ready in 30 minutes! Made in one pot with simple ingredients. A hearty comfort food soup that’s just creamy enough without being too heavy. A crowd-favorite recipe for the BEST and EASIEST potato leek soup!
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If you’re looking for a classic winter comfort food soup recipe, with a nod to spring (hello, leeks), then this easy potato leek soup recipe is the perfect solution.
Made in one pot on your stovetop and ready in just 30 minutes, this is a lovely potato soup recipe with leeks that’s traditional, super flavorful, and easy to make.
Potato leek soup is a classic French soup but unlike many traditional French recipes, this one is very forgiving! It’s hearty, earthy, and just rich enough without feeling heavy.
I love serving this soup with chives, parsley and fresh thyme and of course bread or rolls. Although you can get creative and add some crispy bacon bits, shredded cheese, or whatever suits your fancy.
Fun fact: As written, this soup is naturally gluten free and if you use vegetable broth rather than chicken broth and plant-based milk, you can keep it vegan.
What’s a Leek Anyway?
Leeks are part of the genus Allium, making them a cousin to onions, shallots, garlic, and chives. Wild leeks are sometimes referred to as ramps.
They have a mildly sweet flavor, and while I have read that some people eat them raw, I can’t imagine that!
You eat the whiter or lighter green parts and discard the dark green tops.
Spring is their natural season, although with modern food supply chains, you can find them year round if you look.
How To Clean Leeks
Leeks often have dirt or sand that can enter this edible whiter/lighter part so you will want to slice the tops off, then slice down the center, then slice or chop across.
Rinse in a strainer before cooking as sand and dirt often make their way into the inner layers of the leek.
There are all kinds of internet tutorial videos how to clean leeks that exist and if you’re curious, check one out. And even more ‘foolproof ways to clean leeks’ including swirling just the base (white side) in a bowl of water.
But I like this method because I then place my little pile of leeks in a colander and rinse thoroughly under cold running water.
Ingredients Needed
This traditional potato leek soup recipe is made with common fridge and pantry ingredients including:
- Unsalted butter
- All-purpose flour
- Leeks
- Onions
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Cloves garlic
- Chicken broth
- Russet potatoes
- Fresh thyme (or bay leaves)
- Whole Milk
- Fresh chives or fresh herbs, for garnishing
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How to Make Creamy Potato Leek Soup
With just about 10 minutes prep time and another 20-25 minutes cook time, this soup takes about 30-35 minutes total time.
- To a large Dutch oven, add half the butter and heat over medium-high heat to melt it before adding the flour and stirring.
- Add the leeks, onions, 2 tsp salt, pepper, and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute before adding the broth, potatoes, thyme, cover the pot, and boil over medium heat for about 20-25 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
- After the simmer, remove the thyme and blend the soup with a handheld immersion blender or high speed blender.
- Add the milk, stir, taste for seasoning balance, ladle into a bowl, garnish, and serve!
FAQs
I’m sure you can, although I have not tested this recipe so you’d have to experiment with whether or not to saute the leeks, onion, and garlic first, or if you can add it raw to the slow cooker. And from there, determine how long you will need to cook it. Because potatoes take a while to cook through, I surmise at least 4 hours on low, or about 2 1/2 hours on high. However, it’s an estimate because I have not tested it.
This recipe is made with leeks as a star ingredients so they are necessary and cannot be omitted. You could possible add a few celery stalks in place of part of the leeks but I haven’t tried it.
If you want to make potato soup without leeks, check out Slow Cooker Potato Soup, Stovetop Baked Potato Soup, Loaded Cheesy, Bacon, Corn, and Potato Chowder, or Loaded Cheesy Chicken Potato Chowder as excellent potato soup recipes.
Russet potatoes are my favorite for this soup because they soften and fall apart on their own more so than waxier potatoes like Yukon gold or red potatoes do. However, use your favorite potato. I recommend peeling whatever potato you use.
I find that whole milk lends enough creaminess weighing the soup down. If you’re looking to make it richer, you can use some half-and-half in place of some of the milk. Or perhaps a splash of heavy cream, but it’s not necessary. I don’t advise low-fat dairy. 2% possibly would work but I think whole is best.
Technically no you don’t have to blend potato leek soup, however classic potato leek soup is served blended or pureed and I recommend doing so for the most enjoyable texture.
If you have a handheld immersion blender, this is the time to break it out! If you don’t, you can use a high speed blender. I don’t like a food processor as much for this task. You may need to blend in batches if using a blender.
Caution: Any time that I’m blending hot liquids in a blender canister, I pop the top off the blender lid and cover it with a dish towel rather than the plastic piece so steam can escape so I don’t have a literal liquid explosion! Although you need that hole to be covered with something (I use an old dish towel).
What to serve with potato leek soup
Storage and Reheating Instructions
In the Refrigerator: This leek and potato soup recipe will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
In the Freezer: Store leftovers in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw and reheat gently.
To Reheat: I use my microwave for quickness and ease and reheat my leftovers for about 30 seconds on high, or as needed. But you can use your stove, whatever is best suited for you.
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Potato Leek Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 4 cups leeks, coarsely chopped*
- 2 cups sweet Vidalia onion, finely minced
- 2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 4 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
- 4 cups Russet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1-inch chunks
- 1 sprig of fresh thyme
- ½ cup whole milk
- Fresh herbs, optional for garnishing (chives, parsley, thyme)
Instructions
- To a large Dutch oven or soup pot, add 2 tablespoons butter, and heat over medium-high heat to melt.
- Add the flour to the melted butter, and using a wooden spoon, stir constantly until dissolved.
- Add the remaining butter, leeks* (see Notes), onions, salt, pepper, and saute for 5 minutes, or until vegetables begin to soften; stir frequently. Tips – I like to use sweet Vidalia onions for their flavor, but yellow or white onions may be used. Adding the salt now helps sweat the vegetables and adds a better flavor to the soup. Because I use reduced sodium broth, I find 2 teaspoons salt now to be necessary, but always salt to taste.
- Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute; stir continuously.
- Add the reduced sodium chicken broth, potatoes, thyme, and bring to a simmer.
- Reduced the heat to medium or medium-low, cover the Dutch oven, and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until potatoes are very tender and soft.
- Remove the sprig of thyme and using an immersion blender, blend the soup to. your desired consistency. Tips – If you don't have an immersion blender, you can blend the soup in a high speed blender. When working with hot liquids in a blender canister, always pay attention that there's a way for steam to escape. For me, the easiest way to achieve this is to pop out the plastic piece in the lid, and cover that hole with an old dish towel. You still need to cover the hole with something so soup doesn't go flying everywhere, but just not sealed off like you would have with the plastic piece still in. Blend in two or three rounds if necessary.
- Add the milk, stir to combine, taste the soup for seasoning balance, and add additional salt or pepper, if desired, to taste. Tip – If the soup tastes at all flat, boring, or dull, it likely needs more salt. Don't be afraid to add it. I add about 3-4 teaspoons total salt (2 to start and nearly 2 at the end) because you're seasoning and flavoring pounds-worth of very basic root vegetables which need salt to bring out their best so don't be afraid to add salt.
- Optionally, garnish the soup with fresh chives, parsley, thyme, and serve. Soup will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat very gently as desired in the microwave or on the stovetop.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Easy and delicious, will definitely make again!
Thanks for the 5 star review, Karen, and glad it was easy, delish, and you’ll make it again!