Potato Leek Creamy Soup (Printable version)

Silky smooth potatoes and sweet leeks simmered into a rich, warming bowl of pure comfort.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 2 large leeks (white and light green parts only), cleaned and sliced
04 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 4 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced
07 - 2 stalks celery, diced

→ Liquids

08 - 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
09 - 1 cup whole milk

→ Seasonings

10 - 1 bay leaf
11 - 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
12 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
13 - 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

→ Optional Garnish

14 - 7 ounces cooked seafood or 4 strips cooked bacon, crumbled
15 - Chopped fresh chives or parsley

# Directions:

01 - In a large pot, heat butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add leeks and onion, cooking for 5–6 minutes until softened but not browned.
02 - Add minced garlic and diced celery, sautéing for 2 minutes until fragrant.
03 - Stir in diced potatoes, bay leaf, thyme, salt, and pepper. Pour in the broth and bring to a boil.
04 - Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20–25 minutes until potatoes are very tender.
05 - Remove the bay leaf. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth, or leave slightly chunky if preferred.
06 - Stir in the milk and gently reheat. Adjust seasoning as needed.
07 - For seafood chowder, fold in cooked seafood and heat through for 2–3 minutes. For bacon version, top ladle soup into bowls and garnish with crumbled bacon.
08 - Top with fresh chives or parsley if desired. Serve hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than you'd expect, ready in under an hour, yet tastes like it simmered all day.
  • The base is vegetarian and forgiving, but you can sneak in seafood or bacon whenever you want to change things up.
02 -
  • Don't skip cleaning the leeks properly—grit between the layers will ruin the entire experience, so slice them lengthwise, rinse thoroughly, then slice into half-moons.
  • If your soup breaks (the cream separates), don't panic—stir in a splash of cold milk and warm gently, and it will come back together smoothly.
03 -
  • Don't rush the initial softening of leeks and onion—that five to six minutes is where sweetness develops and makes the entire soup sing.
  • If you prefer a dairy-free version, the soup is just as satisfying with quality olive oil and plant-based milk, proving that comfort doesn't need cream to be real.
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