Leek and Potato Soup

❤️ Why I Love This Recipe

• Versatility: Serve it piping hot during cold weather or enjoy it chilled on warmer days.
• Simplicity: Made with basic ingredients, as a testament to the beauty of simple, honest cooking.
• Flavorful: The combination of leeks, potatoes, and a creamy base makes a comforting and delicious soup.
• Tribute to Heritage: This recipe pays homage to my Irish roots and celebrates traditional cooking.

🛒 Ingredient Notes

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• Leeks: Use only the white and lightest green parts of the leeks for a mild, sweet onion flavor. See my notes below for instructions on cleaning the leeks.
• Potatoes: You’ll need floury potatoes for this recipe. By “floury,” I mean potatoes that bake up light and fluffy on the inside and have a distinct starchy quality. They’re most often called baking potatoes or russet potatoes in the U.S.
• Chicken Broth: If you have homemade chicken broth or chicken stock, it’s perfect for this recipe. If not, choose a good quality brand such as College Inn. Vegetable stock can be a vegetarian option.
• Butter: Everything’s better with butter! If it fits your budget, use an authentic Irish butter such as Kerrygold for the richest flavor. Use salted or unsalted butter according to your preference.
• Half and Half or Heavy Cream: For a nice, creamy texture, choose half and half. For a luxurious finish, opt for heavy cream. I choose heavy cream every. single. time.

🥘 Equipment I Use

• Large Saucepan or Dutch Oven
• Immersion Blender or Food Processor (or potato masher)
• Skillet (for the bacon and crouton garnishes)

🥄 How I Make Leek and Potato Soup

1. Melt the butter in a large saucepan, large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
2. Add the onion, leeks, and potatoes. Saute, stirring gently, for 5-6 minutes or until the onion and leeks have softened but are not brown.
3. Add the stock. Bring to a boil.

4. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 20-30 minutes or until the potatoes are quite tender.
5. Remove the pot from the heat and use either an immersion blender or a food processor to blend the soup to your desired degree of smoothness. Stir in the half-and-half or cream. Add salt and pepper to taste.

👉 PRO TIP: A potato masher can be used in place of a blender or food processor. It works just as well and only requires a tiny bit of effort.

6. While the soup is cooking, prepare the croutons and bacon.
7. Cook the bacon: cook 4 slices of thick-cut bacon. Crumble and set aside.
8. Make the croutons: trim the crusts from the bread. Cut the bread into cubes. Add the butter to a skillet placed over medium-high heat. Add the bread cubes and toss in the butter. Cook until lightly browned and crispy. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
9. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with snipped fresh chives, croutons, and bacon.

🔀 Possible Recipe Variations

One of the beauties of this classic soup is its adaptability. Here are some delightful variations to tailor the soup to your taste or to simply mix things up a bit:

• Herbed Potato Leek Soup: Incorporate herbs such as fresh thyme, rosemary, or bay leaves. Add the herbs in with the broth to best infuse their flavors. Remember to remove any whole herbs or bay leaves before blending.
• Low-Fat Option: Substitute the half and half or cream with a lower-fat milk option or even dairy-free milk to reduce the fat content.
• Roasted Garlic Potato Leek Soup: Add a head of roasted garlic into the mix for a deeper, slightly sweet garlic flavor. To roast garlic, slice the top off a head of garlic to expose the individual cloves, place on a square of foil, drizzle with olive oil, wrap with the foil, and bake at 400°F (200°C) for about 30-40 minutes or until tender and golden. Squeeze the soft garlic cloves into the soup before blending.
• Chunky Potato Leek Soup: For a soup with more texture, set aside half of the sautéed potatoes and leeks before blending. Add the reserved potatoes and leeks back into the pot after blending the rest of the soup to your desired smoothness. This gives you a creamy base with satisfying chunks.

🍽️ How I Serve Irish Leek and Potato Soup

This soup is so versatile that it can span the seasons. In the winter, I serve it hot topped with crumbled bacon, croutons, and chives.

When chilled, this recipe essentially becomes the classical French vichyssoise and is a refreshing choice for a summer luncheon.

To incorporate it into a full meal, consider these options:

• A simple, fresh green salad with mixed greens, sliced cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and a light vinaigrette dressing complements the creamy soup well.
• Crusty bread or rolls with freshly made butter are ideal alongside the soup.
• For a heartier meal, serve the soup with a classic grilled cheese sandwich. 
• A slice of quiche or a savory tart with a light salad makes for a more elaborate meal, especially for brunch or lunch.

🍚 How I Store and Reheat Leftovers

Allow the soup to cool to room temperature (about 30 minutes) before storing. Transfer the cooled soup into airtight containers. Store it in the refrigerator, where it will keep well for up to 3 days.

To freeze, pour the cooled soup into freezer-safe bags or containers. Leave a little space at the top to allow for expansion when freezing. Store in the freezer for up to 1 month. Be aware that freezing food that contains dairy will often result in a change of texture when thawed and reheated.

To reheat — if frozen, allow the soup to thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave. On the stovetop, transfer the soup into a saucepan and reheat it over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it’s hot all the way through. For the microwave, place the soup in a microwave-safe bowl, cover it with a microwave-safe lid or paper towel, and heat it on high for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through. 

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Leek and Potato Soup

Enjoy a taste of Ireland with this traditional Leek and Potato Soup recipe. Serve it warm during the winter or chilled in summer.

5 from 5 votes

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Course: Soups and Stews

Cuisine: Irish

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 463kcal

Author: Lana Stuart

Ingredients

• ▢ 4 tablespoons butter
• ▢ 1 large onion chopped
• ▢ 3 leeks (white and lightest green parts only) cleaned and sliced
• ▢ 3 large baking potatoes peeled and cut into cubes
• ▢ 4 cups chicken broth
• ▢ Salt and ground black pepper to taste
• ▢ ½ cup half and half or heavy cream

For the garnishes:

• ▢ 2 tablespoons fresh chives snipped
• ▢ 4 slices bacon
• ▢ 4 slices whole wheat bread
• ▢ 2 tablespoons butter
• ▢ Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

• Melt the butter in a large saucepan, large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
• Add the onion, leeks, and potatoes. Saute, stirring gently, for 5-6 minutes or until the onion and leeks have softened but are not brown.
• Add the stock. Bring to a boil.
• Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 20-30 minutes or until the potatoes are quite tender.
• Remove the pot from the heat and use either an immersion blender or a food processor to blend the soup to your desired degree of smoothness. Stir in the half-and-half or cream. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• While the soup is cooking, prepare the croutons and bacon.
• For the bacon: cook 4 slices of thick-cut bacon. Crumble and set aside.
• To make the croutons: trim the crusts from the bread. Cut the bread into cubes. Add the butter to a skillet placed over medium-high heat. Add the bread cubes and toss in the butter. Cook until lightly browned and crispy. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Ladle the soup into bowls and top with snipped fresh chives, croutons, and bacon.

Notes

• Substitute the half and half or cream with a lower-fat milk option or even dairy-free milk to reduce the fat content.
• To store — Cool to room temperature. Transfer to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• To freeze — Pour the cooled soup into freezer-safe bags or containers. Store in the freezer for up to 1 month.
• To reheat — If frozen, allow the soup to thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave. On the stovetop, heat in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until hot all the way through. In the microwave, cover with a microwave-safe lid or paper towel, and heat on high for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1 | Calories 463kcal | Carbohydrates 55g | Protein 11g | Fat 23g | Saturated Fat 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat 2g | Monounsaturated Fat 6g | Trans Fat 1g | Cholesterol 61mg | Sodium 1175mg | Potassium 988mg | Fiber 5g | Sugar 8g | Vitamin A 1818IU | Vitamin C 20mg | Calcium 160mg | Iron 4mg

Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.

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