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A ladle of creamy soup is poured into a bowl and garnished with finely chopped chives for a fresh flavor boost. The bowl sits on the white marble cooktop, ready to enjoy as a warming, classic soup.

Potato Leek Soup Recipe

This creamy and comforting potato leek soup is the perfect balance of hearty potatoes and aromatic leeks. It’s great as a starter or main course, especially during chilly weather.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Course Soup
Cuisine French
Servings 6
Calories 454 kcal

Equipment

  • Large soup pot
  • Hand-held immersion blender (or standard blender)
  • Ladle
  • Wooden spoon
  • Knife and Cutting Board

Ingredients
  

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 4 large leeks white and light green parts only, roughly chopped (about 5 cups)
  • 3 cloves garlic peeled and smashed
  • 2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes peeled and roughly chopped into ½-inch pieces
  • 7 cups chicken or vegetable broth
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 3 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • Chives finely chopped, for serving

Instructions
 

  • Prepare leeks and garlic: In a large soup pot, melt 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter over medium heat. Add the chopped leeks and smashed garlic cloves, cooking gently for about 10 minutes, stirring regularly. Make sure the leeks soften without browning.
    A large soup pot sits on the white marble cooktop as butter melts over medium heat. Roughly chopped leeks and smashed garlic cloves are added, cooking gently while a spoon stirs occasionally. The leeks are softening without browning over the heat.
  • Add potatoes and seasoning: Add the 2 pounds of diced potatoes, 7 cups of chicken or vegetable broth, 2 bay leaves, 3 thyme sprigs, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, then cover and lower the heat to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are very tender.
    Diced Yukon Gold potatoes, chicken broth, bay leaves, thyme sprigs, salt, and black pepper are added to a pot on the white marble cooktop. The mixture is brought to a boil, then covered and lowered to a simmer, cooking for 15 minutes until the potatoes are tender.
  • Blend and season: Remove the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Use an immersion blender to purée the soup until smooth. (Alternatively, transfer the soup in batches to a regular blender, blending until smooth.) Stir in 1 cup of heavy cream, bringing the soup to a gentle simmer.
    Heavy cream is poured into the smooth soup, bringing it to a gentle simmer in the pot on the white marble cooktop. The consistency is adjusted as needed by adding a bit of water or simmering longer for thickness
  • Adjust consistency: If the soup is too thick, add a little water or stock. If it’s too thin, let it simmer a bit longer to thicken.
  • Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls, garnishing with finely chopped chives for a fresh flavor boost.
    A ladle of creamy soup is poured into a bowl and garnished with finely chopped chives for a fresh flavor boost. The bowl sits on the white marble cooktop, ready to enjoy as a warming, classic soup.
  • Enjoy this classic, warming soup!