Golden Leek and Potato Soup Recipe (2024)

By Melissa Clark

Updated Feb. 29, 2024

Golden Leek and Potato Soup Recipe (1)

Total Time
1 hour 15 minutes
Rating
5(2,564)
Notes
Read community notes

Most potato leek soups are smooth, creamy and decidedly on the richer side. This one doubles the ratio of leeks to potatoes, giving you something sweeter, chunkier and homier, brimming with soft pieces of potato and browned slivers of leeks. A tablespoon or two of heavy cream, drizzled into the soup just before serving, is an optional luscious touch.

Featured in: Vegetable Soups Built for Maximum Flavor

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Ingredients

Yield:6 servings

  • pounds leeks, white and light green part only
  • 2bay leaves
  • 4large sprigs fresh thyme
  • 4large sprigs fresh sage
  • 4large sprigs parsley, and chopped leaves for garnish
  • 1large handful celery leaves (optional)
  • 4tablespoons unsalted butter or extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2garlic cloves, peeled and very thinly sliced
  • 8cups vegetable stock or water
  • 1tablespoon kosher salt, more to taste
  • 1teaspoon black pepper, more to taste
  • pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, halved and thinly sliced
  • Heavy cream, for serving (optional)

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

333 calories; 11 grams fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 3 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 56 grams carbohydrates; 10 grams dietary fiber; 9 grams sugars; 7 grams protein; 1040 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Golden Leek and Potato Soup Recipe (2)

Preparation

Make the recipe with us

  1. Halve the leeks lengthwise and rinse away any grit. Thinly slice the leeks crosswise. In a small square of cheesecloth, tie together bay leaves, thyme, sage, parsley and celery leaves if using.

  2. Step

    2

    Melt the butter or heat the oil in the bottom of a large pot over medium-high heat. Stir in the leeks and cook, stirring frequently, until leeks are soft and dark golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the garlic for the last 3 minutes of cooking.

  3. Step

    3

    Stir in stock or water, the sachet of herbs, the salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce immediately to medium-low; simmer for 5 minutes.

  4. Step

    4

    Add the potatoes and simmer soup until potatoes are very tender and falling apart, about 45 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning. If desired, drizzle a small amount of cream into each bowl when serving, and top with parsley for garnish.

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2,564

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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

Paul

Let me suggest a #4 coffee filter for the bouquet garni if you don't have cheesecloth. Put the herbs in the pocket and tie with kitchen twine.

Melissa Clark

Sorry for the confusion, it's 2 1/2 pounds whole leeks, of which you only use the light green and white parts.

Stargazer, Napa Valley

Trader Joe's has fantastic frozen leeks I always keep a bag or two in my freezer. Highly recommend them!

Tam

Have been disappointed by TJ's frozen leeks. They are flavorless and mushy. Which makes sense if you think about it, but I too was excited by the idea of cheap, already cleaned and diced leeks. Don't bother. Go fresh, young woman, go fresh.

Suzanne

I use a large tea ball strainer:)

Passion for Peaches

A shortcut I use for onions -- should work for leeks -- is to sauté them (salted) a couple minutes, then cover the pan to let them steam for a few more minutes, then uncover and turn up heat to evaporate rendered liquid quickly. Then turn down heat and caramelize slowly. The long lag time is due to excess liquid in the pan.

Melissa Clark

2.5 pounds of leeks is the weight you should buy, before trimming.

Joel Nydahl

Am I the only one who is confused by directions for ingredients like the first in this recipe? It seems to ask for the white and light green parts from 2 1/2 pounds of untrimmed leeks. But could it mean 2 1/2 pounds of trimmed leeks. A huge difference.

John

I never take chances any more with Yukon Gold potatoes--I always peel them, otherwise I often find the skin can sometimes be papery and tough. It ruined one of my potato salads. I have since seen this mentioned by food writers.

Martha

So so delicious! Didn't have the heavy cream, and honestly didn't even need it. I used half chicken stock and half water, less salt (because of the stock), and it was so flavorful and delightful. Will be making this again and again.

David

Can't you just fine chop the parsely sage thyme and celery leaves and add to the soup ?

Beth

I have substituted cauliflower for the potatoes in this soup, and it is delicious.

trblmkr

Like me, your pot was likely not large enough. The bottom of the pot has to ensure a thin layer of leeks. Otherwise they stem in the butter/oil instead of frying. Very high heat and almost constant stirring helped but it still took forever...

Maxine

I added some sliced mushrooms (because I had them in the fridge) and red pepper flakes (because we like a bite) and the soup was out of this world. Honestly, it would have been amazing with or without my additions.

A. Cleary

I find that so many recipes underestimate the time caramelization takes. I think it's an SEO thing. When someone searches for something that takes 30 or 60 minutes and calls for caramelizing, they seldom factor in the true time, IMHO. That said, it adds a lot of flavor & is always worth the time, assuming you have it. Still, a little truth in labeling wouldn't hurt.

Western Winnie

Delicious, simple and incredibly comforting (even more so when you have a terrible early spring cold)! I pared down the ingredients to serve one: a single Yukon gold, a small farmer’s market leek, and a dash of herby poultry seasoning instead of fussing over a bouquet. I had just a bit of good gelatinous broth left, so used about 2/3 water. The splash of cream was indeed luxurious. By slicing the potato very thinly this cooked quickly, maybe 20 minutes total. Thanks, Melissa!

Susan Dixon

I really liked this recipe - very flavorful. The explanation of purchased leeks vs used portion of those leeks was extremely helpful. I only had dried herbs and added them during the initial cooking of the leeks. Adjusting ingredients to my own needs worked seamlessly.

Puneeta

Don't really get the 5 star ratings on this one. Pretty bland as written. At least it was an easy recipe. Some bacon might have done the trick.

Leslie k

I love this soup!! I haven't had the fresh herbs so I've used dried thyme and parsley and it's still delicious!!

Karen in Seattle

Made this with black garlic. So tasty!!!!

Patti

I used Herbs de Provence instead of the sachet. I added 4 stalks of celery along with the leeks, then potatoes, all of which I sliced thinly using slicing disc on my Breville food processor, set on #2. Roasted some garlic & added that in. This soup is sublime & only took about 20 minutes to prepare.

CC

I don't have cheesecloth so I stuffed the herbs into a wire wisker--it worked great!

Lizzi

Follow directions and used an immersion blender at the end. Yum, yum, yum! This is my new go-to potato soup.

Mary

Excellent. Did not have fresh thyme, sage and celery – used dried thyme, sage and celery seed; put in the cheesecloth. A very fine flavor!

trexgirl

Made a double batch for a homeless drop in center I volunteer at and it was a HIT. Sautéed the leeks in bacon fat and topped with crumbled bacon. Also made a single vegan batch and added a can white beans for extra heartiness. Every drop was eaten up. Will make again. “I usually hate potatoes, but your soup was really good” quote from a client

jenny

This was even better the next day! Followed someone’s suggestion about the bacon which, overnight, infused this already delicious soup with a smoky flavor. Will make again!!

Kristine W

Delicious! Be sure to use all the herbs and more:-)

LD

I love this soup! Might be my new favorite over the Lemony White Bean and Greens soup. I used half chicken stock and half water, and I added a bit more water while the potatoes were cooking. I cooked the leeks about 20 minutes and the potatoes for an hour — definitely worth the extra time.

Jaybe

Just make sure the filter, if using suggestion of a coffee filter for bouquet garni, is non bleached to prevent ingesting dioxins!

Marli

I hate to waste leeks, particularly if the green part is crisp. I grow them, but they are also expensive - they take 6 months to grow big. I separated the white/light green from the dark green. Cook the dark green part first, for 10 minutes or so before adding the rest of the leeks.I did appreciate the shortened method of caramelizing leeks from the comments!It was not hard to pull out the bay leaf, sage sprigs and thyme at the end - no bag. I chopped in the celery leaves & parsley.

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Golden Leek and Potato Soup Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why does my leek and potato soup taste bitter? ›

Leeks, like onions, can become bitter if they're cooked for too long or at too high a heat. Make sure to sauté leeks over medium heat until they are soft and translucent, not browned. Another reason could be using the green parts of the leek, which are more fibrous and have a stronger flavor.

What was Julia Child's favorite soup? ›

Let's test her vichyssoise recipe to find out! Soup was one of Julia Child's favorite things to eat, and reportedly, her absolute favorite was vichyssoise.

Why is my potato leek soup gummy? ›

Why is my potato leek soup gummy? Potatoes should be diced in similar size so they cook evenly, but don't drive yourself crazy getting them teeny-tiny. If they're too small, you risk the potatoes releasing too much starch, which can make the soup gummy when pureed.

Why has my leek and potato soup gone brown? ›

It looks as though some of your potatoes might have got a bit scorched. Did you fry them off before adding the liquid? The colour from the browned potatoes could be what is turning it brown.

How to remove bitterness from broth? ›

If it tastes bitter to you, there are a couple of ways to fix it.
  1. Add an additional ⅛ teaspoon of salt, stir, and taste.
  2. For every quart of stock you can add one chopped apple and cook the stock for an additional two hours.
  3. Try a teaspoon or two of sugar, stir it in, and taste it after two minutes.

How to fix bland potato and leek soup? ›

I'd just cook some more leeks and blend in, doesn't take long. Must be that time of year, I made some at the weekend. A generous teaspoon of wholegrain mustard and some creme fraiche rescued my last bland batch. And plenty of seasoning.

What did Julia Child have for her last meal? ›

Child's last meal of French onion soup was actually prepared by someone else; though, The Los Angeles Times reported when the news of her death broke. Though Child was in her own home when it happened, her assistant Stephanie Hersh was the one who had cooked the French onion soup.

What was the meal that changed Julia Child's life? ›

For their first meal in France, Paul ordered oysters, sole meunière and a green salad. Child devoured the meal, calling it “perfection.” Alex Prud'homme, Child's grandnephew and cowriter of her memoir, “My Life in France,” opened the book with this now famous scene.

What did Julia Child eat for breakfast? ›

Child -- put me and them at ease with her genuine friendliness and zest for living. She ordered a hearty breakfast -- grapefruit half, plain yogurt, fried egg, 2 strips bacon, toast with butter and preserves, orange juice, and coffee with milk -- and ate most of it despite constant interruptions.

What to pair with potato leek soup? ›

What can I eat with potato leek soup?
  1. Grilled Little Gem Caesar Salad.
  2. Caprese Salad with a Honey Cilantro Lime Dressing.
  3. Steamed Artichokes with Lemon Herb Breadcrumbs.
  4. Parmesan Sweet Potato Fries.
Jul 24, 2023

How to stop leek and potato soup from going gloopy? ›

Potatoes – use starchy or all rounders, they fall apart when simmered which means less blending for creamy soup = less risk of gluey soup*.

What is the best thickening agent for potato soup? ›

Cornstarch is a very effective thickener, and a little bit can go a long way. Add cornstarch to a small amount of cold water or other liquid (wine or stock) and whisk into a thick slurry.

Is it OK to reheat leek and potato soup? ›

Reheat the soup to a gentle simmer (add some extra stock at this point if the soup is too thick for your liking), then pour into warmed bowls. Drizzle the remaining cream over each serving, top with a little pile of buttered leeks and a scattering of chives and black pepper and serve at once.

Does leek and potato soup make you gassy? ›

Leeks contain fructans, a type of FODMAP that may cause digestive problems in sensitive individuals. If you consume too many leeks or other FODMAP-rich foods, undigested fructans may travel to your colon, where they are fermented by gut bacteria, leading to the production of gas and bloating.

How do you fix bitter potato soup? ›

Sweetness can help balance bitterness, so consider adding ingredients like carrots, onions, or a small amount of sugar or honey. Acidic ingredients like tomatoes or a splash of vinegar can also help balance flavors.

How do you get the bitter leaf taste out of soup? ›

How to Remove Bitterness From Bitter Leaf:
  1. Par boiling. Put it in a seperate pot and boil it for 2 minutes. ...
  2. Put sugar. It won't make your soup sugary once you put it at a. ...
  3. Squeeze with salt. First remove the leaf from the Midrib then squeeze. ...
  4. Potassium par boiling. ...
  5. Red oil and salt.
Sep 4, 2018

How to get rid of bitter taste in potatoes? ›

This is a case of solanine in potatoes. Often a newer potato off harvest . The green eyes of the potato can harbour this chemical and when boiling it spreads in solanine flavour or the metallic taste. Cut off the green eyes on the potatoes and reduce the metallic flavour spread .

How do you get the bitterness out of onion soup? ›

Soaking the onions in cold water for 10 minutes before cooking can help to reduce the unpleasant taste and smell. Additionally, adding a pinch of sugar to the cooking onions can also help to reduce their pungent flavor.

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