Description
A classic creamy leek and potato soup made with sautéed leeks, potatoes, and chicken stock, finished with rich cream and garnished with crispy pancetta, croutons, and fresh chives. Perfect for a comforting and flavorful meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 4 tbsp butter (60g)
- 2 ribs celery, finely diced
- 2 large cloves garlic, finely diced
- 3 large leeks, firm/dark parts removed then finely diced (save the firm/dark part)
- 1.2 litres chicken stock (5 cups), or as needed
- 1 kg Maris Piper or Russet potatoes, peeled and diced (weighed before peeling)
- 1 tsp salt, plus more as needed
- 1/2 tsp black pepper, plus more as needed
- 160 ml heavy or double cream, at room temperature (2/3 cup)
Toppings
- Extra drizzle of cream
- Diced pancetta or bacon, cooked until crisp
- Croutons
- Finely diced fresh chives
Instructions
- Sauté Vegetables: Melt the butter in a large deep pot over medium heat. Add the diced celery and fry for a few minutes until it begins to soften. Add the garlic and diced leeks and fry for about 8 minutes until they become soft and sweet.
- Add Stock and Potatoes: Pour in the chicken stock, then stir in the peeled and diced potatoes along with salt and black pepper. Check the reserved firm/dark green parts of the leeks for dirt, add them to the pot, and bring everything to a simmer.
- Simmer Soup: Once simmering, reduce the heat slightly, cover the pot with a lid, and simmer for 30 minutes until the potatoes are very soft.
- Blend Soup: Remove the lid and pluck out the leek ends. Turn off the heat and carefully blend the soup until smooth, being careful not to over-blend to avoid a gluey texture.
- Finish and Season: Stir in the heavy cream and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper generously to bring out the flavors. Add more stock if you prefer a thinner consistency.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with a drizzle of cream, crispy pancetta or bacon, croutons, and finely diced fresh chives. Enjoy warm.
Notes
- This is the easiest and most delicious way to make a classic leek and potato soup.
- Be sure to clean the firm/dark parts of the leeks thoroughly to remove any dirt before adding to the soup.
- Do not over-blend the soup to prevent it from becoming gluey; blend just until smooth.
- You can substitute vegetable stock for chicken stock to make it vegetarian, but the original recipe uses chicken stock.
- Adjust seasoning generously to enhance the flavors of this simple soup.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 305 kcal
- Sugar: 4.76 g
- Sodium: 517 mg
- Fat: 12.57 g
- Saturated Fat: 7.67 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4.179 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 44.45 g
- Fiber: 5.7 g
- Protein: 5.74 g
- Cholesterol: 44 mg
