Easy Potato Leek Soup
This EASY Potato Leek Soup is made in just 30 minutes. It's a family favorite recipe we make multiple times a month! Potatoes and leeks are cooked with bacon to make the creamiest and most flavorful soup ever.
Servings: 4 -6 servings
Calories: 284kcal
Ingredients
- 2 1” diameter leeks
- 3 slices bacon diced small
- 1-2 garlic cloves chopped
- 6 small/medium Gold Potatoes sliced (peeled or not peeled, your choice)
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
- 1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon pepper plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
Instructions
- Heat a heavy bottom pot over medium heat. Cook your bacon until crispy. Set aside on paper towels to drain. Leave the bacon fat in the pot.
- Meanwhile, slice and wash your leeks. Cut off the green tops and dice the remaining white portion. Soak in a bowl of water for a minute or two, allowing the dirt to sink to the bottom, then remove the leeks from the water.
- Add your leaks to the pot, and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and just saute until fragrant.
- Add the potatoes to the pot with the leeks. Season with salt, pepper, and thyme and cook 2 minutes.
- Add your stock, cover, and bring to a boil. Simmer until the potatoes are fork tender. Taste for seasoning – add more salt and pepper if needed.
- If you are using a regular blender to puree, work in batches to blend your soup. NOTE: leave space in your blender for the heat to escape. Hot foods can explode in the blender if it's too full. If you have an immersion blender, use it in the pot. Blend until smooth. If the soup is too thick for your liking, you can add more stock or a bit of water to thin. (We like it thick.) Taste and adjust seasoning, if needed.
- Serve with sour cream, crumbled bacon, and thyme.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator. Reheat leftovers with a bit of water to thin, as needed.
Notes
- I like to use chicken stock because it has a more concentrated flavor than broth. I highly recommend using a good quality chicken stock like Trader Joe’s reduced-sodium chicken stock.
- And speaking of stock, I prefer low-sodium, but if you use regular, be sure to reduce the amount of added salt in the recipe.
- For the Gold potatoes, you can peel them or leave the peels on. I like to leave them on for added nutrition. If you use russets, I would peel them.
- Flavor Variations: You can add different dried herbs or fresh ones like parsley, chives, or rosemary. You can also add some shredded cheddar cheese to make it cheesy!
- Vegan or Vegetarian Soup: omit the bacon and use vegetable stock.
- What are the best potatoes for soup? Starchier potatoes are better for potato leek soup because they make a better creamy texture. Russet potatoes are often used, but I like Gold potatoes which have a decent amount of starch and a buttery flavor.
- We love this quick leek soup on the thicker side, but you can thin it by adding more chicken stock.
Nutrition
Serving: 1/4 recipe | Calories: 284kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 13mg | Sodium: 148mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g