Creamy Leek Soup with Potatoes (Printable Version)

Velvety soup combining tender leeks and creamy potatoes. A comforting, easy-to-make European classic perfect for any occasion.

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 3 large leeks (white and light green parts only), sliced and rinsed
02 - 3 medium potatoes (approximately 1.1 lbs), peeled and diced
03 - 1 medium onion, chopped
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Dairy

05 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
06 - 1 cup heavy cream

→ Liquids

07 - 4 cups vegetable broth
08 - 1 cup water

→ Seasonings

09 - 1 teaspoon salt
10 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
11 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

→ Garnish

12 - Chopped fresh chives or parsley

# How-To Steps:

01 - Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add leeks, onion, and garlic. Sauté gently for 6 to 8 minutes until softened but not browned.
02 - Add diced potatoes and stir for 2 minutes to coat with butter and aromatics.
03 - Pour in vegetable broth and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes until potatoes are tender.
04 - Remove from heat. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth, or blend in batches using a standard blender and return to pot.
05 - Stir in heavy cream, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Reheat gently over low heat without boiling.
06 - Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Ladle into bowls and garnish with chives or parsley.

# Helpful Tips:

01 -
  • The silky texture somehow feels like wearing your favorite sweater on the first truly cold day of fall.
  • Despite its elegant result, this soup forgives imperfect chopping and casual measuring, making it perfect for distracted Tuesday night cooking.
02 -
  • Never skip rinsing leeks thoroughly, as I once did only to serve a regrettably gritty soup at a dinner party that still comes up in conversation years later.
  • The soup actually tastes better the next day after the flavors have had time to meld in the refrigerator overnight, a happy discovery from my habit of batch cooking on weekends.
03 -
  • Save the dark green parts of the leeks for making vegetable stock, storing them in the freezer until you have enough scraps to justify a batch.
  • For an extra velvety finish, pass the blended soup through a fine-mesh sieve before adding the cream, a restaurant technique that elevates the texture to sublime smoothness.

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