This Leek and potato soup recipe is missing from your cookbook. Read on to see why.
There is nothing more comforting than a warm leek and potato soup on a chilly day.
Potatoes make it creamy. They bring balance to the soup taste. Leeks bring sweetness and flavour. And the fresh thyme plays one of the most essential roles – fragrance.
As for the difficulty and time, this leeks and potato soup recipe is easy and ready in no more than 30 minutes.
About leeks and how to prepare them for leek and potato soup
Leeks represent the giant members of the onion family. The old mighty titans that rule them all. This vegetable has a similar fragrance to onions, however, the taste is unique with just an oniony hint.
The edible part of the leek is usually the white base, although, I include the dark green leaves as well. They soften when boiled and add more flavour to the soup.
You can eat this vegetable raw in salads, sautéed and boiled. My favourite, however, is the leek and potato soup recipe.
Leeks are quite easy to prepare. First, you must wash the vegetables. Their leaves are usually full of sand and dirt. That is because when the leeks are grown, farmers pile up soil around them to hide from the sun, keeping the white base more tender and fresh.
Second, cut the base with roots, then 2-3 inches from the dark green top. Use a cutting board to chop the leek into 5 – 10 mm rings.
Interesting fact: Leeks are the national emblem of Wales (a country in the United Kingdom). According to the legend, in a battle with Saxons which took place in a leek field, the king that ruled back then ordered his Welsh soldiers to identify themselves by wearing the leek on their helmets. Read more here.
Do you love cream soups? Here’s more similar recipes:
- Beetroot Soup with Potatoes and Basil
- Creamy Mushroom Soup Recipe
- Flavourful Red Lentil Soup
- Creamy Spinach Soup to Fall in Love this Season
Ingredients
- Leeks – 2 large stalks ( ~300 g)
- Potatoes – 200 g (1 large potato)
- Garlic – 4 cloves
- Olive oil – 1 tbsp
- Salt – 1 tsp
- Black pepper – ¼ tsp
- Milk – 200 ml
- Thyme – 2-3 fresh branches
- Water ~ 700 ml
- Optional to serve: parmesan, sour cream, yogurt, or creme fraiche.
Instructions
1.Prepare the necessary ingredients:
- Wash two large leeks under running water and clean all the visible dirt. Look carefully between the stalk layers, there is always hidden dirt or sand you did not see. Cut off the roots of the leeks and approximately 2 inches from the dark green ends. Slice into 5-10 mm thick rings.
- Wash a large potato and peel off its skin with the help of a peeler or kitchen knife. Cut into 1 inch small cubes.
- Clean four garlic cloves. Mince them with a garlic press or grate with a small grater.
2. Next, heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the leek rings, season with salt and pepper. Sauté for 5-7 minutes or until the leek rings soften.
3. Toss in the diced potato together with leaves from 2-3 branches of fresh thyme. Cook for 2-3 minutes more. Next, pour 700 ml of water over the vegetables. Bring to boil and simmer for 15 minutes, until the vegetables are thoroughly cooked.
4. Add 200 ml of milk and purée with an immersion blender until the soup is creamy and silky. Ground some black pepper over and drizzle with Greek yogurt. Serve immediately with toasted bread and parmesan.
As an alternative, serve it with parmesan crackers instead of bread. Sprinkle other grated cheese such as cheddar or drizzle with heavy cream, sour cream, or crème fraîche.
Tips & Notes
- I recommend using an immersion blender. It’s easier to use and helps you save a considerable time washing it.
- Add more water or milk to your soup to be more liquid, or reduce the amount of water if you like it more concentrated.
- Make this creamy soup dairy-free using almond, oat, or coconut milk instead of the dairy one.
- Switch to half a teaspoon of dried thyme as an alternative for the fresh one. If you do this, add the dried thyme at the same time with salt and pepper.
Nutrition per Serving
McCance and Widdowson’s ‘composition of foods on the nutrient content of the UK food supply, thus may differ from your products.
The nutrition label is purely informative. I’m a not certified nutritionist.
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