🍲 Soups & stews
Potato leek soup
Silky, simple, and deeply cozy
⏱️ Time estimate: about 50 minutes
A classic French-style soup made with butter-soft leeks, Yukon Gold potatoes, broth, thyme, and a splash of heavy cream. Very much rainy-day cottage vibes.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 large leeks, white and light green parts only, roughly chopped (about 5 cups)
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
- 2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
- 7 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup heavy cream
- Finely chopped chives, for serving
Instructions
- Prep the leeks. Trim off the roots and the dark green tops. Slice the leeks in half lengthwise and rinse well between the layers to remove any hidden grit, then roughly chop.
- Soften the aromatics. Melt the butter over medium heat in a large soup pot. Add the leeks and garlic and cook, stirring regularly, for about 10 minutes, until soft and wilted. Do not let them brown.
- Simmer the soup. Add the potatoes, broth, bay leaves, thyme, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for about 15 minutes, until the potatoes are very soft.
- Blend until smooth. Remove the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Purée the soup with an immersion blender until smooth. If using a standard blender, blend in batches and do not fill the jar more than halfway.
- Finish with cream. Stir in the heavy cream and bring the soup back to a gentle simmer. Taste and adjust with more salt and pepper if needed.
- Adjust the texture. If the soup feels too thin, simmer it a little longer. If it feels too thick, add a bit of water or broth.
- Serve. Ladle into bowls and top with chopped chives or any herbs you like.
Freezer note: freeze the soup before adding the cream if you want the nicest texture later. Reheat, then stir the cream in before serving.