Creamy Potato Leek Soup (Print version)

Creamy potato and leek soup with butter, thyme, and milk. Easily customizable with seafood or crispy bacon.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 2 large leeks, white and light green parts only, cleaned and sliced
04 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 4 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced
07 - 2 stalks celery, diced

→ Liquids

08 - 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
09 - 1 cup whole milk

→ Seasonings

10 - 1 bay leaf
11 - 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
12 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
13 - 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

→ Optional Garnish

14 - 7 ounces cooked seafood or 4 strips cooked bacon or fresh chives and parsley

# How to Make It:

01 - In a large pot, heat butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add leeks and onion, cooking for 5 to 6 minutes until softened but not browned.
02 - Add minced garlic and diced celery, sautéing for 2 minutes until fragrant.
03 - Stir in diced potatoes, bay leaf, thyme, salt, and pepper. Pour in broth and bring to a boil.
04 - Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes until potatoes are very tender.
05 - Remove bay leaf. Use an immersion blender to purée soup until smooth, or leave slightly chunky if preferred.
06 - Stir in milk and gently reheat. Adjust seasoning to taste.
07 - Ladle into bowls and garnish with desired toppings. Serve hot.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour and tastes like you've been simmering it all day.
  • The base is vegetarian but transforms brilliantly with seafood, bacon, or whatever you have on hand.
  • One pot means minimal cleanup, which somehow makes everything taste better.
02 -
  • Don't skip cleaning the leeks thoroughly because sand hides between the layers and one crunch ruins the whole experience.
  • Immersion blenders are worth every penny for this soup, but if you use a regular blender, let the soup cool slightly first or cover the lid loosely with a kitchen towel to avoid burns from steam pressure.
03 -
  • Toast your dried thyme in the pan for 30 seconds before adding the broth if using dried herbs instead of fresh, it wakes up the flavor considerably.
  • The secret that separates good potato leek soup from great potato leek soup is knowing exactly when to stop blending, somewhere between completely smooth and still chunky, which is less a rule and more a feeling.
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