Potato Leek Soup is a classic! Nothing's better than a bowl of hearty potato soup on a chilly day. And it's easy, too! No cream needed, just purée the soup to make it thick and creamy.

Photography Credit: Elise Bauer

When cooler weather appears, nothing is more comforting than a warm bowl of potato soup. Potato leek soup is a classic, and so easy to make!

Video! How To Make Potato Leek Soup

To make this soup, cook chopped leeks in a little butter, then add diced potatoes, stock, and herbs. Bring it all to a simmer, and cook until the potatoes are done, about 20 minutes. Purée the soup using a blender to get a creamy consistency.

What Kind of Potatoes Do You Use for Potato Leek Soup?

You can use either Yukon gold or Russet potatoes for this soup. Yukon golds will result in a creamier texture, and for this reason I recommend them over Russets, but both will work. Red-skinned waxy potatoes aren’t the best for a soup like this, because they tend to hold their shape, when in this soup you want a potato that will purée well.

How to Prep Leeks

Dirt has a sneaky way of getting caught in the layers of leeks because of the way the leeks are grown (mostly underground). Cleaning leeks involves first slicing them lengthwise and rinsing them under running water. Then you slice the leeks crosswise, and soak the slices in water. (Check out our step-by-step tutorial How To Clean Leeks.)

How to Make Potato Leek Soup Thick and Creamy

No need for cream to make this soup creamy! Just blend the cooked soup with an immersion blender or standing blender until thick and smooth. Yukon gold potatoes will produce an especially creamy texture. If you would like your soup to be a little chunky, only purée half of it.

What to Serve with Potato Leek Soup

Think of this potato soup as you would a potato side, but in liquid form. You don’t really need any more starch to round out the meal, but it is hard to resist dipping a slice of crusty bread in this soup.

Serve the soup as the starter to a steak dinner (steak and potatoes, right?), or roasted chicken. The soup would go well with a side of greens (such as kale, chard, or spinach), and/or a vinaigrette-tossed fresh salad.

How to Freeze and Reheat Potato Leek Soup

You can easily freeze this soup. I recommend puréeing the soup until it’s completely smooth if you want to freeze it, as any chunks of potatoes in the soup will have a grainy texture once defrosted.

Sometimes there is separation in soup once you freeze and defrost it. If this happens to you, just purée the soup again until smooth.

Any way you make it, it’s simple, delicious, and satisfying. Enjoy!

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