Potato Leek Soup
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Cozy up with this comforting potato leek soup, a classic French dish that’s easy to make and endlessly customizable.
Potato leek soup, or potage parmentier, is a French classic. It’s one of the first dishes I learned to make in culinary school, right after a proper omelette and basic vinaigrette, because it’s an essential base soup in French cuisine. You can add watercress to make potage au cresson, serve it chilled as Vichyssoise, or top it with bacon, fried leeks, fresh herbs, or diced vegetables. There are endless variations—just use your imagination (or whatever you have in the kitchen) to make it your own. This potato leek soup recipe is simple to whip up and can be served as an appetizer, paired with a Reuben sandwich or wedge salad, or enjoyed as a satisfying lunch on its own.
What You’ll Need To Make Potato Leek Soup
Step-by-Step Instructions
Potato leek soup is simple to make, but first you have to deal with the leeks. They’re notoriously sandy and dirty, and very good at hiding it, so be sure to wash them well. Start by cutting off and discarding the root ends and thick dark green parts. Cut the leeks in half lengthwise and rinse each half under cold water, pulling apart the layers to remove any grit that’s tucked inside.
Once the leeks are clean, roughly chop them — you should get about five cups of chopped leeks from four large leeks.
To make the soup, melt the butter in a Dutch oven or large soup pot, then add the chopped leeks and garlic.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and wilted.
Next, add the potatoes, chicken broth, bay leaves, thyme, salt and pepper.
Bring to a boil.
Then cover, reduce the heat, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
Fish out the bay leaves and thyme sprigs.
Purée the soup with a hand-held immersion blender (or in a regular blender) until smooth. (If using a standard blender, be sure not to fill the jar more than halfway; leave the hole in the lid open and cover loosely with a dishtowel to allow the heat to escape.)
Finally, add the heavy cream. You can reduce the amount if you’d like but I wouldn’t leave it out entirely. Cream makes the soup deliciously silky, rich, and smooth—just add it little by little until the soup tastes good to you.
Bring to a simmer, then taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve hot, garnished with fresh thyme, chives, or anything you like.
Video Tutorial
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Potato Leek Soup
Cozy up with this comforting potato leek soup, a classic French dish that’s easy to make and endlessly customizable.
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 ½-inch pieces
- 7 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup heavy cream
- Chives, finely chopped, for serving
Instructions
- Melt the butter over medium heat in a large soup pot. Add the leeks and garlic and cook, stirring regularly, until soft and wilted, about 10 minutes. Adjust the heat as necessary so as not to brown.
- Add the potatoes, broth, bay leaves, thyme, salt and pepper to pot and bring to a boil. Cover and turn the heat down to low. Simmer for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are very soft.
- Fish out the thyme sprig and bay leaves, then purée the soup with a hand-held immersion blender until smooth. (Alternatively, use a standard blender to purée the soup in batches; see note.) Add the heavy cream and bring to a simmer. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. If soup is too thin, simmer until thickened. If it's too thick, add water or stock to thin it out. Garnish with fresh herbs if desired.
- Note: If using a standard blender to purée the soup: be sure not to fill the jar more than halfway; leave the hole in the lid open and cover loosely with a dishtowel to allow the heat to escape; and pour blended soup into a clean pot.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The soup can be frozen, without the cream, for up to 3 months. Defrost the soup in the refrigerator for 12 hours and then reheat it on the stovetop over medium heat until hot. Once heated through, add the cream and bring to a simmer before serving.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Serving size: about 1-1/2 cups
- Calories: 454
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated fat: 14 g
- Carbohydrates: 49 g
- Sugar: 10 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Sodium: 828 mg
- Cholesterol: 78 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Was delicious! I use half and half cream as a substitute for heavy cream and make this recipe often. I find it very easy to make.
Yes, I made this recipe. Very easy. It came out perfect. Love, love this soup. Will be making it often.
Its funny how important a recipe can become. My mother, who is no longer with us, absolutely loved this soup. I never made it without giving her half, and my grand daughter, who is now 9, but was much younger when I started making it, loves it too. I would make it, and then we would call my mother, and Annika would say, ” Nana, Im eating ‘you’ soup. My mother would pretend to be outraged, and we would all laugh. My mother suffered with a neuromuscular disease, and at times she had a lot of difficulty swallowing or the act of chewing wore her out. I made this soup so much when I moved back , and my sisters and I cared for her. She always said, ” I tell my friends, that my daughter makes the best potato leek soup, and I would say, “Mama, its not me, its our Once Upon A Chef lady. I couldnt bring myself to make it for a long time, and made it the other day for a girls day out, and then back to my house for your soup, and your lemon pound cake. My grand daughter and I both cried, and talked about how Nana loved that soup. It made us feel so close to her that day. Funny, how a simple thing like a bowl of soup can be so much a part of wonderful memories. Just wanted to thank you for sharing such a wonderful recipe.
What a sweet story — I totally agree that cooking (or a particular recipe) can take on a much deeper meaning. Thanks for sharing! ❤️
Food is the language of love and family. It brings people together and keeps us happy… have you ever seen an angry person who just ate something good and comforting? They’re as docile as a dog receiving belly rubs. Great recipe
Loved this easy, luscious soup! I made extra and delivered to friends…they loved it too, so I passed on your recipe👍
Thank you!😋
Linn M
This soup was excellent.
Beautiful soup! And so simple to make. Love all your recipes…
Outstanding. This is the best soup I’ve ever made. Not exaggerating. It changed my life. I made a few adjustments. 1. 3/4 cup of heavy cream instead of a full cup 2. I used some of the darker leaves on the leeks and it was fine 2. I did not peel some of the potatoes and it was great 3. I used 3 bay leaves and 4 sprigs of thyme. In my opinion, this soup is amazing when paired with crusty multigrain bread. I used multigrain ciabatta for dipping. Also, I grated some pecorino cheese on top and sprinkled parsley instead of chives because I did not have them. Also, fresh thyme is a non-negotiable. It lends such a depth of flavour to this dish. I even sprinkled extra on top of each bowl. This is one I will return to over and over again.
I made this recipe with a couple alterations. I used olive oil and butter for sautéing. I used low sodium chicken broth for broth. It turned out well, I topped with a little shredded cheese, chives and bacon crumbles. Tasted like a liquid baked potato with everything, so yummy.
This soup was amazing. Well done on an absolutely perfect recipe.
Perfect, added a bit more chicken flavour but that was all.No leftovers