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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I know my way around a kitchen, BUT…before trying this recipe, I’d never bought a leek. Your step by step instructions made me see it wasn’t impossible, or even hard, to use them and avoid all the yucky grit. This not only brought your wonderful potato leek soup into our lives but also opened up a host of other leek containing recipes to me this winter.
But wait, there’s more! I was recently diagnosed with Celiac’s disease and this wonderful, gluten free potato leek soup has become my substitute white sauce!
Thanks, Jen, and please keep doing what you’re doing!
Loved this simple recipe! I added one nice sized shallot and used a half cup of evaporated milk, in lieu of the cream. Lovely texture and flavor. I made this over the weekend and served the last bowl last night so I am making another batch today!
I just made this recipe and it is delicious. I don’t have chives so I topped it with fresh crispy bacon bits. Fabulous!
Thanks for the recipe- I love how I don’t need to adjust the ingredients. Just perfect!
Just made my first ever Potato Leek soup with your recipe! Delicious!!!! I’ll definitely make it again and again!
I have always wanted to make this soup and with your easy-to-follow directions and leeks in my frig, I decided to go for it. Upon completion, I was pleased that it looked like potato leek soup and it tasted delicious! I entertain a lot, so I think I will make this a day ahead, for my next dinner party, as the starter, to make my planning and prep easier and because the soup tasted even better the next day. Now that’s what I call a win -win!
I love this recipe. I have made it twice now and everyone loves it.
This a great version of potato soup! I made it exactly as written, with the exception of the chives. Instead, I topped it with some crumbled bacon.
I have been trying to successfully make this soup for years. And I have failed every time. This recipe was easy to follow & was simple to make. The only change I made was adding more fresh thyme. My husband and toddler loved it! And I was such a proud mama! Finally! I made this soup and it was not a hot mess. Thank you for sharing this. I will definitely make this soup again!
Hi Jenn,
I just bought healthy leeks from Trader Joe’s and am excited about making your soup recipe. However, I have white potatoes~will that alter the taste of the soup in a negative vain? I don’t really like to deviate from a tried and true recipe!
Thanks,
Kim
Hi Kim, the Yukon golds make the soup a little creamier, but it will still be delicious with white potatoes. Hope you enjoy!
Hi Jenn,
My father in law just gave me some beautiful leeks from his garden so I went straight to your website for a recipe and I love cream soups, but my tummy does not. Any suggestions?
Jodi, you could replace the cream with coconut milk or almond milk. Hope you enjoy!