How to make Leek and Potato Soup

Leek and Potato Soup is one of my favourite winter soups.  It’s one of a triumvirate of Scottish staple soups alongside Lentil Soup and Scotch Broth that appeared on every table when I was a child.  I make a large pot of soup every weekend which also provides warming lunches for the following week.  It’s a real winter warmer and it’s also really easy to make. 

How to make Leek and Potato Soup

First, peel the potatoes and cut into roughly even-sized pieces of about 4cm (1 1/2 in), you don’t have to be accurate.  If you want to soup to cook more quickly then cut all the vegetables smaller. 

To prepare the leeks, slice off the root end and the very top of the leek, then slice vertically and place upside down in a tall jug of water.  Leave for 10-15 minutes, then agitate the leeks up and down to get rid of most of the earth which may be stuck in the ‘leaves’.  Slice horizontally, then if the leeks still seem to have a bit of earth on them put the sliced leeks in a bowl of cold water and move them around until they are clean, then drain.  

Place the butter and a little oil in the bottom of your soup pot and heat to a medium temperature, add the leeks and potatoes and stir around for about 5 minutes so that the vegetables are covered in the oil and butter and the leeks have started to soften.

Add the stock, then cook.  I use my pressure cooker, so once up to pressure it only takes 15-20 minutes for the soup to cook.  If you don’t have a pressure cooker then it will take 30-40 minutes depending on how large you have cut your vegetables.  

Recipe for Leek and Potato Soup

How to make Leek and Potato Soup

A warming bowl of thick, creamy Leek and Potato Soup topped with crisp fried onions and a swirl of cream.

5 from 1 vote

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Course: Soup

Cuisine: British

Keyword: leek, potoato, recipe, soup

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Servings: 6

Calories: 185kcal

Author: Farmersgirl Kitchen

Ingredients

For the soup

• 400 g leeks prepared
• 400 g potatoes peeled and diced
• 4 chicken or veg stock cubes
• 25 g butter
• 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
• 300 ml milk or a mixture of milk and cream
• 1.5 litres water

For the garnish

• 1 small onion thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp rapeseed or sunflower oil

Metric - US Customary units

Instructions

• Place the butter and oil in the bottom of your soup pot and heat to a medium temperature.
• Add the leeks and potatoes and stir around for about 5 minutes so that the vegetables are covered in the oil and butter and the leeks have started to soften.
• If using a pressure cooker bring to pressure and cook 15 - 20 minutes, if you are not using a pressure cooker, bring to the boil, then simmer for 30-40 minutes.
• Once cooked, cool slightly then blend with a stick blender or ladle into a blender for a smoother finish.

For the garnish

• Heat the oil in a frying pan to a medium high heat and add the onions, fry until golden and crispy. Drain on kitchen paper.

Notes

To prepare the leeks: slice off the root end and the very top of the leek, then slice vertically and place upside down in a tall jug of water. Leave for 10-15 minutes, then agitate the leeks up and down to get rid of most of the earth which may be stuck in the ‘leaves’. Slice horizontally, then if the leeks still seem to have a bit of earth on them put the sliced leeks in a bowl of cold water and move them around until they are clean, then drain.

Nutrition

Calories: 185kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 13mg | Sodium: 72mg | Potassium: 478mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 25.9% | Vitamin C: 20% | Calcium: 11.9% | Iron: 19.8%

Once cooked add 300 ml milk and blend the Leek and Potato Soup to a fine consistency, reheat and serve hot.  For special occasions, you may wish to garnish with crispy fried onion and a swirl of cream. 

Sometimes I use a stick blender to blend the Leek and Potato Soup, but to get the best texture I use the Optimum Froothie G2.3 Blender.  It makes short work of blending soups and smoothies and they come out silky smooth with no grainy texture that you can get from the starch in potatoes. 

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Luxury version of Leek and Potato Soup

If you are serving this soup for a special occasion and want to be really decadent you can replace the milk with single or double cream to give a rich silky texture.  If you are a fan of truffles, then a little bit of shaved truffle would be a tasty garnish although the fried onions or leeks with a few herbs does add a special something to the soup. 

More Warming Winter Soups

Scotch Broth

Creamy Tomato Soup

Spicy Moroccan Kale & Rice Soup

Mushroom Stroganoff Soup

Curried Parsnip & Coriander Soup – Fab Food 4 All

Haggis Neeps & Tattie Soup – Foodie Quine

Celeriac Soup with Apple and Chilli Oil – Thinly Spread

Velvety Chestnut and Celeriac Soup – Food to Glow 

Disclosure: Froothie UK sent me the Optimum G2.3 Platinum Series Induction Blender to use and review at home. I have not been paid for this post and was not required to give the Optimum G2.3 blender a positive write up.  All opinions are my own.  Affiliate links included in this post.