Leek and Potato Soup is a thick and creamy classic French Potato Soup that starts with garlic butter in which leeks are slowly sautéed to bring out the sweet flavour.
It’s simple to make, cosy and comforting yet also luxurious and elegant. I love how this Leek Soup can be Couch Food OR an elegant starter for a dinner party. Good food is a universal language!
Leek and Potato Soup
Though France might be the epicentre of Michelin star restaurants (second only to Tokyo!), where sauces come in the form of foam and dishes are given excessively fancy names, the heart and soul of French food is simple food made well. It’s rustic, cosy, and often generous on the butter and cheese.
Hence French food and I are very good friends. (Hello Quiche Lorraine, Gougeres, Potato au Gratin, French Onion Soup…to name a few of my best mates!)
Leek soup is another such example. (Though, shockingly, no cheese!). Few ingredients, prepared well, simple to make, and so enjoyable.
What goes in Leek and Potato Soup
Here what you need:
Leeks – essential for a LEEK soup!! 😂 Leeks are sweeter and have a more subtle flavour than onions. Though if you are desperate to make this an leeks are obscenely expensive / you can’t get your hands on them, substitute for regular onions (brown, white or yellow);
Potatoes – use starchy or all rounders, they fall apart when simmered which means less blending for creamy soup = less risk of gluey soup*. 🇦🇺Australia: Sebago (dirt brushed, most common potatoes), 🇺🇸US: Russet 🇬🇧UK: Maris Piper;
Broth – I choose chicken because it has more depth of flavour than vegetable stock/broth. But vegetable stock is also ideal here!
Creamy is optional. This soup is still thick and creamy even without, it just adds a luxurious mouthfeel.
* Common problem with Potato Leek Soups that call for blitzing to death until completely smooth. Power of blender = activates starch in potatoes = gluey. Same thing that happens if you use a food processor or blender for mashed potato!
How to cut leeks
Trim the root off. Take a peek and if you can see dirt in the layers, then split the leek in half and separate all the layers, wash them well, then slice per below.
If you don’t see dirt (like mine pictured above), cut your leeks as pictured below:
Cut off the dark green reedy top and discard (leftmost on leek above);
White end (and the very pale green part) – finely slice; and
Pale green middle part – peel off reedy outer layers and finely slice the softer middle part.
How to make Leek and Potato Soup
Leek are like onions – they have a pretty harsh raw flavour. So the key to a really great Leek Soup is to slowly sauté them in garlic butter until they transform and become soft and sweet. It’s kind of like caramelising onions for French Onion Soup – except we don’t take it as far.
After that, just plonk the potatoes and stock in, simmer until the potato is literally crumbling (the softer they are, the less blending we have to do = better soup texture, no risk of “gluey soup”).
Blitz, stir in cream and serve!
I like to serve mine with croutons. Just a teeny tiny sprinkle of crunchy buttery bread somehow magically makes any soup so much more fabulous.
And while this is a potato based soup, that still doesn’t stop me from tearing up hunks of crusty warm bread, slathering in butter and dunking into the soup.
Carb on carb fabulousness! – Nagi x
PS Or try one of these Soup Dippers – these existing on my website pretty much solely for the purpose of dunking into soups and stews.
Soup Dippers
Watch how to make it
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Leek and Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp (30g) butter
- 2 garlic cloves , large, finely minced
- 3 leeks , white and pale green parts only sliced thinly (about 2 cups) (Note 1)
- 1 kg / 2lb potatoes (Sebago/Russet/Maris Piper) , peeled a diced into 1"/2.5cm cubes (Note 2)
- 1.5 litre / 1.5 qt chicken or vegetable stock , low sodium (6 cups)
- 3/4 cup cream , heavy/thickened (sub milk)
- 1 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt (table salt – reduce by 25%)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Croutons
- 2 thick slices bread , torn into crouton size pieces
- 1 tbsp melted butter, or olive oil spray
- Salt
Garnish
- Chives , finely chopped
- Extra cream , for garnish
Instructions
- Sauté – Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add garlic and leek and sauté for 7 minutes until soft and sweet.
- Simmer 25 minutes – Add potatoes and broth. Turn heat up and bring to simmer, then place lid on and lower heat so it's simmering gently. Simmer for 25 minutes or until potato is very soft and almost falling apart.
- Minimal blitz – Turn the stove off and puree with a stick blender until JUST smooth. Do not over puree (Note 3).
- Season – Add salt and pepper, then stir through cream.
- Serve, drizzled with cream and sprinkled with chives and croutons.
Croutons
- Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan-forced). Drizzle bread with melted butter (or spray with oil). Bake for 5 minutes or until golden and crunchy. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt while hot!
Recipe Notes:
- Australia – Sebago (dirty brushed / common washed potatoes you can get at any supermarket. Do not use red potatoes or new potatoes i.e. the ones that you use for potato salad because they are low in starch so will not break down as much when boiling to create a creamy soup)
- US – Russet
- UK – Maris Piper
- I use vegetable or chicken stock instead of water;
- Leeks are sautéed in garlic butter instead of just simmered in water
- I added garlic. Because in my world, where there is butter, there is garlic!
- I added croutons. Because buttery crunch + creamy leek soup = match made in heaven
Nutrition Information:
Originally published October 2015. Spiffed up March 2020 – most importantly, new Life of Dozer section added!
Life of Dozer
Cactus and Dozer is like me and chilli – I know it’s gonna hurt, but I just can’t resist.
One of my all time favourite soups. I’m definitely making a pot of this and keeping it all to myself!
Thought of you when I made it re: leeks 😉 N x
I disagree that people’s tastes have “evolved” or even that French leeks and potatoes are especially flavorful. I often make soups using only water as the liquid, even if the recipe calls for broth or stock. I do not believe that everything must be super rich, concentrated flavors, all the time. We have been conditioned to that in the US, due to prepackaged foods, especially snack foods.
I find a clean and sophisticated dish to be quite refreshing, in respect to our modern fast food prepackaged over-flavored foods.
Hi Heather! I absolutely respect your opinion and how you cook. I must say, having an aversion to prepackaged foods myself and also because my mother raised us with less salty homecoming than typical Western food, I definitely do not err towards the side of super rich and salty. 🙂
I think your appreciation of clean flavours is admirable. 🙂 I do think that because I use supermarket potatoes that perhaps this affects the flavour and am determined to try this with organic potatoes! (PS I was only making a joke about super powered French potato and leeks BUT having said that, I have definitely noticed from my travels around the world that produce in countries that do not use hormones and sprays etc for growing produce honestly are so much more delicious compared to produce that is purchased at Australian supermarkets.)
Thank you again for your thoughtful comment! N x
Being born and raised in France, I remember eating “Soupe aux Poireaux” quite often during the colder months. A traditional Leek & Potato Soup is supposed to look light green (as opposed to Nagi’s beautiful soup above) as it is usually made with 2/3 white part to 1/3 light green part of the leeks. Traditionally, you would use shallots and butter to “sauter” the leeks in for more flavor and added natural sweetness. The reason water is still to this day used in French Soups is to keep them light and healful. I totally get why chicken stock would be used though … Love the croutons: can’t go wrong with that addition 🙂
My mother (Anne ^^) has been talking about this recipe for the last 10 minutes over the phone. Heehee, Hi Mommy! Love, your daughter in Switzerland 🙂
I love this message!!! HI to you and your mother!!! N x
Ooh, I love hearing from readers who grew up with dishes I share!!! You know, I use the light green part of leeks but I can’t get it to look pale green. Hmm. I love the thought of this being pale green though! And YES to the shallots. I’ll try that next time, I can see that it would add a touch of sweetness to this. I didn’t realise that water is still used in France traditionally!! Thank you for letting me know. I’ve tried this at very traditional French restaurants in the UK (one in particular in Sherpherd’s Market I was very fond of) and I swear they used stock!!! Thank you again for this message Anne, I really do love learning more about cuisines. N x
Thanks for adding those croutons! I can see that they made a simple soup extra special. And yes, chicken broth is the way to go! 😉
Thanks hun! 🙂 N x
Mastering the Art of French Cooking happens to be my favorite cookbook, Nagi! I mean, everything by Julia Child is just fabulous, BUT I agree with the stock/broth replacement for water!! Whenever I see water as an ingredient, I always replace it too… I mean why not? 😉 Your photos of this soup are just stunning, girlfriend (like always)! I want to slurp up ALL the bowls possible! Pinned! Cheers, lovely! xo
Isn’t Julia Child the best? I am a tad obsessed with her recipes. 🙂 So many of my French dishes are from her!! Her Gratin is incredible. 🙂
My mom used to make this all the time when we were growing up. In fact, she very well may have made it from Julia’s book as a few years ago she gave me her old tattered copy. I’ll have to ask her the next time I talk to her.
I totally agree with you, Nagi – sometimes it just makes sense to to tweak something to fit your tastes. Your soup looks so incredibly rich and velvety smooth. And the croutons are a perfect contrast in taste and texture. Btw, love the bowl 😉
$2 bowl from the Asian grocery store. Pretty fab huh? 😉
HI Nagi! This sounds FABULOUS! One question; I live in the US, what type of potatoes would work best? I’d lean toward Yukon Golds, but wonder if a starchier potato, like Russet, would be better in this recipe? Thanks for all your wonderful recipes!
Hi Heather! So glad you like the look of this! Yukon Gold or Russet will work with this. I’ve made this plenty of times with the Australia equivalent of both and I can’t tell the difference. The only thing is to not use potatoes like red skinned or new potatoes which are the ones suited to potato salad because they are VERY low in starch so they will hold their shape too well when boiling rather than breaking down to puree into a smooth soup. Hope you love it! And I’m so glad you are enjoying my recipes Heather! 🙂
Yup, i usually substitute chicken stock for water too. And I also often (but not always) sauté my leeks too. We really are cooking soulmates! So many of our dishes are similar. Haven’t topped mine with croutons, though — love the idea. This is super — thanks so much.
Thanks John!! I have tried it with part water and part stock too, that works just fine. And water DOES work, it’s just…as you know…the flavour just isn’t quite as good! N x
Hi Nagi, I’m very glad to see you taking your own twists to a recipe. Julia is the Kitchen Goddess and way ahead of her time but, yes, tastes have changed so much over the decades.
I think my own twist will be to rough chop the potatoes/leeks/garlic, toss with oil/salt/pepper, then roast them to get even more flavor! I’ll also not completely puree the soup as I like to have more texture.
Your photos are always terrific – makes me want to jump in and eat whatever you’ve made! 🙂 I hope you are having a blast in Mexico and that the food there gives you inspiration for all kinds of new dishes.
Ooh! I LOVE that idea Barb, roasted!! I can just imagine the caramelisation flavour!!! I’ll definitely try that! I too also like to sometimes leave some little chunks in soup. And thank you for your kind wishes! Mexico is everything I imaged, I’m currently in Mexico City. The people here are so incredibly friendly and I’m having a blast exploring!! And yes, so much inspiration for new dishes! I’ve been amazed at the variety of food that is familiar and yet so different to Mexican as we know it in Australia. N x
I love your adaptations. You have added so much depth, flavor to the original recipe. I also love the texture of the soup.
Thanks Peter! Yes, the texture is definitely incredible, so super creamy!! N x
I’m gonna go with super powered leeks too 🙂 you did the soup justice love! Really it’s fabulous!!! I love those croutons on there. And you know what, we made this soup in culinary school and my French chef told us to make it on chicken corn stock too and I added in garlic 🙂 so right on the same page! And can I tell you?!? It looks so perfectly creamy! As if you strained it!!!
Ha! See? Even pro schools teach it this way!! Thank you! N x
Please forgive me Julia but I agree with Nagi!! We never use plain water when we can use broth and my heavens veggies taste so much better if they are sautéed in butter before continuing to cook. You are ever so right in saying that cooking is adapting to your taste — actually that’s why we named our blog what we did. And croutons??? How could Julia not come up with that. Just goes to show that you are a free spirit whereby Julia, bless her heart, was more mired in the actual French cuisine. Another great recipe with fantastic photos!!
Thanks Marisa! Glad to hear you approve! N x
Hi Nagi! I love the subtle taste of leeks! I totally agree with your “tweeks” – I think Julia would be fine with them! 🙂 Hope you are soaking up lots of sun and food! 🙂
Thanks so much Dorothy! Surprisingly, no sun? I’m in Mexico City still, it’s been cloudy most days although warm. And storms and rain! But hasn’t stopped me with the FOOD, that’s for sure!!! 🙂