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Potato Leek Soup and Homemade Croutons ~ A simple, creamy soup made with minimal ingredients for a perfect weeknight meal
You’re probably wondering why this Potato Leek Soup looks like peanut butter, or peanut soup. I used a rich vegetable stock that is very dark in color giving it the non-traditional hue. Potato leek soups are very easy to make combining potatoes, leeks, vegetable or chicken broth/stock, and milk or cream. Julia Child used water instead of broth so I say use what you have on hand. The soup is often creamy white or barely tinted green from the leeks. But hey, I like to be different sometimes and this richly flavored vegetable broth made the ordinary, exceptional.
The soup is very simple to make with minimal ingredients and only 30 minutes on the stove making it a good candidate for a weeknight meal.
The soup was topped with garlicky homemade croutons, the perfect garnish for this creamy soup. The recipe for these delicious croutons can be found HERE.
I love good soups especially this time of year. It’s cold and gray outside and this soup feels like a nice warm blanket.
Don’t forget your PIN!
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 Leeks white and light green parts only, washed and sliced
- 4 potatoes peeled and diced
- 4 cups vegetable or chicken stock or broth 32 ounces
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- Fresh ground pepper
- sea salt
- Parsley and croutons for garnish
- Melt the butter in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the potatoes and leeks and stir frequently until the vegetables start to soften, about 10 minutes.
- Add the vegetable stock and the bay leaf. Bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes.
- Add the milk and fresh thyme leaves. Continue cooking for another 15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Remove the bay leaf.
- Remove the pot from the heat and puree (make sure you removed the bay leaf) using a stick blender. Add the cream, salt and pepper and stir until combined.
- Serve garnished with chopped parsley and croutons if desired.
Recipes often call for just the white portion of the Leek. Feel free to forego the green parts if desired. They are generally a little tougher and more fiborous but when well cooked and pureed you'll never notice.
Julia Child's Leek & Potato Soup is made without broth or stock, just water. The color of the soup will be white instead of the darker stock based version posted here.
This soup is vegetarian friendly.
Take care when pureeing hot soups. If you don't have a stick/immersion blender, use a regular blender pureeing the soup in batches.
Inspired by several recipes from Julia Child, Robert Irvine and Belinda Williams
Don’t forget to try the Homemade Croutons – they are delicious and so easy to make! Do you make Leek & Potato Soup and if so do you use stock or broth? Chicken or vegetable? Did you know that Virginia is well known for peanut soup dating back to Colonial times? I should make one soon! It is very pea-nutty and also very easy to make. Thanks so much for stopping by! Hope you have a lovely week 🙂
Tricia
http://www.bluezoowriters.com says
January 29, 2016 at 6:45 amYummy! I want to cook it right away! It was an awesome idea to add Croutons into the soup!
Susan says
January 20, 2016 at 10:52 amThere are so many wonderful soup choices out there but potato leek is one of our favorites. Homemade croutons are a perfect topper. Great photos!
Tricia Buice says
January 20, 2016 at 2:44 pmThank you very, very much! Have a lovely week 🙂
Chris Scheuer says
January 18, 2016 at 1:44 pmI’m always up for a good bowl of soup and this one looks amazing! I love that it has a rich color, makes it look so much heartier!
Tricia Buice says
January 18, 2016 at 7:20 pmStrange color I know – but the flavor is there!
irit says
January 18, 2016 at 11:37 amHow come the colour of the soup is orange ? Potatoes and leek are white.
Tricia Buice says
January 18, 2016 at 7:18 pmI used a dark vegetable broth which gave it a brown color. Also used a yellowish potato instead of white.
Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers says
January 18, 2016 at 9:18 amI love the colour of this soup, as well as the soup 🙂 Potato leek is a wonderful flavour combination!
Tricia Buice says
January 18, 2016 at 7:23 pmIt is a funny color and I knew it would not be the traditional white since I used that super dark vegetable stock. But it tastes good! Thanks for stopping by Jennifer 🙂
Monica says
January 18, 2016 at 6:55 amI love potato leek soup and that deep color definitely amps up the warmth factor. Love the way it looks! You always manage to make even classics just a touch more special. We finally got snow yesterday and a bit more is on the way today…I could use a big pot of this, with the croutons! Stay warm!
Tricia Buice says
January 18, 2016 at 8:16 amEnjoy your snow Monica – we got a trace and then poof it was gone. But it was pretty to watch as it floated to earth. More in the forecast for this weekend – maybe I should put some hot chocolate on the menu?
Gerlinde @ Sunnycovechef says
January 17, 2016 at 11:19 pmYou are right this the time for a comforting warm soup like this one. Leeks and potatoes go well together. Have a great week!
Tricia Buice says
January 18, 2016 at 8:15 amYes they do Gerlinde. Hope you have a good week too!
Sheena @Tea and Biscuits says
January 17, 2016 at 5:09 pmWell I think the color is just perfect and I bet it tastes great! I sometimes use chicken stock for my leek and potato soup too, it’s one of my favorite soups of all time 🙂
Tricia Buice says
January 18, 2016 at 8:13 amThank you Sheena! Hope you had a lovely week.
Monique says
January 17, 2016 at 4:28 pmLove the closeups:) Veggies are so photogenic aren’t they?
Lovely soup..I love most soups..home made.
Nothing else:)
Tricia Buice says
January 18, 2016 at 8:13 amI do love a vegetable still-life photo Monique 🙂 SO much easier to shoot than my grandson. And vegetables are truly amazing with their amazing colors and shapes. Have a great week!
cheri says
January 17, 2016 at 3:13 pmHi Tricia, heaven in a bowl for sure, can’t wait for the crouton recipe too! hope you are having a great weekend!
Tricia Buice says
January 17, 2016 at 3:20 pmThanks Cheri – I am enjoying a nice long weekend even though we had a little snow this morning. I just posted the crouton recipe! Thanks so much! Hope all’s well in the west 🙂
Amy says
January 17, 2016 at 2:18 pmWe have a similar recipe, everyone likes it.
Tricia Buice says
January 17, 2016 at 2:39 pmThanks Amy
Larry says
January 17, 2016 at 11:45 amI really like this type of soup as it is made with two of my favorite things – I like the color of yours.
Tricia Buice says
January 17, 2016 at 2:40 pmThanks Larry!
Dom says
January 17, 2016 at 11:13 amI was thinking exactly that!! I love your recipe and it does look wonderfully thick and creamy. A big bowl please x
Tricia Buice says
January 17, 2016 at 2:40 pmYou got it Dom! Hope you’re having a great weekend. Thanks for stopping by
sue|theviewfromgreatisland says
January 17, 2016 at 11:07 amI noticed that warm color right away, I need to remember to use veggie stock more often! I love the light in these photos, it beckons me right in 🙂
Tricia Buice says
January 17, 2016 at 2:41 pmThank you Sue – the color is different but that’s not a bad thing!
[email protected]'s Recipes says
January 17, 2016 at 6:29 amIt’s snowing here and what I need now is this creamy and flavourful soup to warm me up!
Tricia Buice says
January 17, 2016 at 2:41 pmWe had our first snow flurries this morning Angie. Maybe we’ll have a good one before spring is here. Stay warm!