Easy Potato and Leek Soup

This easy potato and leek soup is smooth, creamy and comforting with just 4 main ingredients! No cream needed and ready in 30 minutes.

This easy potato and leek soup is smooth, creamy and full of flavour, but you only need 4 main ingredients to make it.

There's no cream needed, the potatoes create that lovely velvety texture all by themselves.

It's one of my favourite simple soups for colder days because leeks, potatoes, stock and a little olive oil turn into something far more comforting than such a short ingredient list suggests.

Best of all, it's budget-friendly, naturally vegan and ready in just 30 minutes.

Sometimes the simplest soups are the ones I come back to most often, and this potato and leek soup is a perfect example.

I've deliberately kept the ingredient list short. There are plenty of versions with cream, garlic, onion and handfuls of herbs, but you really don't need them to make a good leek and potato soup.

Leeks have a lovely mild, sweet onion flavour once they're cooked slowly, while potatoes naturally thicken the stock when the soup is blended. Together, they make a soup that tastes creamy even though there's no cream in the recipe at all.

The important part is not to rush the leeks. I give them 7-10 minutes over a medium heat so they soften and become sweet without browning. If they start catching on the bottom of the pan, turn the heat down and add a small splash of water rather than letting them colour.

Once the potatoes and stock go in, it's simply a matter of simmering until the potatoes are completely tender and then blending everything until smooth.

Serve it alongside Wheaten Bread, Turmeric Bread or White Soda Bread!

Jump to:

• Why You'll Love This Recipe
• Ingredients
• How to Clean Leeks Properly
• Which Part of the Leek Do You Use for Soup?
• What Are the Best Potatoes for Leek and Potato Soup?
• How to make Potato Leek Soup
• How to Get the Perfect Texture
• Recipe Tips 
• Leek Recipes
• Serving Suggestions
• Variations
• Storage 
• FAQs
• More Soup Recipes
• Get the recipe
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Comments

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• You only need 4 main ingredients. Leeks, potatoes, vegetable stock and olive oil are enough to make a really satisfying soup.
• There's no cream. The creamy texture comes naturally from blending the cooked potatoes, so there's no need to add dairy.
• It's ready in 30 minutes. There are just a few minutes of preparation followed by straightforward simmering and blending.
• It's budget-friendly. Potatoes and leeks are inexpensive ingredients, particularly when they're in season, and one batch makes six servings.
• It's naturally vegan. Use your favourite vegetable stock and there's no need for any dairy or substitutions.
• You can easily change the texture. Blend it completely smooth, leave it slightly textured or only blend half for a chunkier soup.
• It's great for making ahead. I often make extra because it's useful to have portions ready for another lunch or dinner.

Ingredients

One of the things I love most about this potato leek soup recipe is how little you need to make it.

Leeks - These give the soup its mild onion flavour and a subtle sweetness. Choose firm leeks and clean them particularly well, as soil can hide between all those tightly packed layers.

Potatoes - Potatoes provide both substance and the creamy texture once the soup is blended. You don't need a specialist variety for this recipe, although different potatoes can give slightly different results. More floury potatoes tend to blend particularly smoothly.

Vegetable Stock - With so few ingredients, the stock has quite an influence on the finished flavour. Use one you enjoy. If it's quite salty, wait until the soup is blended before deciding whether it needs any additional salt.

Olive Oil - This is used to soften the leeks without browning them. You can use another neutral cooking oil, or butter if you don't need the soup to be vegan.

Water - I use a little water alongside the stock so the leek flavour isn't overwhelmed. You can adjust the final consistency with a little more water or stock after blending if necessary.

How to Clean Leeks Properly

If you've ever cut into a leek and discovered soil hiding several layers inside, you'll know why it's worth cleaning them properly.

Leeks grow with their layers tightly packed together, so grit and soil can become trapped between them. Simply rinsing the outside isn't usually enough.

Trim away the root end and tough dark green tops, then cut the leek lengthways to expose the layers.

Rinse thoroughly under cold running water, separating the layers slightly with your fingers so the water can reach any hidden dirt or grit.

Once clean, shake off the excess water and slice the leeks for the soup.

Don't worry about making every piece exactly the same size because the soup will eventually be blended. Fairly even slices will help them soften at roughly the same rate, though.

Which Part of the Leek Do You Use for Soup?

For this soup, use the white and pale green parts of the leeks. They're tender and have the mild, sweet onion flavour we want.

The tougher dark green leaves can be quite fibrous, so I don't blend them into the soup.

There's no need to throw them away, though. Wash them well and save them for making homemade vegetable stock, or add them to a bag of vegetable scraps in the freezer until you have enough for a batch.

What Are the Best Potatoes for Leek and Potato Soup?

This recipe is forgiving, so you don't need to buy a particular variety of potato just to make it.

Floury potatoes break down readily and produce a very smooth, creamy soup when blended. All-purpose potatoes work perfectly well too.

Waxy potatoes can also be used, although the finished texture may be slightly different.

Whichever type you choose, cut the potatoes into reasonably small, even pieces. Smaller pieces cook more quickly and, more importantly, you don't end up with a stubborn undercooked chunk hiding amongst otherwise tender potatoes.

If you don't want to peel them, give the skins a very thorough scrub first. Leaving the skins on will give the soup a slightly more rustic texture and appearance.

How to make Potato Leek Soup

Follow this step-by-step photo tutorial, then scroll down to the recipe card for the full ingredients list and method.

Follow these simple steps for a smooth and creamy potato leek soup. You'll find the full quantities and method in the recipe card below.

1. Soften the leeks

Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over a medium heat.

Add the cleaned and chopped leeks and cook for 7-10 minutes, stirring often, until they're soft.

The important thing here is not to let them brown. We're trying to bring out their mild sweetness rather than give them a fried onion flavour.

If the leeks start catching on the bottom of the pan, reduce the heat and add a small splash of water.

If you'd like to garnish the finished soup with leeks, remove a few spoonfuls at this stage and set them aside.

2. Add the potatoes and stock

Add the peeled and chopped potatoes, vegetable stock and water.

Bring everything to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are completely tender.

Don't rush this stage. If the potatoes aren't fully cooked, you won't get the same smooth texture when you blend the soup.

Test one of the larger pieces with the tip of a knife. It should slide through very easily.

3. Blend until creamy

Remove the soup from the heat and blend until smooth.

I find a stick/immersion blender particularly convenient because you can blend the soup directly in the pan.

If you're using a jug blender, let the soup cool slightly first and work in batches. Never overfill a blender with hot liquid, and follow the manufacturer's instructions for blending hot foods.

4. Adjust the consistency

Once blended, take a look at the consistency before adding anything else.

If the soup is thicker than you like, stir in a little extra hot stock or water until it's just right.

Taste and season if necessary. How much salt you need will depend largely on the vegetable stock you've used.

Ladle into bowls and top with the reserved cooked leeks, freshly ground black pepper or your favourite garnish.

How to Get the Perfect Texture

Potato and leek soup can range from thick enough to almost hold a spoon upright to much lighter and more pourable. I prefer it creamy and substantial without becoming stodgy.

The easiest approach is to start thick and adjust after blending.

If your soup is too thick, add hot vegetable stock or water a little at a time. It's much easier to thin a soup than rescue one that's become watery.

If it's too thin, return it to a low heat and simmer gently, uncovered, for a little longer.

You can also change the texture by how much you blend it.

For a completely smooth soup, blend thoroughly until velvety.

For something more rustic, stop while there's still a little texture.

For a chunky leek and potato soup, blend only half of the mixture and stir it back into the unblended soup.

Recipe Tips 

• Clean the leeks thoroughly. Dirt can hide surprisingly deep between the layers, and nobody wants grit in a bowl of creamy soup.
• Don't brown the leeks. Cook them gently until soft and sweet. If they're catching, lower the heat and add a splash of water.
• Cut the potatoes evenly. Smaller, similarly sized pieces cook at approximately the same rate and are easier to blend smoothly.
• Make sure the potatoes are completely tender. A knife should slide through them easily before you start blending.
• Don't automatically add salt at the beginning. Vegetable stock varies considerably in saltiness, so taste after blending and season from there.
• Adjust the consistency at the end. Hold back from adding extra liquid until you've blended the soup and can see how thick it actually is.
• Be careful when blending hot soup. A stick blender is convenient, but if you're using a jug blender, work safely in batches and follow the manufacturer's guidance for hot liquids.
• Reserve some leeks before blending. A spoonful of soft cooked leeks makes a simple garnish and gives a little texture to each bowl.
• If you still have leftover leeks, be sure to try these Grilled Leeks.

Leek Recipes

Serving Suggestions

• Serve as an appetizer along with these Vegan Stuffed Peppers. 
• Goes great with a side of toasted yeast free 15 minute Naan Bread.
• Add some Herb and Cheese Rolls to dunk in.
• Make it a light meal by serving with one of these Salad Recipes.
• Serve with a dollop of Vegan Cream Cheese on top.

Variations

For a rustic potato soup, keep the potato peels on.

Sprinkle in some red pepper flakes for a spicy potato leek soup.

Add a delightful herb flavor to the soup by adding your favorite fresh or dried herbs. Rosemary, thyme, bay and oregano all work well.

For a chunky potato soup, pulse the soup in a blender until desired consistency is reached. Or, only blend half then mix it all together.

Saute some onion and garlic along with the leeks for a deeper onion flavor.

If you'd like to make your soup even more creamy, add a cup of heavy cream, double cream, or soy cream.

Storage 

Fridge

Allow the soup to cool, then transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.

It will usually thicken as it chills because of the potatoes, so don't worry if it looks much thicker when you take it out of the fridge.

Reheating

Reheat gently in a saucepan over a low-to-medium heat, stirring regularly until piping hot throughout.

Add a splash of water or vegetable stock if it has become too thick.

Individual portions can also be reheated in the microwave.

Can You Freeze Potato and Leek Soup?

Yes, you can freeze this soup.

Let it cool completely, portion it into suitable freezer-safe containers and freeze for up to 3 months.

The texture of potatoes can sometimes change slightly after freezing, but because this soup is blended, I find that much less noticeable than it would be in a chunky potato soup.

Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat gently. Give it a good stir or briefly blend it again if the texture has separated slightly, and add a splash of stock or water if necessary.

FAQs

More Soup Recipes

I hope that you'll love this Potato Leek Soup as much as we do (seriously, we're making it every week at the moment!). Be sure to check out some of my other tasty soup recipes. All vegetarian and easily vegan if required.

• Jerusalem Artichoke Soup - Use up seasonal Jerusalem artichockes (aka sunchokes) in this velvety delicious soup.
• Beetroot Soup - Beets form the basis of this easy borscht-style blended soup.
• Quick Kale Soup - a vibrant and flavorful soup that's so easy to make.
• Easy Cabbage Soup - Cabbage and potatoes simmered in a smoky tomato broth for an easy, vegetable-packed soup.
• Pea Soup - 4 pantry ingredients and you can use frozen peas!
• Easy Tomato Soup - another pantry recipe! Use fresh or canned tomatoes in this easy, tasty soup.
• Lentil Soup - A hearty storecupboard soup that's filling, inexpensive and perfect for easy lunches.
• Roasted Cauliflower Soup - so creamy and tasty, but healthy too.

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