Creamy Potato Leek Soup (Printable)

Velvety blend of potatoes, leeks, and chives, gently cooked for a smooth comforting dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 3 large leeks (white and light green parts only), sliced and rinsed
02 - 4 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced
03 - 1 medium onion, diced
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Liquids

05 - 4 cups vegetable broth (gluten-free if needed)
06 - 1 cup whole milk or heavy cream

→ Fats

07 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

→ Seasonings

08 - 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
09 - ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
10 - 1 bay leaf

→ Garnish

11 - 2 tablespoons fresh chives, finely chopped

# How-To Steps:

01 - Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add leeks and onion, then cook for 5 minutes until softened without browning.
02 - Incorporate minced garlic and cook for an additional minute until fragrant.
03 - Stir in diced potatoes, salt, black pepper, and bay leaf.
04 - Pour in the vegetable broth, bring to a boil, then reduce to low heat and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes until potatoes are tender.
05 - Remove the bay leaf. Use an immersion blender or transfer in batches to a standard blender to puree the soup until smooth.
06 - Stir in milk or cream and gently heat until warmed through. Adjust seasoning as needed.
07 - Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with finely chopped fresh chives.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's ridiculously forgiving—even if you slightly overcook the potatoes, they blend into velvety perfection.
  • You probably have most of these ingredients already, and it costs a fraction of what restaurants charge for the same thing.
  • The whole process is meditative; there's plenty of quiet time while everything simmers.
02 -
  • The potatoes need to be genuinely soft, almost falling-apart soft—if they're still firm when you start blending, the soup won't have that velvety texture you're after.
  • Don't blend it into the cream cold; warm it gently on the stove so the finished soup tastes cohesive and the cream doesn't look separated and sad.
03 -
  • An immersion blender is genuinely worth the counter space—it makes this soup effortless and keeps you from having to transfer hot liquid, which is both safer and cleaner.
  • Taste the soup before you add the cream; sometimes it needs more salt than you think, and adding it after makes adjustments harder to dial in.

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