Description

This creamy Potato Leek Soup is a comforting classic, made with tender Yukon Gold potatoes and mild leeks simmered in broth, then blended smooth and enriched with heavy cream. Perfect as a cozy appetizer or light meal, it’s easy to prepare on the stovetop and can be customized with fresh herbs like chives. The soup is freezer-friendly and adaptable with vegetable or chicken broth to suit your preference.

Ingredients

Scale

Main Ingredients

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 large leeks, white and light green parts only, roughly chopped (about 5 cups)
3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped into ½-inch pieces
7 cups chicken or vegetable broth
2 bay leaves
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup heavy cream

For Serving

Chives, finely chopped, for serving

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Sauté Aromatics: Melt the butter over medium heat in a large soup pot. Add the chopped leeks and smashed garlic cloves. Cook, stirring regularly, until the leeks soften and wilt, about 10 minutes, adjusting the heat as needed to prevent browning. This step builds the foundational flavors of the soup.
Add Potatoes and Broth: Add the peeled and chopped Yukon Gold potatoes, broth, bay leaves, thyme sprigs, salt, and pepper to the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Let it simmer gently for about 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are very soft and tender to the touch.
Blend the Soup: Remove the thyme sprigs and bay leaves from the pot. Using a hand-held immersion blender, purée the soup until it achieves a smooth and creamy consistency. Alternatively, carefully transfer soup in batches to a standard blender—filling the jar only halfway, leaving the lid hole open and loosely covered with a dish towel to allow steam to escape—to blend until smooth. Pour the blended soup back into a clean pot if using the blender method.
Finish with Cream and Seasoning: Stir in the heavy cream and warm the soup over medium heat until it comes to a gentle simmer. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. If the soup is too thin, continue simmering to reduce and thicken; if too thick, add extra water or broth to reach your preferred consistency.
Serve and Garnish: Ladle the hot soup into bowls and garnish with finely chopped fresh chives for a burst of color and mild onion flavor. Serve immediately for best taste.
Freezing Instructions: To store, freeze the soup without the heavy cream for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, thaw the soup overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat it gently on the stovetop over medium heat until hot, then stir in the cream and bring back to a simmer before serving.

Notes

If blending with a standard blender, never fill the jar more than halfway and keep the lid hole open, covering it loosely with a dish towel to allow steam to escape safely.
Use either chicken or vegetable broth depending on your dietary preference or to keep the soup vegetarian.
For a lighter version, substitute heavy cream with half-and-half or a plant-based cream alternative.
The soup thickens as it cools; adjust consistency by stirring in additional broth or water before reheating.
Freezing without cream ensures a better texture when reheated; add cream fresh after defrosting.