How to make Potato leek soup

Emily Monaco

Contributing Writer

This classic French soup's defining characteristic is a smooth, creamy texture which comes from two things: making sure the potatoes are cooked very well, and adding a dash of good-quality cream at the end of the cooking process. With these two techniques, you'll be well on your way to a top-notch potato-leek soup!

Cooking with leeks can be a bit of a challenge if you've never done so before. Leeks often attract sand and grit between their layers, so you'll want to rinse them well. Ideally, you'll lop off the dark green parts, composting these, and then split the leeks lengthwise. This will allow you to get the running water between each of the layers so that the final soup will be silky and smooth.

Cooktop Cove

Potato-Leek Soup

10 minutes

30 minutes

40 minutes

3 tablespoons butter

4 leeks, white and light green parts only, rinsed and thinly sliced

1 teaspoon salt

2 pounds potatoes, peeled and diced

7 cups chicken stock

1 bay leaf

2 sprigs thyme

1/4 teaspoon white pepper

1 cup heavy cream

Heat the butter over medium heat in a stock pot. Add the leeks, season with salt, and cook until tender, about 10 minutes.

Add the potatoes, chicken stock, bay leaf, thyme, and pepper, and simmer for 25-30 minutes, until the potatoes are very tender.

Remove the bay leaf and thyme and purée the soup using an immersion blender. Add the cream, stir to combine, and continue cooking until just heated through.

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