Delicious Potato Leek Soup

This delicious potato leek soup is one of our family’s long time favorites. Made with potatoes, leeks, bold spices and herbs; all cooked in a creamy base and pureed into a thick meal in a bowl. We enjoy this recipe in the colder months along with sliced sourdough bread. It’s a comforting and satisfying dinner that the whole family loves.

We have adapted the traditional recipe to be made using the Instant Pot in order to save time and yield a robust and luscious soup. You can still prepare it however is easiest for you and your busy schedule as we have also provided instructions for stovetop preparation.

How do you make the best potato soup?

The key to making the best tasting potato leek soup lies in the little details of fresh ingredients, a slow cook, and the proper balance of ingredients to achieve the creamiest texture. This recipe shines when you use fresh ingredients with robust flavor and texture.

Yukon gold potatoes or red boiler potatoes will yield a very creamy texture, making a noticeable difference in this soup. Fresh herbs and spices will also elevate the quality and intensity of flavor, so if at all possible use fresh over dried.

Finally, the balance of liquids and the puree of the cooked soup is important in order to achieve a luscious consistency that everyone will enjoy. If the liquid ratio is off the soup risks being watery and less intense with the flavors. If the soup is too thick it will eat less like a soup and be very thick and heavy in texture.

Think of this recipe like a chowder. Thick and creamy, but pourable and scoopable.

Can it be made as a vegan potato leek soup?

Yes, but our recipe is not intended to be made as a vegan option so it would require quite a few alterations. Substituting the diary products can be done with your favorite vegan options, vegetable broth can be used in place of chicken, and the extras like bacon can of course be omitted completely.

You can make a delicious potato leek soup without cream, it can be made as a creamy vegan option by pureeing the soup and bringing in deliciously fresh herbs and spices for a robust flavor profile.

We have included instructions for both the Instant pot and a stovetop recipe in this post. Either way you prepare it, it is a simple soup with so much nutritious goodness and tasty flavor. It’s been one of our favorites for years and years.

For a delicate flavored soup like this one a pressure cooker is a great option.

This soup is so easy to make in your instant pot. You can use a potato masher or an immersion blender to puree this soup.

The most labor intensive part of this recipe is peeling the potatoes but, really it’s worth it. You don’t want potato peels in this soup because they will ruin the creamy luscious texture that this soup is loved for.

Fresh garlic gives the best flavor and will add so much to the soup, so we definitely recommend using cloves over pre-minced or dried garlic. You can absolutely use these other options if you’re in a pinch, just keep in mind nothing is superior over fresh ingredients.

This goes for the other herbs as well! Dried herbs are just fine, but if you do have fresh on hand throw them in there! The flavor will be outstanding.

How do you clean leeks?

Leeks are built of concentric circles of leaves. These thick leaves carry dirt up from the garden as they grow. The dirt embeds itself deeply into the leek center and must be washed out thoroughly. For a recipe like potato leek soup it’s not too hard.

Cut the leek longwise so the dirt is exposed and easily washed out of the leaves. You can totally deconstruct the leek if necessary but a hard water spray and finger rub will usually get it clean. Be sure to wash the leeks before you chop them small.

What can I serve with this soup?

Like any creamy soup, this one is delicious to enjoy with a wide variety of sides and extras. Here is a list of our favorites to enjoy with this scrumptious bowl of hearty potato soup.

• Serve with a slice of fresh sourdough bread
• Serve this soup in a bread bowl
• Enjoy with a side salad
• If you are feeding a crowd considering serving with some appetizers like stuffed mushrooms, crostinis, or roasted asparagus
• This soup tastes fantastic with a glass of your favorite wine

Recipe for Potato Leek Soup

• In your Instant pot, heat the oil over medium heat on saute function
• Add the sliced leeks, garlic and salt.
• Saute the leeks  and garlic with moderate heat for 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently, until the leeks are completely soft and wilted.
• Add the thyme leaves
• Sprinkle in chili powder, and stir for about 30 seconds. Cooking the spices with the leeks and garlic to release their flavors.
• Pour in the chicken (or vegetable) broth and add the potatoes and bay leaves.
• Set the instant Pot to the soup function for 30 minutes on medium setting. Natural release for about 5 minutes.
• Remove the bay leaves and puree the soup if you like.
• Pour half the cream into the puree and whisk it into a creamy, rich fragrant soup.
• Garnish with cooked bacon, fresh peppers, salt and pepper.

Recipe Card for Creamy Leek and Potato Soup

This is a simple soup that comes together in your Instant Pot, or can be made stovetop as well as in your Crockpot. It’s a delicious meal with a ton of creamy flavor. We think it’s one of the best potato leek soup recipes out there.

Here are more scrumptious soups for you to enjoy

• Sausage Tortellini Soup
• Copycat Olive Garden Minestrone Soup
• Bean and Barley Veggie Soup
• Cheesy Broccoli Cauliflower Soup
• Roasted Pepper Tomato Soup
• Creamed Butternut Pumpkin Soup
• Crockpot Chicken Chili
• Mung Bean Curry Soup

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This recipe was loosely adapted from David Lebovitz recipe.