Leek and potato soup

Leek and potato soup

30 min
The classic potato leek soup is an old-time classic that still has its charm. It is an easy and quick comfort meal that does not require many ingredients and tastes amazing. Garnished with a crunchy and savoury topping consisting of fried leeks and bacon bits, it has some bite and a pungent and salty flavour. If you are looking for a delicious, creamy meal that the whole family will love, you need to try this simple leek and potato soup.
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Instructions

Soup:
  • Let butter melt over high heat, but without browning. Sauté onions and potatoes for approx. 2 minutes. Add leeks and sauté for approx. 1 minute.
  • Pour in the stock and let it cook for approx. 15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
  • Blend until smooth – either with a hand blender or in an ordinary blender.
  • Put the soup back in the pot with cream, salt, and pepper. Bring it to a boil and season to taste.
Bacon topping:
  • Meanwhile, fry bacon in a dry pan over high heat for approx. 3 minutes. Turn down the heat and finish frying at medium heat for approx. 5 minutes. Remove the bacon from the pan and let it drain on a paper towel. 
  • Wipe the pan and add the leeks. Fry them over high heat for approx. 4 minutes.
  • Crush the fried bacon lightly and add it to the leeks.
  • Serve the potato leek soup with bread and sprinkles of bacon. Garnish with watercress.
Enjoy!
Tips

Look for fresh leeks with a white, clean, slender bulb and a firm dark green top. As a key element in the recipe, it is important to make sure that the leeks are thoroughly cleaned, as they can be quite sandy and dirty in between the leaves.

Tips

The easiest way to wash them is to cut off the green part and the root at the end of the leek. Discard the root but save the dark green part for the topping. Use a sharp knife to cut the leeks lengthwise in half and rinse each half under water. You want to carefully pull apart the layers to remove any dirt tucked inside between the layers. Once they are cleaned, you can chop them according to the instructions in the recipe.

Questions about leek and potato soup

Want to know how to make an easy leek and potato soup with a crunchy topping? Then we have the perfect recipe for potato leek soup with bacon for you. Read below to learn more!

What is potato leek soup?
Potato leek soup is a classic, creamy dish made with pureed potatoes, cream, leeks, and seasoning that is quite popular in French cuisine. The popular soup is intended to be simple and rustic, with only a few basic ingredients. We follow this principle with our recipe for leek and potato soup and garnish it with coarsely chopped leeks and crispy fried bacon bits.
How to make leek and potato soup?
Sauté onions and potatoes in butter over high heat for about 2 minutes. Add leeks and sauté for 1 minute. Next, add vegetable stock and let it cook for about 15 minutes. Once the vegetables are tender, blend the soup until it has a smooth consistency using a hand blender or a regular blender. Pour the soup back into the pot and bring it to a boil with cream, salt, and pepper. Garnish with fried bacon, leeks, and watercress.
What to serve with potato leek soup?
If you want to keep it simple and easy, serve the potato leek soup with toasted crusty bread. The bread makes a quick addition to the meal and makes it more filling. But you can also serve it with different sides, for example, a kale and bacon salad, roasted brussels sprouts, a classic Caesar salad, or garlic bread sticks.
How long does potato leek soup last in the fridge?
If you have any leftovers, you can store them in the fridge. Potato leek soup will keep for 4-5 days. But it should be covered well to protect its taste and texture. An airtight container offers the perfect storage, but make sure the potato leek has cooled to room temperature before refrigerating it.
Can you freeze potato leek soup?
Yes, you can freeze the potato leek soup, but it is best to leave the bacon and leek topping off until you are ready to serve it. Let it cool completely before pouring it into an airtight container and placing it in the freezer. It will keep for up to 6 months when stored properly. To thaw it more quickly, it is best to portion the soup into several containers before freezing.

Ingredients

Soup:
Butter
10 g
Yellow onion, coarsely chopped (approx. 75 g)
1
Potatoes in small cubes
500 g
Leeks in rings – the white part (approx. 375 g)
3
Vegetable stock
¾ litre
Double cream or cooking cream 8% or 15%
100 ml
Coarse salt
1 tsp
Freshly ground white pepper
Bacon topping:
Bacon
150 g
Leek, coarsely chopped – the green part (approx. 150 g)
1
Garnish:
Watercress
For serving:
Toasted bread
240 g
Other recipes
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Classic leek and potato soup with cream

Keep it simple with a classic leek and potato soup. It is very easy to make, and you only need a handful of ingredients to make this rustic yet so delicious dish. The cream gives the soup a smooth, velvety texture that is instantly comforting and cosy. As a final touch, it is garnished with fried bits of bacon, sauteed leeks, and a bit of watercress. To match the rustic style, serve it with some crusted bread.

For more wonderful soup recipes, check out our simple carrot soup with cream cheese, creamy broccoli soup with potatoes, or classic asparagus soup.

Creamy, mild, and sweet soup

Enjoy a meal prepared in under 30 minutes with this creamy leek and potato soup recipe. The mild flavours of the leeks and the potatoes complement each other exceptionally well. Leeks are milder in taste compared to onions and have a tad bit of sweetness to them once cooked, which makes for a lovely taste experience. This recipe will easily become one of your go-to favourites for a quick comfort meal, especially on a chilly day.

Delicious crunchy and savoury toppings

While it simmers, prepare the crunchy and savoury topping for the creamy potato leek soup. For a well-rounded flavour, we use leeks for both the topping and the soup. The green part is chopped coarsely and sautéed on the pan for a few minutes to give it a softer texture, as it can be quite tough. The green part is ideal as a topping because it holds its shape and still has a bit of crunch even after being fried, not to mention its beautiful bright green colour on top of the deep yellow potato leek soup.

Potato leek soup with bacon

This classic is not a true classic without its bacon on top. What better way to complete the creamy soup than with crispy fried bacon bits? The bacon adds a crispy contrast to the smooth texture of the potato leek soup and makes for a decorative and delightful finishing touch. Once the leeks and bacon have been fried, they are mixed, giving the leeks a savoury and salty taste. The delicious addition of bacon is guaranteed to elevate the hearty dish and take the flavours up a notch.

Make it your own

You can adjust the number of potatoes and leeks added to the potato leek soup and add more or less cream or water if the consistency is too thick for your liking. For example, this makes it easy to use leftover vegetables from the fridge depending on what you have at hand.

If you want to add more flavour to the recipe, you can use different spices, seeds, or fresh or dried herbs. Try cayenne pepper, curry powder, sauteed cumin seeds, toasted pumpkin seeds, or dried thyme. If you like a bit of spice, a light sprinkling of dried chilli flakes will do the trick.

For a pungent twist, add a dollop of sour cream and a tiny bit of lemon juice, adding a delightful tanginess and richness.

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