Potato Leek Soup

Learn how to make Potato Leek Soup from scratch on the Stove Top, Crock Pot, or Instant Pot! You can add bacon, cheese, and even make it without potatoes!

📝 Ingredients

• 2 cups diced leeks (about 4 leeks)
• 3 cloves garlic (minced)
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 stick celery
• ½ cup diced carrots
• 4 large Russet potatoes (equal to 2 lbs.)
• 6 cups chicken broth (divided)
• 1 bay leaf
• ¼ teaspoon ground sage
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1/3 cup cream (or ½ cup half and half)
• 2 Tablespoons sour cream
• Salt/Pepper (to taste)
• Optional additions: White Wine, Cheddar cheese, Parmesan, Bacon, Thyme. See notes on how to incorporate.

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1Cut away the dark green, leafy section of the leeks along with the bulbs. We will be using the light green section of the stem and the white part at the bottom. (See post for images.)
2. 2Wash the leek stems and pat them dry. Dice them and set aside.
3. 3Heat 2 TBS Butter and 1 TBS olive oil in a 3 ½ or 4-quart soup pot over medium heat.
4. 4Add the diced leeks, carrots, and celery. Saute for about 5 minutes, until softened. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
5. 5While the vegetables cook, peel the potatoes and cut them into 1-inch cubes.
6. 6Add 5 cups of chicken broth to the pot. Reserve the 6th cup for the end if you want to thin out the consistency of the soup.
7. 7Add the bay leaf, ¼ tsp ground sage, and 1 tsp soy sauce.
8. 8Submerge the potatoes into the broth and bring to a gentle boil. Cook, partially covered, for about 20 minutes or until the potatoes are very fork tender.
9. 9Remove the bay leaf and use an immersion blender to mix until smooth. (Alternatively, you can transfer the soup to a blender in batches)
10. 10Reduce heat to low. Stir in half and half and sour cream.
11. 11Add up to 1 additional cup of chicken broth if a thinner consistency is preferred.
12. 12Taste, and season with ¼ teaspoon of black pepper and ½ teaspoon of salt if desired. Simmer until ready to serve.
13. 13Optional: Remove from heat and stir in up to 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, or sprinkle with Parmesan prior to serving. Don’t add shredded cheese to a super-hot base or the dairy will separate and the consistency will be grainy.
14. 14PRO TIP: Add the rind from a block of Parmesan or Romano and let it dissolve into the soup as the potatoes cook. Remove if any of it remains, prior to blending. (The rind is the outer part of the block that feels extra firm. Don’t add wax rinds to soup. See more info about cheese rinds here.)