I make this potato leek soup recipe all the time! This easy soup is super creamy and comforting (and I make it without cream!).
I learned how to make potato leek soup from my Mom, who makes it weekly. The ingredient list for this easy soup is pretty short (woohoo!) and super simple to prepare.
Plus, it keeps well in the fridge or freezer for busy days. We love this soup and hope you’ll give it a try!
Key Ingredients
- Butter: I love the creaminess butter adds, especially since this soup has no cream, but olive oil is a good substitute.
- Leeks: Think of leeks as sweet, mellow onions. We’ll use the white and light green parts, saving the tougher dark green tops for stock. Check out my article about how to clean leeks for more tips!
- Potatoes: Use any kind you have. Yukon Gold potatoes will make it extra creamy, but russets break down easily for a nice texture, too.
- Broth: Either chicken broth or vegetable broth works perfectly here.
- Spices: Don’t be shy with the salt and pepper! A pinch of nutmeg adds a subtle warmth, and half a bay leaf is plenty for flavor.
Find the full recipe with measurements below.
How to Make Potato and Leek Soup
Tip 1: Throughly clean your leeks. Leeks tend to trap sand, so I always clean them thoroughly. My go-to method is slicing them in half lengthwise, which makes it easier to rinse away any hidden grit. If you need a visual guide, check out my article on cleaning leeks.
Tip 2: Cook the leeks until soft. Once your leeks are clean and chopped, this soup comes together quickly. Start by cooking the leeks in butter until they’re very soft, then add the rest of the ingredients and simmer until the potatoes are tender.
Tip 3: Blend half of the soup for the best texture. I’m a big fan of textured soups. While many potato leek soup recipes call for blending until silky smooth, I prefer a heartier, more rustic approach. I leave plenty of potato chunks and sliced leeks in the pot. We blend about half the soup to thicken it up and add creaminess while leaving the rest chunky for texture.
More Potato Soup Recipes
Easy Potato Leek Soup
- PREP
- COOK
- TOTAL
We love this potato and leek soup recipe with butter, leeks, potatoes, stock, and spices. This soup is so creamy and comforting. There’s no cream needed, but if you want to make this more decadent, add a little crème fraîche, sour cream, or cream to your bowl before serving.
You Will Need
3 tablespoons butter or olive oil
3 large leeks
2 medium-to-large russet potatoes, peeled and chopped into ½-inch cubes
6 cups stock or broth, see our chicken stock or vegetable broth
Half of a bay leaf
Salt and fresh ground black pepper
Pinch freshly ground nutmeg
Crème fraîche, sour cream, or cream for serving, optional
Directions
- Prepare Leeks
1Cut away the stem and dark green parts of the leeks. Discard the stem and save the green tops for stock or broth. We only need the light green and white parts of the leeks for this recipe.
2Slice the leeks into half, lengthwise, and then run cold water over them, using your fingers to release any dirt stuck inside the layers.
3Slice the leeks into ¼-inch thick half-moons.
- Prepare Soup
1Melt the butter in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat.
2Stir in the leeks and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring frequently, until very soft but not browned, 10 to 15 minutes. If the leeks begin to brown, lower the heat a bit more.
3Stir in the potatoes, stock, and ¼ teaspoon of fresh ground pepper. Add half of a bay leaf, and then bring it to a boil. Reduce the soup to a low simmer, and cook uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
4Taste the broth and season with additional salt.
5Blend one-third of the soup, and then stir back into the pot. Stir in a bit more ground pepper and a pinch of nutmeg. Serve.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Storing: Store potato leek soup in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Vegetarian and vegan adaptations: Use vegetable broth. Try our homemade veggie broth.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.
Loved this simple but tasty creamy soup. I used truffle salt to add another flavour. Would really appreciate it if your recipes showed the uk equivalent of cups to make it quicker for me to jump straight into the recipe. Thank you 🙏
You are so welcome!
Never had leeks before but it was so good!
This recipe is easy and delicious. It’s a nice light soup to have with a sandwich. I will make this again.
Delicious soup! Used butter instead of oil and loved the delicate leek flavor. I fried some thinly sliced leeks for garnish!
Love the fried leek addition. Yum! 🙂
I made this soup over the weekend and it was wonderful! Maybe we have big appetities, but I didn’t feel like it quite made 4 servings, so next time I will double it for sure!
I love this soup, so comforting and filling. Potatoes and leeks are a match made in heaven. I’ve made this twice now. The 2nd time I added some minced garlic in the last minute of leeks cooking time. I also added a tsp of dried thyme with potatoes and broth and reduced the broth to 5 cups. Very flavorful.
So easy! Pairs beautifully with homemade sourdough. My family loved it. Thank you!
You are so welcome! 🙂
I made your roasted carrot soup for a community wassail supper. It disappeared very quickly and I handed out the recipe to 4 people. I think the really brilliant thig is the adfition of some butter instesd of cresm at the end. As you say, butter intensifies and enriches the flavour while cream seems to smooth it down.
This is next. Last week I made your tomato soup, doubled recipe & gave a friend a small container, a larger to my daughter & son in law, glad I doubled it, all Loved it, definitely a keeper & 3 ingredients, who knew?
Simple, fast, and classically good!
Hi, Would you able to put measurements in 1lb and Oz or grams, my brains not wired to Figure out how much three large leeks are as I have small ones. Sorry to be a pain, love your recipes ❤️
Hi Dawn, Not a pain at all, great question. For baking recipes we always include grams, but for this soup we list the number of potatoes and leeks so it’s easy to shop for.
Great recipe! I added turkey bacon and adjusted the flavor with a bit more salt. My husband and I loved it.I will make this again!
I tried leeks for the first time making this soup, it was soooooo good! I’ve made this for my hubby, my parents & my friends, they ALL love this soup, it’s such a quick dinner, thank you for introducing me to the wonderful world of leeks.
I made your veggie broth along with the leeks soup. I didn’t have nutmeg so i had to leave it out. It was delicious
I absolutely love this recipe! This time I added sausage. It was wonderful!
This is the 2nd time I’ve made this recipe. Never to disappoint. It’s lite & delicious! I invited my sister & best friend to try my soup. They absolutely loved it. Thank you for a great recipe! You guys have to try this recipe.
Absolutely loved this recipe, it’s so tasty and great if you like texture in your soups. Thank you
Love this soup. Wonderful flavor. I didn’t change a thing.
Wonderful! I’m so glad you found a new favorite. Hopefully, it’ll inspire others to try it out too!