Potato Leek Soup-a staple you need to make!
A simply delicious tasting soup for everyday eating that you can enjoy any day of the year.
There is nothing better than a pot of soup simmering on the stove. I grew up eating soup year round, and more often then not, almost every night as a starter for dinner. In most cultures, you start your meal with a bowl of soup. The reason being is the broth. By eating soup everyday, you’re consuming broth which has many vital nutrients in it (such as: protein, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus). I know for a lot of us Americans we think of eating soup more during winter time and as the main meal, usually really thick or hearty, full of vegetables, meat, and a starch–which I am also a big fan of! But, for everyday eating that you can pair with other foods easily, a simple, light, vegetable filled soup with broth is the way to go. This recipe is so versatile that it goes well as a side for anything else you make for dinner or as the main dish.
This is my grandfather’s recipe that I am sharing. He taught my dad how to make this soup with vegetables he grew in his garden. And my dad taught me. Using basic, hearty vegetables like leeks, onions, and potatoes, its easy to make and budget friendly (and garden friendlier!) This soup is nothing fancy, but serve it hot with a piece of crusty homemade bread to your dinner party and you are sure to win everyone’s heart.
Soup doesn’t just have to be eaten at home! Potato Leek soup is a go-to recipe for when my husband goes hunting in the fall and winter. He loves when I make it ahead and he can easily heat it up for breakfast. He says its the best on a cold, snowy day while he’s sitting on top of a mountain looking for elk. He sometimes will even swap coffee in the morning for a hot cup of this soup. It makes me happy knowing he enjoys it so much, but you won’t catch me giving up my morning coffee for soup! While it does the trick in the winter time, it also tastes delicious any other time of the year too.
In my opinion, its even better when you use homemade broth. It takes soup and stew to the next level! I am a big proponent of making your own broth, primarily for the health benefits and taste. But I also know that making your own broth isn’t for everyone. So you can either use homemade or store bought for this recipe. Just remember, some store bought is pre-salted. If using broth from the store, then you won’t have to add as much salt. But if using homemade broth like me, you usually have to add plenty of salt in order for it to taste good. I ended up adding 3 tsp of quality salt, like Redmonds Real Salt, to this recipe.
I also have to add a little tidbit about why I cut the potatoes this way. By breaking the potatoes instead of slicing neatly, the rough surface releases more starch into the liquid. This acts as a natural thickening agent, and this technique is in place of adding artificial thickeners or a roux. In a much less scientific explanation, my dad and I have determined that it seems when you break the potato, it changes the way it reacts to heat and it also browns less, so you get a prettier end result. This technique is not mandatory, but it’s how I was taught. And if you’re interested, I suggest you try it too!
Give this soup a try and if you loved it, please rate it 5 stars and leave a comment. I hope it brings warmth and joy to your family too!
Ingredients:
How to Make Potato Leek Soup:
- Cut off the top green part of the leeks.
2. Slice leek almost all the way in half longways, taking care to not cut through to the bottom.
3. The leeks should still be intact at the bottom. This will keep it from falling apart when trying to clean them.
4. Thoroughly rinse leeks by sifting through the layers with your fingers. Check the middles of the leeks to make sure that they are soft. If they seem too tough, then remove the middles. The leeks that that I used (pictured here) were nice and tender, so I did not remove the middles.
5. Remove bottoms of leeks and discard.
6. Slice leeks into 1/2 inch strips.
7. Cut onions in half, then slice thinly long ways.
8. Wash celery. Chop into small chunks.
9. Peel garlic, smash cloves with knife, and roughly chop.
10. Peel potatoes and set aside.
11. Add oil to preheated soup pot over medium heat.
12. Sauté leeks and onions until translucent, about 7-10 minutes. Add garlic and cook for about 2 minutes until fragrant.
13. Add chopped celery.
14. Add chicken broth. Turn up burner to medium-high to high heat and bring to a boil.
15. While waiting for the broth to boil, break potatoes with knife into small chunks.
16. Allow pot to come to a boil.
17. Once pot is boiling, add potatoes and softly boil for 10-15 minutes.
18. Season to taste. If using homemade broth, be sure to add plenty of salt. I added 3 tsp to mine. Enjoy!
FAQs
What is a leek?
A leek is a vegetable in the onion family. I like to think of it as a big green onion. While it doesn’t form a bulb like regular onions, they taste and are used similarly. Typically the bottom half of the leek (the white and light green part) is used and eaten. The thick and fibrous top half (dark green) is discarded because of its tough nature.
Why is there so much broth in this recipe?
I love broth. I feel that most recipes you find don’t include enough broth. Usually when I follow someone else’s recipe, I have to add more broth the next day because the vegetables or noodles have soaked up a lot of it and it resembles more of a stew. So I tend to use more broth than what the recipe calls for. If you feel like this is too much then please don’t hesitate to adjust it to your family’s needs and preferences!
Potato Leek Soup
A deliciously simple soup using hearty vegetables and broth packed full of nutrients. The perfect addition to any meal, anytime of year!
Ingredients
- 1 bunch leeks (3 big leeks)
- 2 yellow onions
- 1/2 stock celery (4 or 5 sticks)
- 4 medium potatoes
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 bay leaf
- 12 cups chicken broth
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cut off top green, fibrous part of leeks. Slice leeks almost all the way in half longways, taking care not to cut off the bottoms yet. Wash thoroughly with water. Then cut bottoms of leeks off. Check middle of leeks to make sure they're soft. If they seem too tough, then remove the middles. Slice leeks into 1/2 inch strips.
- Cut onions in half, then slice thinly long ways.
- Wash celery. Chop into small chunks.
- Peel garlic, smash cloves with knife, and roughly chop.
- Peel potatoes, set aside.
- Add oil to preheated soup pot over medium heat. Saute leeks and onion until translucent, about 7-10 minutes. Add garlic and cook for about 2 more minutes until fragrant.
- Add celery.
- Add chicken broth and bay leaf. Turn burner up to medium - high to high heat and bring to a boil.
- While waiting for broth to boil, break potatoes with knife into bite-sized chunks.
- Once broth is boiling, add potatoes and turn down heat to softly boil for 10-15 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. If using homemade broth, be sure to add plenty of salt. I added about 3 tsp to mine.
- Enjoy!
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1.25 cupsAmount Per Serving: Calories: 121Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 0.78gTrans Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 92mgCarbohydrates: 17.7gFiber: 3gSugar: 3gProtein: 6.4g
