- This potato leek soup is a comfort food classic
and one de cozy up to when the weather gets
a bit nippy outside.
Other variations of this soup might add dairy
but to be honest, it's not needed
because the potatoes add the perfect level
of creaminess all on their own.
So, yes, my version is dairy free and vegetarian.
It's also budget friendly and for meal prep.
Just freeze a few servings
to easily reheat again in the future.
So, let me show you how to make it.
To get started, you'll need three large leeks.
And when you're buying leeks, look for ones
that have a good amount of white and light green parts
as that's what you'll use in this recipe.
Slice off the green leaves of the leeks and discard them
or use them in future stock.
And then slice the lighter portion in half, lengthwise.
Leeks have all of these layers like onions
because they're part of the same Allium family.
But they're notorious for getting
dirt and sand in those layers.
So, it's imperative that you clean them well.
I used to just rinse them under the faucet
with running water and use my fingers
to clean them like this.
But I found that it didn't always remove those
hard to find gritty bits of sand.
So, the best thing to do is slice them up.
Then rinse them, after they're sliced ,in a colander.
I'll finished slicing all three of these leeks up,
place them in a colander
and then take them over to the sink.
Run the sliced leeks under the faucet with cold water
and use your to make sure that
all of the dirt and debris gets removed.
You could also place them in a large bowl of water
and then drain the water, if you prefer to do that.
Then set them aside.
Next up is the other main ingredient
in this potato leek soup and that's two pounds of potatoes.
I prefer to use Yukon Gold potatoes
for a smooth and cream texture.
But you could use white potatoes or russet potatoes as well.
Peel the potatoes, slice them in two small chunks,
about the same size, so that they cook evenly.
Then place them in a bowl to take over to the stove.
All right, let's make this soup.
Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot
or Dutch oven over medium heat.
Add the leeks and saute them for about eight to 10 minutes
or until they've softened.
You don't really want them browned
and starting to caramelize.
So if you notice them browning, like mine are a bit,
just turn down the heat a smidge.
Mince two garlic cloves straight into the pot.
And then, stir that together with a leeks
for another minute.
Add the chopped potatoes to the pot
along with one bay leaf, two to three sprigs of thyme.
And my thyme is pretty woody today.
One teaspoon of kosher salt,
and four cups of vegetable broth or chicken broth.
If you wanna make this a vegan or vegetarian soup though,
do make sure that you use vegetable broth.
Bring that to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer,
cover the pot, and let it cook for about 15 to 20 minutes
or until the potatoes are fork tender.
When the soup is done, remove the lid and give it a stir.
Many of the thyme leaves will likely fall
from the stem when you do this.
And that's okay, as you're gonna blend everything
together in a second.
And those extra thyme leaves just add more flavor.
Then use tongues to remove the bay leaf
and thyme sprigs or just the woody stems,
if that's all you have left like me.
I like to poke the potatoes with a fork in a few spots,
just to double check that the soup is ready to be blended.
And if the fork slides right through a potato chunk,
you know, you're good to go.
To blend this up,
I like to use my Vitamix Immersion Blender,
which I'm kind of obsessed with as it's so darn powerful.
I gave a demo of it in my lentil soup recipe last year.
So if you want more details on it, make sure to go back
and watch that video.
And if you don't have an immersion blender,
you could blend this potato leek soup in batches
in a regular blender as well.
The great thing about this recipe
is that you can make it as chunky or smooth as you'd like.
Some folks like it slightly chunky.
I personally prefer it velvety smooth
so I blend it up completely.
When you're done, you'll notice that this soup
has a fairly thick texture, thanks
to the stretchiness of the potatoes.
Again, you have options here.
If you like it thick, you can keep it
as I've written it on the recipe on my website.
But if you prefer a thinner, more watery soup texture,
you can add one to two cups of extra broth
to thin the soup down.
And that will actually give you an extra serving as well.
So it's complete up to you.
When you're ready to serve up this tasty potato leek soup,
add a few little folds of it to a bowl.
It's such a comforting homey recipe that'll fill you up
and no adornments are needed.
But you know me, I'm all about the toppings.
So I like to add a little drizzle
of extra Virgin olive oil on top.
Although you do have to be careful
that you don't accidentally pour out too much
because I've done that as well.
Then at a generous sprinkle of thinly sliced chives
and freshly cracked black pepper.
(gentle music)
This really is an easy soup recipe to whip up
with just a handful of healthy ingredients.
And you've gotta love that most of the time.
It's the simplest recipes that turn out the best.
Don't you think?
If you enjoyed today's video,
make sure to give it a thumbs up.
Share it with your family and friends
if they're in need of a little warmth and comfort food.
And I will see you again in the next video.
(gentle music continues)