Leek and Potato Soup: Easy Recipe

Soup is one of the easiest and cheapest meals to make, and there are so many variations. One of my personal favourites is leek and potato soup.

This creamy and warming soup is ideal for any time of the year, and you can serve it as a starter, a lunch or as a main meal. It is a hearty option, especially when it is served with a generous chunk of fresh bread and butter.

Here is an easy recipe for leek and potato soup that serves four to six people.

Ingredients for Leek and Potato Soup

• 3 leeks, trimmed and sliced
• 4 large white potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1.2 litres/ 2 pints vegetable stock
• 150 ml/ 5 fl. oz. double cream
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Chopped chives or parsley for serving

How to Make Leek and Potato Soup

1. Heat the vegetable oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add the leeks and potatoes to the pan, then cook for five minutes or until they begin to soften.
3. Add the vegetable stock, then simmer for 20 minutes.
4. Either use a hand blender to blend the mixture to the consistency of your choice or transfer to a food processor for blending before returning to the pan. 
5. Put the soup on low heat, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
6. Stir in most of the cream, retaining just a little for the top. 
7. Cook for a further five minutes.
8. Serve the soup into soup bowls and decorate with a small swirl of cream and a sprinkle of chives or parsley.

Additional Tips

Adding some fennel to this leek and potato soup adds an interesting flavour of mild aniseed that is surprisingly refreshing. You should add this to the pan with the leeks.

This is an easy soup to make in a soup maker, and it is a crowd-pleaser if you are serving soup from a catering soup kettle.

If you enjoyed our leek and potato soup recipe, you might also like our recipe for kartoffelsuppe.