There is nothing more comforting than a bowl of warm healthy soup in winter. This potato leek soup is made with potatoes, leeks, and milk instead of cream and gets ready in less than 30 minutes. I also share how to prevent milk from splitting in soups. Serve this with crusty bread, and a side of salad and you have a complete meal.
Table of Content
One of the amazing things in our home during winter is dinner usually a bowl of soup, a side of salad, and some bread to go along with it.
Most of my winter soups are not just comforting but also wholesome because they have so much fiber and nutrition. pumpkin, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, green peas, lentils, pumpkin sweet potato, or black bean soup.
Normally you'd have to convince the kids to eat veggies. But, when it comes to soups, my kids will beg for more. Yay for soups.
Why make this soup
- As you can see this is a very simple fuss-free recipe.
- It uses simple easy-to-find ingredients and 15 minutes of cooking. My kids love when I blend it into a smooth soup. And yet, if you love your leek soup chunky, go ahead and stop just where you like it.
- I make soups in winter almost every day and I don't want my family to indulge in butter and heavy cream every day. So, I make adjustments such as
- Oil instead of butter - The oil works great to saute the onion and garlic. The leeks and potatoes have enough flavor to make the soup delicious so you won't really miss the butter - trust me.
- Milk instead of Cream - I use milk instead of cream. A great tip about using milk though - add a teaspoon of cornstarch. This will thicken the soup but it will also prevent the milk from splitting.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Potatoes - I like using the same potatoes I use to make my mashed potatoes- Yukon gold. Russet works great too. They can cook down to make a nice creamy soup which makes adding cream to the soup almost unnecessary. Most potatoes are delicious in soups with just a little difference in time and texture when cooked, but they all work great.
- Leeks - If you are not used to eating leeks, they usually have a light taste of onion and garlic, but are much less pungent with an almost slight sweetness. We usually use only the white and light green parts for the soup. And yet, the dark green parts are edible and can be added to the broth or stockpots.
Leeks are delicate, but can also be very dirty and filled with mud between the leaves. It is very important that you clean them well under running water. If you like leeks you must try my leek potato patties and leek asparagus quiche. - Flavor - I like the flavor of thyme and bay leaves in my potato leek soup. And yet, if you prefer you can omit the thyme or both.
- Milk - I usually use milk instead of cream in my soup, but if you prefer or have guests and want to indulge, go ahead and substitute the milk with ½ cup of cream. You can also substitute the milk with almond milk to make this a vegan recipe.
- Cornstarch - The purpose of the cornflour in this recipe is to prevent the milk from curdling when cooking. It's best to never overheat the soup once milk is added.
Potato and leek soup
- Prep veggies - Wash the leeks thoroughly and chop them roughly using a cutting board and utility knife. Peel, wash, and cut potatoes into small chunks using a chef's knife
- Saute - In a soup pot or stockpot over medium heat add the olive oil. Saute the onions and garlic until translucent. Then, add the bay leave and thyme followed by the potatoes and leeks. Saute for 2 minutes more.
- Simmer - Add the stock and season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
- Blend - Using a hand mixer blend everything to a smooth puree. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Caution - If using a stand blender, cool the soup for a few minutes and be very careful as a hot soup can splash out and cause serious burns. - Milk - Combine cornstarch and milk, then add it to the soup. Simmer but do not bring it to a boil. Turn the heat off.
Pro tip - the cornstarch prevents the milk from curdling) - Serve with a dab of butter or a dollop of sour cream. I like to serve topped with a teaspoon of pesto.
Tips for Success
- You can use store-bought chicken broth or bouillon cubes dissolved in hot water for the stock.
- And if you use ready-to-use store-bought stock, make sure to under-season your soup because commercial stocks have tons of salt added to them.
- Also, adding a tablespoon of butter at the ends adds a nice rich flavor.
- Milk is a great alternative to full-fat cream. Having said that, often milk can split when added to soups. So, add it warm, and do not boil the soup once you add the milk. Boiling causes the protein in the milk to separate. The cornstarch in this soup prevents the milk from splitting.
- Potatoes & Leeks ratio - I like an almost one-to-one ratio of leeks and potatoes in my soup. But honestly, there is no rule to how much. You can add more or fewer leeks to the recipe based on how big a fan of leeks you are.
The delicious pumpkin and sweet potato soup will keep in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. You can also keep it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Always thaw in the fridge overnight for the best results.
For our family, a side salad or sauteed veggies with some homemade fresh bread on the side makes a complete meal. Try
garlic sesame asparagus, parmesan asparagus, or sesame green beans. Some cheesy baked eggplant slices, lemon rosemary potatoes, or roasted dill potatoes
You can roast the potato. Roasting brings out the natural sweetness of the vegetables. But, roasting will also caramelize the vegetables so you won't have this color. Still delicious of course.
No, I highly recommend you do not omit the cornstarch as it is what prevents the milk from splitting. If you don't have cornstarch you can also use arrowroot, tapioca, or rice flour
Printable Recipe
Healthy Potato Leek Soup
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Conversions Used
1 lb = 453 grams, 1 cup = 240 ml, 1 stick = 113g, 1 tbsp= 15 ml, 1 tsp= 5 ml,
Ingredients
- 4 cups (1 lb) Leeks (chopped)
- 4 cups (1 lb) Potatoes ((3 large) chopped)
- 2 tablespoon Olive oil
- 1 small Onion (chopped)
- 2 large Garlic cloves (minced)
- 2 Bay leaves
- 2 cups (470 ml) Stock (vegetable or chicken)
- 1 cup (240 ml) Milk (whole (full-fat) )
- 1 tbsp Cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon (1 sprig) Thyme
Instructions
- Prep veggies - Wash the leeks thoroughly and chop them roughly using a cutting board and utility knife. Peel, wash, and cut potatoes into small chunks using a chef's knife
- Saute - In a soup pot or stockpot over medium heat add the olive oil. Saute the onions and garlic until translucent. Then, add the bay leave and thyme followed by the potatoes and leeks. Saute for 2 minutes more.4 cups Leeks, 4 cups Potatoes, 2 tablespoon Olive oil, 1 small Onion, 2 Bay leaves, 1 tablespoon Thyme, 2 large Garlic cloves
- Simmer - Add the stock and season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.2 cups Stock
- Blend - Using a hand mixer blend everything to a smooth puree. Taste and adjust seasoning. Caution - If using a stand blender, cool the soup for a few minutes and be very careful as a hot soup can splash out and cause serious burns.
- Milk - Combine cornstarch and milk, then add it to the soup. Simmer but do not bring it to a boil. Turn the heat off. Pro tip - the cornstarch prevents the milk from curdling)1 cup Milk, 1 tablespoon Cornstarch
- Serve with a dab of butter or a dollop of sour cream. I like to serve topped with a teaspoon of pesto.
Nutrition Information
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
Danielle Wolter
This looks like such a delicious comforting soup. I love leeks!
Veena Azmanov
Very delicious.
Louise
My husband loves all things potato and I love that this soup is a healthier version!
Veena Azmanov
Me too, Louise. Love all things potato.
Dana
I will have to try this soup! I love potatoes and I bet the addition of leeks is so good! It's definitely a favorite of mine.
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Dana. Yes, this is definitely amazing with leeks.
Claudia Lamascolo
I love classic soups like this one and potato soups are so comforting this may be my new favorite soup to make!
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Claudia. Me too.