Creamy Potato Leek Soup

A white bowl of homemade potato leek soup, topped with bacon and fried leeks, with potatoes and leeks in the background.

Thick and creamy, this classic Potato Leek Soup is full of the rich flavors of potatoes, leeks, bacon, and chicken stock. Blended to perfection, this dish is best served with a side of crusty bread topped with a thick layer of butter.

Course Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine American, French

Keyword Classic Potato Leek Soup, Homemade Potato Leek SOup, Potato Leek Soup, Potato Leek Soup Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 45

Total Time 55

Servings servings

Calories 439kcal

Equipment

1 Immersion Blender (this is the one I've had for 7 year and I love it!)

Ingredients

2 pounds white potatoes peeled and quartered
2 leeks
4 garlic cloves minced
7 Tbsp butter
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup heavy cream optional
7 oz bacon
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Cut the green tops off the leeks, wash well, slice into strips, and set aside. Dice the white and pale green parts of the leek and set aside 1 ½ cups.
Over medium heat, melt the butter in a large pot. Add leeks and garlic and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the leeks are soft. Add the potatoes, stock, and a hearty amount of salt and pepper, according to your tastes.
Bring the soup to a boil and cover. Turn down the heat and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft and warm all the way through. Turn the heat off and set aside.
Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until very smooth. Season with more salt and pepper as needed and stir in the cream (if using). Bring it back up to the desired temperature over low heat while you do the next step.
In a cold frying pan, cook the bacon over high heat for about 3-5 minutes per side, until very crispy. Remove the bacon and leave the fat in the pan. Add the sliced dark green leek strips and fry over medium heat until crispy. Set aside.
Chop the bacon into crumbles and set aside 1/4 cup for topping. Mix the remaining bacon into the soup.
Portion soup and top with remaining bacon crumbles and crispy leek tops. Serve with a side of warm bread, if desired.

Notes

Ingredient Notes:

Potatoes – White or yellow potatoes will work. We have used Russet and Yukon Gold potatoes for this recipe with great success. If you are using home-canned potatoes, drain them and boil in the stock until warm all the way through.
Leeks – A major component of the flavor, don’t skip or substitute!
Garlic – Whole garlic cloves are called for. You can use powdered if you must, but just know that the flavor is going to be a bit different!
Butter – Olive oil could also be used, but we prefer butter for sauteing the vegetables. Salted or unsalted butter works just as well here.
Stock – We like to use chicken stock, because we have a lot on hand. However, you can use vegetable stock instead if you prefer!
Bacon - Used for both mixing into the soup and topping, this bacon adds some serious flavor!
Heavy Cream – Once you blend the soup, you will add some heavy cream to give it that classic creamy texture. This is optional, but the soup is very different without it!

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