Embrace the comforting warmth of a homemade Leek Soup with this recipe. This soup, with its delicate balance of flavors, showcases the leek's subtle sweetness, complemented by a medley of other fresh ingredients. It's a dish that's not only nourishing but also a delight to the senses.
Tom the Chef Founder
Let’s talk about important parts of the recipe before you start…
I’m so glad you’re here to try my homemade Leek Soup recipe. I find it’s the perfect way to embrace a feeling of comforting warmth. This soup is all about the delicate balance of flavors, letting the leek’s natural, subtle sweetness really shine. I complement this flavor with a medley of other fresh ingredients to create a dish that I’m sure you’ll find is not only nourishing but also a true delight to the senses. This is a wonderful, comforting soup for any occasion.
A key part of my Leek Soup recipe is how I prepare the leeks themselves, and I’ve broken this down into several important steps. First, I always remove and dispose of the root and any dry ends of the green leaves. Sometimes you can buy leeks that are fresh and already have these ends cut off, but it’s important to check. Next, I remove and dispose of the outer leaves. After that, a crucial step is to thoroughly wash the leeks under cold water. Leeks can hold a lot of grit and dirt between their layers, so this is essential. Finally, I separate the leek into two parts. I first roughly chop the white section, which is about 2/3 of the leek, and place it on one plate. Then, I slice the green section, the remaining 1/3, and place it on a second plate. This separation is vital for the next steps of my homemade Leek Soup process.
You’ll notice in my Leek Soup recipe that I handle the green and white parts of the leeks differently. I start by sautéing the sliced green section first. I preheat my pot on medium-high heat with 2 TBSP of a frying oil of your choice. I add the sliced green section of the leek (from step 1.5) and sauté it with occasional stirring for about 2 to 3 minutes. Once they are sautéed, I place this portion of sauteed leek on a plate to be used in a later step. The pot will then be empty, and there’s no need to clean it before moving on. This step of cooking the greens separately and adding them back later gives my Leek Soup a wonderful layer of flavor and a bit of texture in the final, blended, comforting soup.
After I’ve set aside the sauteed leek greens, I begin building the main base of the Leek Soup. Using the same pot, I preheat it again on medium-high heat with another 2 TBSP of frying oil. This time, I add the roughly chopped white section of the leek (from step 1.4). I sauté this part with occasional stirring for about 2 to 3 minutes. Then, I add the 3 medium potatoes, which I’ve peeled and cut into large pieces. I sauté the potatoes and leeks together, stirring occasionally, for about 1 to 2 minutes. This step is essential for softening the vegetables slightly and starting to build the foundational flavors of this homemade Leek Soup before the simmering process begins.
Once the white parts of the leeks and the potatoes have been sautéed, it’s time for simmering. This is where the soup really develops its depth. I add 6 cups of chicken broth right into the pot. As a note, you can also use vegetable broth to make this a vegetarian Leek Soup. I give it a brief stir and cover the pot with a lid. I then bring it to a simmer, which is about 195°F, stirring occasionally. Once it’s simmering, I lower the heat to medium and let it cook for 30 minutes, continuing to stir occasionally. This 30-minute simmering time is key for getting the potatoes perfectly tender and allowing their starch to release, which will help thicken our comforting soup. It also lets the flavors of the leeks and broth meld beautifully.
After the 30-minute simmering period, the potatoes and leeks will be very tender, and it’s time to create that wonderfully smooth and creamy texture my Leek Soup is known for. In step 5.1, I use an immersion blender to process the soup until it’s smooth. I do this right in the pot while it’s still cooking, which I find very convenient. If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can also use a food processor or a regular blender, though you may need to work in batches and be careful with the hot liquid. This blending step is what transforms the ingredients from a simple mix of vegetables and broth into a cohesive, velvety soup.
The final stage of my Leek Soup recipe is what I call the finishing phase, and it’s where all the flavors come together. After blending the soup smooth, I add back the sliced sauteed leek that I had set aside from step 2. This adds a nice bit of texture. Then, I stir in 1 cup of heavy cream, which gives the soup its rich, luxurious body. I also add 2 cloves of grated or pressed garlic, a pinch of ground nutmeg, 1 TSP of salt, and ½ TSP of ground pepper. I find adding the garlic raw at the end gives a brighter flavor. I give it all a brief stir and let it cook with occasional stirring for an additional 5 minutes, this time without the lid. This allows the flavors of the heavy cream, garlic, and spices to meld into the homemade Leek Soup without overcooking them.
A very important part of my Leek Soup recipe is the seasoning, specifically the salt. My recipe calls for 1 TSP of salt, but this assumes you are working with a sodium-free broth (a broth with no salt added). If you are using a chicken broth or vegetable broth that already includes sodium, you will need to adjust the amount of salt based on your personal preference. This is why step 5.4 is so important. After the soup has cooked for its final 5 minutes, I always taste it. This is your chance to add more salt and/or pepper if you feel it needs it. Also, in step 5.3, I mention that you can optionally add more water or broth if the liquid evaporates more than it should, just cook it for 3 more minutes. This ensures your final, comforting soup has the perfect consistency and taste for you.
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