easy leek and potato soup

Easy leek and potato soup

This easy leek and potato soup is a very classic flavour combination, but it’s amazing how many variations there are in different recipes! With or without onion, cream, butter… but the main thing that keeps the calories down in this leek and potato soup no cream.

As always, my approach is to make this as healthy (and Slimming world friendly!) as possible, but also still delicious and satisfying. If you prefer to fry the vegetables in butter rather than low calorie cooking spray, that is absolutely your own choice, and will add delicious flavour, however this is still thoroughly delicious without that added fat if you’d prefer.

In this post:

• What is leek and potato soup?
• The ingredients you will need
• How do I prepare leeks?
• Other recipes you can make with leeks
• The equipment you need for this recipe
• Serving suggestions
• Storing the soup
• Ways to reheat the soup
• Ingredients that may cause allergies
• FAQ
• Recipe

What is leek and potato soup?

This is traditionally a really simple and healthy leek and potato soup recipe that is based around the main ingredients of leek and potato. The vegetables, including onion, are cooked until softened and then a stock is added. This is then cooked further to allow all the flavours to develop before being blended until smooth. The potato’s really help to create a creamy texture so there’s no cream used in this recipe. Finally the soup is topped with some parsley and ready to serve making a very comforting soup.

The ingredients you will need for this easy leek and potato soup

I have gone for a simple ingredient list, as this is a soup that you can knock up fairly quickly, so the less prep the better!

ONIONS – Just 1 large white onion that’s peeled and finely chopped. This adds some of the sweetness to the soup and provides a good base.

LEEKS – I look for medium to large leeks for this recipe. The smaller ones are fine but have a milder taste. If you use smaller ones you will also need a few more of them. The leeks will give the soup it’s sweet taste. If you are buying them in season ( December to April) they are also good value for money. Also see the section below for prepping the leeks.

POTATOES -I tend to have Maris Pipers stocked up at home as they are great all-rounders, but most potato varieties will work perfectly well in this soup. Starchy and all-rounders are best for avoiding any ‘gluiness’ that can come from blended waxy potatoes. The purpose of dicing them is so that they cook quickly in the broth ready to be pureed.

VEGETABLE STOCK – I really like the Marigold bouillon vegetable stock, as it has excellent flavour, but even just a simple vegetable stock cube will work well in this soup.  Chicken stock is also lovely in this, especially homemade, if you aren’t worried about the soup being vegetarian.

PARSLEY – A few sprigs chopped and added to the soup when serving adds a nice peppery addition to the soup and gives a bit more to the presentation.

Many versions of leek and potato soup will add cream at the end, I’m sure this is delicious, but you can still achieve a creamy consistency without adding extra cream. Potatoes, when pureed, add a thick and creamy consistency all on their own so this leek and potato soup no cream

How do I prepare the leeks?

Leeks can trap dirt and grit between their layers, so to ensure a nice clean leek:

1. Trim off the roots and the tougher green leaves at the top, plus the outer layer if it feels tough
2. Halve the leek lengthways
3. Hold under running water to rinse away any soil or grit
4. Slice into rings ready for frying.

Other recipes you can make with leeks

If you love leeks, or need more recipe ideas using leeks, then you will love this side-dish:

Spring leeks and peas

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For a main dish using leeks, why not try:

Leek, prawn and chilli spaghetti

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The equipment you need for this easy leek and potato soup

KNIFE – Preferably a good sharp kitchen knife for chopping the vegetables.

CHOPPING BOARD – Any wooden or plastic board works here.

SAUCEPAN – You need to make sure that the pan it big enough to fit all the vegetables in but not too big that when the stock is added it doesn’t completely cover them. You will also need a lid so that you can sweat the vegetables properly.

MEASURING JUG – Easiest way to get measure out the correct an mount of water and it can also be used to dissolve the stock.

HAND BLENDER – A hand blender works well as the blender head and blade are fairly small so I can blend the soup straight after cooking whilst it’s still in the sauce pan. Be careful how ever as some blenders can scratch non-stick pans. Alternatively transfer the soup to worktop blender.

Serving suggestions

There are a couple of options that this soup can be served with whilst still keeping the calories down.

CHEESE – I like to sprinkle a small amount of cheese on to just before serving. This not only adds some extra flavour but also, as the cheese melts slightly, you get the benefit of melted cheese texture that is very satisfying. Normally I would add a bit f cheddar cheese as that’s what I have in the fridge. Feel free however to try other cheese like Red Leicester, Gruyère or a grating of parmesan.

BREAD – A nice crusty roll works really well with this soup to .

CHEESE ON TOAST – You can even combine the two suggestions above to create a side of cheese on toast. I sometimes even add a little bit of sweet chilli sauce or Sriracha for some added heat.

How to store leek and potato soup

Yes you can store in the fridge which is useful if you are trying to prepare this dish ahead of when you are planning to serve it. You can also freeze the soup which is great for any left overs or if you’ve cooked a batch amount for use at a later date.

FRIDGE – Transfer the soup to an airtight container and then it can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. Make sure the soup has fully cooled before putting it into the fridge,

FREEZER – Once the soup is fully cooled it can either be transferred to a freezer safe container with a lid or to a freezer bag. Make sure to label the container with the date that it goes into the fridge. This can then be stored for up to 3 months. Try to remove as much air from the container or bag as this will prevent freezer burn.

Ways to reheat the soup

There are a couple of methods to reheat this soup but make sure that if its recently come out of the freezer you will need to defrost it first. This can easily be done by putting it into the fridge overnight. Alternatively you can defrost it in the microwave on a defrost setting – just follow the microwave instructions.

STOVE – Pour the soup into a sauce pan and heat on a medium heat until heated through. Make sure to stir the soup occasionally so that it heats through evenly, the stirring also prevent a skin forming on the top.

MICROWAVE – If you need to heat the soup up quickly then you can place it into a microwave safe bowl and cover with a microwaveable lid or some clingfilm. Heat through for approx 2-3 minutes and stir every 30secs until it reaches the desired temperature. The time it takes will depend on the portion size you are reheating. If after this time it’s still not heated through, continue to heat in 30sec intervals.

Are there ingredients that may cause allergies

Possibly. This will depend on the vegetable stock that you use. Some stocks contain dairy, wheat, gluten and celery. There are however allergen free stock cubes available which can be used instead.

DISCLAIMER: This information is given as a guide and is by no way definitive. It’s still really important you check all the ingredients you are planning on using to make sure that they don’t contain allergens if this is something that affects you.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT: EASY LEEK AND POTATO SOUP

Are there any other herbs that I can add to this soup?

Yes there are a few herbs that work really well and add more depth to the soups flavour. You could try adding a few bay leaves whilst cooking as this will help to bring out the flavours already present from the leeks and potatoes. Remember to remove the leaves before blending the soul however.

Sage is great at adding real depth but don’t use too much as this can overpower the soup.

Herbs like Rosemary and Thyme also work. Rosemary adds flavours of piney citrus and thyme is more earthy. These herbs can be either fresh or dried.

What other vegetables can I add to this soup?

If you feel like a bit more prep and upping the veg content then try adding some fennel and celery. These can be added along with the leeks and potatoes. Chop them to a similar size to the leeks and potato so they cook in the same amount of time.

You can also add finely chopped or grated garlic in with the onions.

Can I double or triple the amounts for batch cooking?

Yes this soup is perfect for batch cooking. You can just increase all the ingredients by the same amount. The cooking time may vary slightly as there is a look more veg, so just check the potato occasionally to make sure it’s soft enough to blend.

The soup can then be portioned up following the storage instructions above.

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