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AI-generated photograph: A wide pale stoneware bowl of smooth ivory leek and potato soup, a swirl of green olive oil and a neat line of snipped chives across the top

Home · Recipes · Leek and potato soup

British · Lunch

Leek and potato soup

silky leek and potato · snipped chives · green olive oil

AI-generated photograph

A smooth, gentle soup of slowly softened leeks and potato, finished with snipped chives and a little green olive oil. Cheap, filling and creamy without any cream.

Contains: none of the 14 allergens, as written. None of the 14 allergens is in this recipe as written. Vegetable stock cubes can contain celery, wheat (gluten) or soya, so check the packet.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 leeks (about 600g), trimmed, halved lengthways, washed and sliced
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 500g floury potatoes such as Maris Piper, peeled and cut into 2cm cubes
  • 1.2 litres hot vegetable stock
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon salt, then more to taste
  • Half a teaspoon black pepper
  • To serve: 10g fresh chives, finely snipped
  • To serve: 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil for drizzling

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Let's cook

  1. Heat the oil in a large pan on a low to medium heat. Add the leeks, onion and a pinch of the salt.
  2. Put the lid on and cook gently for 10 minutes, stirring now and then, until the leeks are very soft but not brown. This slow start, called sweating, gives the soup its sweet taste.
  3. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the potatoes, stock, bay leaf, the rest of the salt and the pepper.
  4. Bring to the boil, then turn the heat down and simmer, partly covered, for 18 to 20 minutes until the potatoes break apart when pressed with a spoon.
  5. Take out the bay leaf. Blend the soup until smooth with a stick blender, or let it cool for a few minutes and blend it in batches in a jug blender with the lid held down under a tea towel, as hot liquid can push the lid off.
  6. Taste and add more salt if needed. If it is too thick, stir in a splash of hot water.
  7. Ladle into warm bowls, scatter over the chives and drizzle each with a little olive oil.

Tips

  • Floury potatoes such as Maris Piper or King Edward make the smoothest, creamiest soup.
  • Use the pale and light green parts of the leeks. The dark tops are tough, but they are good for making stock.
  • Do not blend the soup for too long in a jug blender, or the potato can turn gluey.

Swaps

  • Creamier: stir in 100ml single cream at the end. This adds milk and the soup is no longer vegan.
  • Chunky: blend only half the soup and stir it back into the rest.

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Our own recipe. The photograph is AI-generated.

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