Potato Leek Soup

This creamy Potato Leek Soup is a classic. It pairs perfectly with sourdough bread, which is comforting and delicious! And the best part? It tastes better warmed up the next day!

I know what many of you might be thinking. Why is someone in sunny and warm South Florida writing a soup recipe in April? I hear you and completely understand. However, soup might warm people in the north up, but here in the south, it can also warm us up in cold air conditioning! Ha ha! You know I’m right! Soup can also be quite hydrating. In my current position, I do a lot of talking, and this Potato Leek Soup has been on rotation over the past few months, warming my soul and keeping me hydrated!

Soup is a great way to add nutrition to your diet. A study done at Iowa State University found that people who ate soup had higher diet-quality scores than people who didn’t. Soup eaters had not only higher intakes of fiber but also of vitamin A, magnesium, iron, and potassium. Not to mention, soup is just one more way to add veggies to your diet. Soup can be high in sodium depending on the amount you add and also from the broth. However, soup eaters are likely to get more potassium, and potassium helps to offset the sodium and can lower blood pressure. From helping to hydrate to adding more veggies to your diet, I hope I’ve convinced you to add soup to your rotation!

Ingredients: Potato Leek Soup

• Potatoes: Of course! I prefer Yukon Gold potatoes for this recipe. They have a buttery, richer flavor that contributes to the creamy texture of this soup. If you use Russet potatoes, this soup will not taste as good.
• Leeks: You only need the white and light green parts for the soup. Some people use the dark green tops to make extra drizzling sauce/oil. Leeks are important for cleaning and removing dirt (see below for how to do so).
• Olive Oil: for sautéing the leeks. Opting for olive oil rather than butter, however, butter could be used. Remember, I’m the dietitian aiming to keep your heart healthy, and olive oil works quite well here.
• Garlic: helps create some depth in the flavor. Keep in mind that some garlic cloves are larger than others. I used four cloves here, and they were larger in size. If you want to use less, you can.
• Fresh Thyme: a little woodsy in flavor. If you have some on hand, add it to add extra flavor to the soup, but don’t overpower it.
• No-Added Salt Veggie Stock: I always use the no-added salt and/or low-sodium varieties. This time, I’m opting for stock instead of broth for a little more flavor.
• Salt/Black Pepper: used here for the other spice along with thyme. A tad of salt was used in this recipe to help draw all the flavors together because the stock had none. If your broth/stock has some sodium, you might omit it here and taste it before adding it.
• Milk or Cream: This will help provide richness to the soup. Cream is used in traditional potato-leek soup. However, I used a lower-fat version, and it still tasted delicious! One other thing I’ll do as a topper instead of sour cream is using Greek yogurt. There are so many ways to add flavor to your dishes without adding more saturated fat (like the heavy cream will do).

How To Make Potato Leek Soup

1. Prep the leeks. Slice them into 1/4-inch thick slices. Rinse under running water to remove dirt. Drain. (See questions below!)
2. Heat oil in a heavy-bottom pot over medium-low heat. Add rinsed leeks, garlic, and thyme. Saute until tender and slightly caramelized, 8-10 minutes.
3. Add potatoes, stock, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover, turn heat to low, and simmer, covered, for 15-20 minutes, until the potatoes are fork-tender.
4. Blend some of the soup. I used an immersion blender to puree some of the soup. However, I left some in pieces to give it more texture. If you over-blender, the soup will be more gummy in texture (it’s the starch in the potatoes), and we do not want that!
5. Stir in milk and blend completely. Taste and adjust with more salt and pepper if needed.
6. Serve in bowls, and add a dollop of Greek yogurt. Garnish with chives, scallions, or microgreens!

Other Soup Recipes

• Lentil soup
• Gazpacho
• Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

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