This creamy potato leek soup is simply goodness in a bowl! Made with wholesome ingredients and just a bit of sour cream, this vegetarian soup is just perfect for spring.
And if you're looking for a chicken version, check out my chicken and leek soup next!
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If you love bright, creamy soups that are chock-full of greens, this creamy potato leek soup is for you!
The soup is simply brimming with spring flavors from the fresh leeks and dill, and it's naturally creamy from the potatoes. I also add just a bit of sour cream to get that extra velvety texture while keeping things light.
Many potato leek soup recipes are totally blended until super smooth, but I personally prefer a chunkier texture. As such, I use a potato masher to break down some of the potatoes in a controlled manner.
I use the same partial-blend approach in my broccoli potato soup with cheddar.
The result is an incredibly comforting and flavorful soup that's perfect for lunch or even a light dinner - I absolutely love it with a chunk of crusty bread on the side!
Why you'll love this creamy potato leek soup
- Incredibly flavourful and satisfying
- Super easy to make in one pot with just a handful of simple ingredients
- The perfect blank canvas to create your own version - simply add other veggies such as carrots and celery and even some protein such as crumbled bacon if you like.
What goes into this leek and potato soup
Olive oil - I use a mix of extra virgin olive oil and butter to sauté the leeks, but you can just use butter if you like.
Butter - The butter sets up a deliciously creamy base for the leek and potato soup. I like to use unsalted butter for better control over the sodium. Use plant-based butter to keep the soup vegan.
Leeks - You'll need approximately 3 cups of sliced leeks for this soup, which is roughly the equivalent of 3 medium leeks.
Make sure you wash the leeks well because they are notorious for hiding dirt under the layers. You only need the white and light green part of the leek for this soup.
Potatoes - Russet potatoes or Yukon Gold potatoes are perfect here. Their starchiness is what gives the soup its naturally creamy texture.
Cavolo nero (Tuscan kale) - If you've been on Skinny Spatula before, you may have noticed I absolutely love cavolo nero. Feel free to substitute with your favorite kale or spinach.
Fresh dill - This aromatic fresh herb takes the flavor of this soup to the next level!
Sour cream - Feel free to skip this or substitute it with coconut milk to keep the soup vegan. Heavy cream also works here.
How to make potato leek soup
Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven and melt the butter in it.
Add the chopped leeks and cook for 4-5 minutes until softened.
Next, add the diced potatoes and vegetable stock and bring to a boil.
Lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes until the potatoes are tender.
Turn off the heat and let the soup cool off slightly. Use a potato masher to break up some of the potatoes. For a smoother soup, use an immersion blender until you achieve the desired consistency.
Stir in the cavolo nero and dill and bring back to a simmer for 2-3 minutes.
Next, stir in the sour cream and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Serve the soup hot, garnished with more fresh dill if you like.
Leftovers and storage
- This soup is perfect for making ahead of time, as it tastes even better the next day. Store it in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.
- Reheat the soup gently on the stovetop over medium heat. Alternatively, reheat it in the microwave.
- I don't recommend freezing this soup because the potatoes and sour cream don't have a great texture when thawed.
Recipe notes and tips
- The potatoes are done when you can easily break them apart just by pressing on them with a fork.
- If your sour cream is not at room temperature, temper it by mixing it with half a cup of soup before adding it to the pot.
- Some substitutes you can try for fresh dill if you don't like it or it is not available fresh include fresh chives and fresh thyme.
- This is a vegetarian soup as written, but you can use chicken broth for a different flavor profile.
- You can also add some freshly chopped garlic with the leeks.
If you liked this creamy potato leek soup recipe, you might also like some of my other easy soups:
- Avgolemono - Greek Lemon Chicken Soup
- Spring Minestrone Soup
- Tuscan White Bean and Kale Soup (Ribollita)
- Easy Italian Meatball Soup
- Creamy Italian Sausage Gnocchi Soup
Looking for more delicious inspiration? Follow Skinny Spatula on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest!
Creamy Potato Leek Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 3 medium leeks, white and light green parts only, sliced (about 3 cups)
- 1 ½ lb (650 g) potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 6 cups (1.5 l) vegetable stock
- 2 cups (75 g) cavolo nero
- ½ cup (25 g) fresh dill, roughly chopped
- ½ cup (125 ml) sour cream , at room temperature
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven and melt the butter in it.1 tablespoon olive oil1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- Add the leeks and cook for 4-5 minutes until softened.3 medium leeks
- Next, add the potatoes and vegetable stock and bring to a boil.1 ½ lb potatoes6 cups vegetable stock
- Lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes until the potatoes are tender.
- Turn off the heat and let the soup cool off slightly. Use a potato masher to break up some of the potatoes. For a smoother soup, use an immersion blender until you achieve the desired consistency.
- Stir in the cavolo nero and dill and bring back to a simmer for 2-3 minutes.2 cups cavolo nero½ cup fresh dill
- Next, stir in the sour cream and season to taste.½ cup sour creamSalt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Serve the soup hot, garnished with more fresh dill if you like.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition is per serving and is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator.
Elle says
Delicious, the sour cream separated a bit so I read a tip to put it in a bit of the cool down stock mixed together and then add back into the pan and it worked a treat!
Wendi polchow says
This soup was great! I really like having the ingredients listed in the I directions, and not having to go back to the list to find out the quantity of each one. Thank you!
N Hudson says
This was delicious. I used 2lbs potatoes but otherwise made as written. It needed more salt but that could be because of the extra potatoes. Will definitely make again.
Dawn Grand says
Very good, quick to make. Even better the next day!
Gaik says
What iscavolo Nero
Alice says
It's Tuscan black kale.
JoAnn says
My son, the jokester played an April fools joke on his Dad. " Hay Dad, there's a Leak under the sink!". Well, my husband proceeds to look under the sink. Of course the joke is on him. This morning I was wondering what I should make with this joke of a.Leek. I saw your recipe and decided to try it. It turned out delicious. Very easy and you can substitute ingredients such as spinach for the Kale. I also added bacon bits. We gave it a five star for taste and ease of recipe. Next time I may try heavy cream vs sour cream. Try it out everyone, it's easy and delicious.