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Creamy One Pot Potato Leek Soup

Creamy one pot potato leek soup made in a Dutch oven, simmered until Yukon gold potatoes are fork-tender, then blended to a silky texture. Finished with heavy cream and fresh chives, with optional crispy pan-fried leek topping for crunch.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 430
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the soup
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 3 leeks white and light green parts, thinly sliced and well washed
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2.5 lb Yukon gold potatoes peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 6 cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1.5 tsp salt
  • 0.5 tsp white or black pepper
For the finish
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tbsp fresh chives chopped
  • 1 thinly sliced leek optional handful, pan-fried until crisp, for topping

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Cook the base
  1. Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Cook until it foams lightly.
  2. Add the leeks and cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring often, until very soft and sweet but not browned. Keep the heat at medium-low so they soften without coloring.
  3. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring, until fragrant. Do not brown the garlic.
Simmer the soup
  1. Add the potatoes, broth, dried thyme, bay leaves, salt, and white or black pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
  2. Lower to a simmer, partially cover, and cook for 20 minutes until the potatoes are fork-tender and falling apart. Keep the simmer gentle for steady cooking.
  3. Remove the bay leaves. Keep them out of the blender so the soup stays smooth.
Blend and finish
  1. Blend the soup with an immersion blender until silky smooth, or leave some chunks for a rustic texture. Blend carefully and keep the head of the blender submerged.
  2. Stir in the heavy cream and simmer gently for 3–4 minutes, until heated through and velvety. Do not boil hard after adding cream.
  3. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Thin with a splash of broth if it’s too thick.
Serve
  1. Ladle the soup into bowls and swirl in a little extra cream. Finish each bowl with fresh chives and serve hot.
  2. For the topping, pan-fry the optional thinly sliced leek until crisp. Sprinkle the crispy leek over the soup just before serving for crunch.

Notes

Pro tip: soften the leeks until very soft and sweet but not browned for the soup’s mellow flavor, then blend to your preferred smoothness (fully smooth for classic velvety texture). Store in the refrigerator up to 3 days in a covered container. Freezing: yes, freeze up to 2 months; reheat gently and you may need to thin with a splash of broth. For a lighter option, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream, keeping the simmer gentle after adding it.