Potato leek soup

Why it works

Sweating the leeks slowly in butter under a lid makes them silky and sweet without browning, simmering the potatoes until they fall apart gives the soup its body, and a little cream added below a boil keeps it smooth.

Associated with

French home cooking

Leek and potato soup is the French home soup known as potage Parmentier or soupe à la bonne femme. Leek soups are recorded across Europe, and a chilled, cream-finished version became famous in New York in the early 20th century as vichyssoise.

Skill level

Easy

Basic stovetop steps; the care points are washing the leeks well, keeping them from browning and blending the hot soup safely.

You'll practice: Clean leeks of grit, Sweat leeks under a lid without browning, Simmer potatoes until they fall apart, Blend hot soup safely

Allergens

Contains: milk.

Check the chicken broth label: broths and bouillons vary and some contain wheat or soy. Bottled lemon juice can contain sulfites; check the label.

Diets

Vegetarian: Doesn't fit as written Vegan: Doesn't fit as written Pescatarian: Doesn't fit as written Dairy: See the allergen lines Egg: See the allergen lines Gluten: See the allergen lines

Occasions

• Lenten Fridays (Catholic) · Fits as written

  No meat is listed, and dairy is allowed. This edition uses chicken broth, which the abstinence rule does not forbid; use vegetable broth or water if you prefer to avoid meat broth.

  Ash Wednesday (Western Easter minus 46 days), Good Friday and every Friday of Lent

  Next: February 10, 2027 (expected)

  Next: March 26, 2027 (expected)

• Fall and winter · Seasonal fit

  A hot, filling potato soup; potatoes are a fall and winter item in the USDA seasonal guide.

  Northern Hemisphere fall and winter

Course: soup-course, main-dish · Technique: sweat, simmer, blend · Time: 30-to-60-minutes, make-ahead, freezer-friendly

Food safety

• Blend off the heat. In a countertop blender, fill it only half full, remove the center cap and cover the opening with a folded towel.
• If you used them, lift out the bay leaf and thyme stems before blending; the bay leaf stays stiff and is not eaten.
• Swish the sliced leeks in cold water and lift them out, so grit and soil stay behind.
• Scrub the potatoes well, since the skins stay on.
• Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours, in shallow containers.

We make no statement about cross-contact in your kitchen or in packaged ingredients. Check the chicken broth label.

Swap notes

• low-sodium chicken broth · vegetarian

  Works with changes

  Use: vegetable broth or water

  What changes: Use the same amount; the recipe row already allows either.; Vegetable broth often contains celery; check the label.; The same change suits Hindu vegetarian, Sikh vegetarian and kosher dairy kitchens.

  Not a swap: A researched proposal: this page's ingredient list, allergens and nutrition still describe the recipe as written.

• unsalted butter · vegan

  Works with changes

  Use: olive oil

  What changes: Sweat the leeks in a little less olive oil than the butter; the soup tastes fruitier and lighter.; Use vegetable broth or water too.

  Not a swap: A researched proposal: this page's ingredient list, allergens and nutrition still describe the recipe as written.

• heavy cream · vegan

  Works with changes

  What changes: Leave out the cream, or stir in a plant cream off the heat; the soup is lighter and more leek-and-potato.

  Not a swap: A researched proposal: this page's ingredient list, allergens and nutrition still describe the recipe as written.

• unsalted butter

  Works with changes

  Use: a splash of water

  What changes: On strict days, sweat the leeks covered with a little water and a pinch of salt instead of butter, and leave out the cream.; Use vegetable broth or water.

  Not a swap: A researched proposal: this page's ingredient list, allergens and nutrition still describe the recipe as written.

• medium leeks

  Works with changes

  Use: green leek leaves only, washed and sliced

  What changes: Use only a small amount of the green tops; the soup tastes greener and less sweet, close to a different soup.; Use garlic-infused oil instead of garlic, lactose-free cream or none, and a low-FODMAP broth.

  Not a swap: A researched proposal: this page's ingredient list, allergens and nutrition still describe the recipe as written.

• Yukon Gold potatoes · jain

  Not recommended

  Not a swap: No supported swap: potatoes and garlic are root or bulb vegetables, and potatoes are the body of the soup.

These notes don't change the amounts, allergens or nutrition shown for this recipe.