Leek and Potato Soup Without Cream (So Creamy!)
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If you are looking for a classic, creamy leek and potato soup recipe, then you have come to the right place. This easy soup is made without heavy cream, yet it’s still thick, comforting, and satisfying. Instead of cream, I use a simple technique that gives the soup a naturally creamy texture using the potatoes themselves. I do something similar in this Creamy Parsnip Soup.
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- ✅ Recipe Name: Leek and Potato Soup Without Cream (So Creamy!)
- 🕦 Ready in: 35 minutes
- 🤝 Serves: 4
- 🍴 Calories: 250kcal
- 🧑🍳 Main ingredients: leeks, potatoes, creme fraiche, butter
- ✨ Summary: This creamy leek and potato soup is satisfyingly delicious and comforting without using any cream. Find out how I do it.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Comforting: The thick hearty texture of this leek and potato soup without cream is so wonderful. I can’t wait for you to try it. It pairs perfectly with this Easy Sauteed Chicken Breasts Recipe.
- Budget-friendly: This recipe is fairly affordable since the majority of the soup is made up of potatoes and broth. This recipe does not require cream or milk to be creamy.
- Easy: I consider this a super easy leek and potato soup because there are just 5 simple ingredients – just like my Fast Chorizo Carbonara.
- Healthy: Did I mention it’s healthy too? A bowl of my easy leek potato soup only has 250 calories and 13 grams of fat.
Looking for some other hearty and satisfying soups? I recommend my Creamy Hash Brown Potato Soup {Easiest Soup Ever!}, Easy Tuscan White Bean Soup (Creamy!), or Creamy Broccoli and Cauliflower Soup.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
The ingredients that make this leek and potato soup recipe fantastic are the following:
- Leeks: If you have never cooked with leeks before, then you are missing out. Their mild onion flavor lends a sweetness to this potato and leek soup that you just can’t get with any other vegetable. You should try The Best Buttered Sauteed Leeks next!
- Maris Piper potatoes: These are the heart and soul of this hearty recipe. I think Maris Piper Potatoes are the best for leek and potato soups because they are small, so they cook up fast, and they are starchy, which helps the soup thicken.
- Tarragon: I use tarragon in this simple leek and potato soup recipe to give it a little something unique. I love the flavor of tarragon and I feel it blends nicely with the leeks.
See the recipe card for full information on all ingredients and quantities.
Variations/ Adaptations
- Make it vegan: Skip the butter and creme fraiche and instead use olive oil and a vegan cream cheese in the potato and leek soup.
- Sub the chicken stock: If you want, you can use vegetable stock in your leek and potato soup.
- Gluten free: You can make sure this is a gluten free meal by double checking that the stock or broth you use is gluten free. Everything else in this potato and leek soup recipe is already gluten free. For something a bit heavier, you can give this Creamy Rice with Garlic & Parmesan a try.
How to make Leek and Potato Soup
Step 1: Chop the tough part (about the top inch) of the leeks off, then spread the leeks and wash the insides thoroughly to remove any grit.
Step 2: Slice your leeks using a sharp knife.
Step 3: Place the chopped leeks, salt, and pepper into a large stock pot and sauté over medium/low heat for around 8 minutes.
Step 4: After 8 minutes, add the garlic and dried tarragon and mix.
Step 5: Peel and dice your potatoes.
Step 6: Add the potatoes and chicken stock to the pot along with a generous amount of salt and pepper.
Step 7: Cook the contents of the pot for at least 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender.
Step 8: Using a hand blender, blend to your desired consistency. (This is what makes it creamy!)
Hint: The more you blend your soup with your hand blender, the creamier it will be, so don’t be afraid of over-blending.
Do you love having a hearty bowl of soup before dinner as much as I do? Then try pairing this soup with a Healthy Crispy Chicken Wrap {in the air fryer!}, Thin Pork Chops in Air Fryer (Tender & Quick), or even Air Fryer Ribeye Steak In Just 10 Minutes!
Tips
- This is one of the best leek and potato soup recipes if you want a lighter version without cream, but make sure you use starchy potatoes like Maris Piper, which is what I use to make these Super Crispy Airfryer Roast Potatoes as well. Waxy potatoes will not have enough starch to thicken the soup on their own.
- Add bacon to your potato and leek soup for a deeper flavor.
- Season generously with salt and lots of black pepper to balance the creaminess.
Serving Suggestions
This recipe for leek and potato soup is super easy to make for a main meal, a side, or a tasty little appetizer. Any way you eat it, these are some other recipes I feel pair really well with it.
Try it with:
Leftover Storage and Reheat Instructions
Now that you’ve learnt how to make leek and potato soup, you’re probably wondering how to store it properly for weekly lunches or quick dinners.
Refrigerator: Place it in an air tight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Freezer: You can keep the potato and leek soup in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Reheating: For reheating from the refrigerator, place the soup in a microwave safe dish and microwave in 15 second bursts, stirring in between until the soup is warmed through. You can also reheat on the stovetop over medium heat until warmed through. Reheating from frozen will just take a little longer.
Hot tip: If reheating my easy potato and leek soup in the microwave, remember to place a towel or paper towel over the bowl so any popping from the soup doesn’t get the microwave dirty.
Recipe FAQs
Actually, it is pretty close. But old fashioned leek potato soup does not use any type of cream or creme fraiche to make it creamy, just a hand blender – so if you leave those products out, then you have yourself and old fashioned potato leek soup.
My guess would be that you burned your garlic or your leeks. Garlic and leeks are both very sensitive to heat and therefore must be heated over low heat for a very short amount of time. If you cook them too long or too hot, you can burn them and they turn your leek & potato soup bitter.
I recommend either using creme fraiche like I did in this potato and leek soup recipe or using no cream or creme fraiche and just creaming the soup with a hand blender.
I recommend either making a roux to add, adding some rice or potatoes, or using a bit of cornstarch to this leek potato soup recipe.
The best way to make a thick soup thinner is by adding a bit more of the broth or water you used until it is the consistency you like.
If you tried this Leek and Potato Soup Recipe, it would be mean so much to me if you could leave a review & a star rating to let me know how you found it! I love hearing about your experiences – it motivates me to keep creating more and more recipes for you guys 💛 Let’s get cooking! – Mimi x
Leek and Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 500 g leeks washed and thinly sliced
- 500 g Maris Piper potatoes peeled and roughly chopped
- 4 cloves of garlic finely chopped
- 2 tbsp butter
- Optional dollop of creme fraiche
- Optional croutons
Cupboard essentials
- 800 ml chicken stock
- Salt
- 1 tsp dried tarragon
Method
- To a large saucepan, saute the leeks with butter, salt and pepper over low/medium heat for around 8 minutes.
- Meanwhile, peel and slice your potatoes
- Add the garlic and dried tarragon. Fry for a couple more minutes, then add the potatoes and stock.
- Cook for 15-20 minutes over a low/medium heat, seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Blend until you achieve your desired consistency, then serve in bowls with an optional dollop of crème fraiche and croutons. Add an extra crack of black pepper and enjoy!
Notes
- I recommend using starchy potatoes versus waxy potatoes since the waxy potatoes will not have enough starch to thicken the soup on their own.
- Add bacon to this for a deeper flavor.
Nutrition
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