Potato Leek Soup with Mushrooms
An easy-to-make and super flavorful soup for chilly months. Potatoes might sound bland in a soup, but with a handful of simple ingredients, it can be hearty, delicious, and comforting without much fuss. It keeps well and can be frozen.
Servings 4 servings
Ingredients
For the leek potato soup:
- 1 pound potatoes like russets
- 1 small garlic clove
- 3 large leeks
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 6 cups chicken or vegetable stock or a mixture of both; use whatever you have
- 3 sprigs of fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 or 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- salt and black pepper to taste
For the mushrooms:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup mushrooms Portobello, Paris or Cremini
- ½ cup sour cream
- ⅓ cup minced fresh chives
Instructions
For the potato leek soup:
- Prep work: peel and roughly chop 1 pound potatoes. Mince 1 small garlic clove. Wash and thinly slice 3 large leeks; you only need the tender white and light green parts of the stem.
- Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat in a large stockpot or Dutch oven.
- Add the sliced leeks and chopped potatoes and cook for 5 minutes, stirring a few times. Add garlic and cook 5 more minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften and brown slightly. Be careful the garlic doesn't burn.
- Add 6 cups chicken or vegetable stock with 3 sprigs of fresh thyme and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the vegetables are tender and soft, about 30 minutes.
- Blend until somewhat smooth using an immersion or hand blender; I like a little chunkiness in my soup so I didn’t blend it all I left a few potatoes chunks. But you can make it very smooth by blending it more and straining it before serving. For a thicker soup, let it simmer uncovered for a bit longer to allow some liquid to evaporate and naturally thicken the mixture.
- Add ½ cup heavy creamseason with salt and black pepper and 1 or 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice.
- Ladle into bowls and garnish with the mushrooms, ½ cup sour cream and ⅓ cup minced fresh chives.
For the mushrooms:
- You can add some chopped mushrooms (⅓ of the amount) to the leek and garlic mixture in addition to the ones on top. The color of the soup will be grayish and the flavor will be earthier.
- Wash and immediately dry 1 cup mushrooms very well. Slice or coarsely chop them.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and add the mushroom pieces. Separate them so they fill the whole pan and cook over medium-high heat until beginning to brown. Let the water evaporate as you move them once or twice, but no more than that, or they will not brown well and be mushy.
- Use immediately or refrigerate in a covered container or bowl for 3 days.
Notes
Organization: read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the correct temperature, the needed equipment, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier.
In case you need it: how to clean leeks.
Potatoes: starchy potatoes, like russets, are ideal for potato leek soup. They break down more during cooking, contributing to a smoother texture. Yukon Gold potatoes also work well.
If you want to freeze this soup, it's best to do so before adding the mushrooms. Let the soup cool completely, transfer it to a freezer-safe container, leaving some space for expansion, and seal it well. You may need to adjust the consistency with some extra broth or water when reheating it. Add the mushroom before serving.
If leeks are unavailable, you can substitute them with scallions or green onions. While the flavor profile will be slightly different, it will still yield a tasty soup. Adjust the quantity based on the strength of the onion flavor you prefer.
