Leek & Potato Soup
This Leek & Potato Soup is made with skin-on Yukon Gold potatoes, leeks, fresh thyme, and a splash of coconut milk. It's Whole30 compatible, easily dairy-free, and comes together in less than an hour.
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Several years ago I visited France to celebrate a friend’s 50th birthday. We stayed in an incredible chateau. It’s the kind of place you see in the movies and never imagine actually visiting. There were multiple kitchens on the property, and we were mostly left to our own devices for meals as the village only had one small patisserie that was only open a few hours a day. That led to this Leek & Potato Soup, which I’ve refined over the years.
Feeding 20 hungry (read: wine-filled) friends can be a challenge when you’re also enjoying vacation and the French countryside. I love to cook and entertain, so it really was a dream come true. But after a few days, I needed a respite from the kitchen. That led me to a large pot of this leek and potato soup. I made it in bulk, because I knew the starchy potatoes would allow us to revisit the wine cellar.
This recipe has been slightly updated (I’ve added some fresh thyme in recent versions to give it a bit more pizazz), but it’s so easy to pull together on chilly winter nights, or French summer ones.
Ingredients You’ll need
You can find the full ingredient list with quantities in the recipe card below. Here’s an overview.
- Yukon Gold potatoes, thin-skinned and naturally creamy, so the skins can stay on
- Leeks, white and light green parts only, for a mild, sweet onion flavor
- Yellow onion and garlic, the savory base
- Ghee or olive oil, ghee for richness, olive oil to keep the soup dairy-free
- Vegetable stock, homemade Vegetable Stock or a store-bought carton
- Coconut milk, full-fat canned, for body without any cream
- Fresh thyme and a bay leaf, for an earthy, herby backbone
- Salt and black pepper
How to Make Leek & Potato Soup
Start with the leeks. Grit hides between their layers, so slice them first, then swish the rings in a bowl of cold water and lift them out. Save the dark green tops in your freezer for the next batch of stock.
Cook the leeks and onion over medium heat until they’re soft but not browned. That keeps the soup pale and sweet. From there, the garlic, thyme, potatoes, and stock go in, and everything simmers until the potatoes are fork-tender.
Take the pot off the heat before you stir in the coconut milk and blend. An immersion blender works right in the pot with almost no cleanup. A countertop blender gives a slightly silkier texture. Just work in batches and vent the lid so steam can escape.
Serving Suggestions
Finish each bowl with a few fresh thyme leaves or a drizzle of olive oil. The soup is filling on its own, but a side or two turns it into a full dinner.
For dunking, pair it with Garlic Breadsticks or Cherry Tomato Bruschetta. For something crisp, a Simple Green Salad with Fresh Herbs keeps things light.
If you’re looking for other creamy soups, try my Acorn Squash Soup with Sweet Potato, which also uses coconut milk for creaminess, or my Creamy Roasted Tomato Soup made with canned tomatoes.
Leek & Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 6 large Yukon Gold potatoes, about 4 pounds, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 medium leeks, white and light green parts only, sliced into rings
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, or ghee
- 4 cups vegetable stock
- 2 cups water
- ½ cup full-fat canned coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 bay leaf
Instructions
- Slice the leeks into rings, then swish them in a bowl of cold water to loosen any grit. Lift them out and drain. Scrub the potatoes and cut them into 1-inch chunks, leaving the skins on. Dice the onion and mince the garlic.
- Melt the ghee or heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and leeks and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft but not browned, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the thyme, salt, and pepper.
- Add the potatoes, vegetable stock, water, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, 15 to 18 minutes.
- Remove the pot from the heat and discard the bay leaf. Stir in the coconut milk.
- Blend until smooth, using either an immersion blender or a countertop blender. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper. Serve topped with fresh thyme or a drizzle of olive oil.
Notes
- Dairy-free: Use olive oil instead of ghee. With olive oil, the soup is also vegan.
- Whole30: Ghee and olive oil both work. Use a vegetable stock and coconut milk with no added sugar.
- Immersion blender: Blend directly in the pot, keeping the blade fully submerged to prevent splattering.
- Countertop blender: Let the soup cool for 5 minutes, then blend it in batches, filling the jar no more than halfway. Remove the center cap from the lid and cover the opening with a folded kitchen towel so steam can escape. Return the soup to the pot and rewarm it if needed.
- Potato skins: Leaving the skins on saves time and adds a slightly rustic texture that’s still creamy.
- Thickness: If the soup is thicker than you like, stir in more stock or a splash more coconut milk.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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