Leek and Potato Soup
Leek and potato soup is the quiet backbone of British and French home cooking, the same pot that becomes chilled vichyssoise in summer. It needs no cream and never really did: potatoes cooked soft and then blended release enough starch to turn the whole pot velvety on their own. The flavor is built by sweating the leeks slowly and gently so they go sweet without browning, keeping the soup pale and mild. White pepper and thyme season it in the British style, a splash of soy milk adds a little body, and lemon juice and chives at the end keep it from tasting flat without any salt. Cheap, fast, and it freezes without complaint.
Ingredients
- 3 wholes Leeks, about 1.5 lb, white and pale green, sliced and washed
- 1 1/2 lb Potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 1 whole Yellow onions, diced
- 3 cloves Garlic, sliced
- 1 tbsp no-salt vegetable bouillon
- 1 whole Bay leaves
- 1 tsp Thyme, leaves stripped
- 1/2 tsp White pepper
- 1/2 cup Unsweetened soy milk
- 1 tbsp Lemon juice
- 3 tbsp Chives, chopped
Method
- Slice the leeks and drop them into a bowl of cold water, swishing to loosen the grit that hides between the layers, then lift them out and leave the sand behind. Leeks grow full of soil, and skipping this step means a gritty soup no amount of blending fixes.
- Sweat the leeks, onion, and garlic in 1/4 cup (60 ml) water in a large pot over medium-low heat, covered, until very soft and sweet but not browned, about 10 minutes. Keeping the heat gentle and the pot covered steams them tender without color, which is what keeps this soup pale and delicate rather than caramelized.
- Add the potatoes, bay leaf, thyme, white pepper, bouillon, and 5 cups (1.2 L) water. Simmer until the potatoes are completely soft, about 15 minutes. They need to be fully tender, because their starch is the only thing making this soup creamy.
- Fish out the bay leaf and blend the soup smooth with an immersion blender or in batches in a countertop blender. Blending the cooked potato is what gives the velvety body: the starch releases into the liquid and thickens it, no cream required. For a rustic version, blend only half and leave the rest chunky.
- Stir in the soy milk for a little extra richness and the lemon juice to lift it, then warm through without boiling. Season with more white pepper to taste. Serve topped with chopped chives. It keeps four days and freezes well; loosen with water when reheating.
Nutrition
Estimated per serving: 170 calories, 6 g protein, 5 g fiber, 60 mg sodium. Computed from USDA FoodData Central reference values for the main ingredients. This is an approximation, not a laboratory measurement. How these are computed.
Cost per serving is estimated from US national-average retail prices for cheap staple forms, using BLS dried-bean prices and USDA produce prices. Prices vary by store and season, so treat it as a guide, not a receipt. How this is computed.
