Potato Leek Soup
Easy Potato Leek Soup
Confession: I cheat at potato leek soup. No, I am not a fan of those expensive, high sodium soups that are made from dehydrated potato flakes and flavor enhancers. I do like to start with high quality frozen mashed potatoes and leeks, though; this works well for someone who lives on their own in a small studio with limited cooking space. No blender is necessary. (The same holds true if I start with canned diced potatoes; the texture may not be as ideal for company, but a fork will mash them up enough to dissolve.)
Ideally, I would freeze my own mashed potatoes and leeks to use throughout the winter, but, no, I cheat there, too. I buy them from Trader Joe's, where the frozen mashed potatoes come in lumps that resemble biscuit dough. What follows is an ultra easy potato leek soup recipe, and links to a few more resources.
How to Make Potato Leek Soup
Potato leek soup doesn't need a recipe or a set of measuring spoons. Add diced potatoes or frozen mashed potatoes to a pot of water. There is no right ratio, but, since you're making soup and not mashed potatoes, you'll probably want to use several times as much water as the directions call for. It's easy to add more water later if the consistency isn't right. You can substitute milk for some of the water, but it's not necessary -- especially if you're working with frozen mashed potatoes.
You may want to defrost a few slices of frozen leeks beforehand so you can easily separate them into rings and break them apart. Again, there's no right amount. Commercial potato leek soup often has just a sprinkle or garnish. I like to use somewhat more -- a pound of leeks costs only a couple dollars, and that still makes a lot of pots of soup. You will get more flavor from your leeks if you sautee them in a skillet beforehand, though it will add several minutes to the cooking time.
The only other ingredients you need are spices. You can make a very good soup with just four: garlic, salt, black pepper, and dill weed. The dill is probably the most important ingredient -- besides the leeks -- for turning this into something more than drinkable mashed potatoes. (Unless you make a watery soup, do go easy on the salt -- you may not need it if you start with mashed potatoes.)
Simmer until the soup thickens and turns slightly foamy. If you happen to pick up some fresh parsley, it goes nicely as a fresh garnish at the end. (It's optional, but if you have company, the parsley makes it look like you didn't cheat.)
This is a nutritious dinner you can make from start to finish in under ten minutes! But if the thought of cheating at soup making appalls you, read on...
Video: Easy (No Cheat) Potato Leek Soup - With Russet Potatoes
This soup is made from fresh ingredients. The chef here surprises me a bit by suggesting chicken bullion I use Frontiers vegan chicken bullion in several of my soups, but not this one. (I think the dill affords enough flavor, and has a more delicate taste without it.)
Cook Time
Prep Time: 2 minutes
Total Time: Under 10 minutes
Serves: Any number
Ingredients
- Frozen Mashed Potatoes
- Frozen Leeks
- Water
- Dill Weed
- Black Pepper
- Tiny Pinch of Salt (Optional)
- Garlic
- Fresh Parsley (Optional)
Instructions
- There are no rules in soup -- very few anyway. Separate leeks into small pieces. Throw everything in a pot but the parsley. Simmer 'til it gets a slightly foamy, translucent look.
The Rules of Soup?
Do you cheat at soup?
More Potato Leek Soup Recipes
Here are some more recipes, with a variety of seasoning options. You can look at the link description to see what the cook uses to spice each.
- Potato Leek Soup
This recipe uses chili powder and bay leaves - Soup from Simply Recipes
Marjoram, thyme, Tabasco sauce -- and more vegan bullion - Vegan Soup from High Infatuation
This vegan potato leek soup uses soy milk.
Leeks are high in Vitamin C.