https://www.youtube.com/embed/7og3ZBs81AU
- This potato leek soup
is a comfort food classic and one de cozy up to
when the weather gets a bit nippy outside. Other variations of this
soup might add dairy but to be honest, it's not needed because the potatoes add the perfect level of creaminess all on their own. So, yes, my version is
dairy free and vegetarian. It's also budget friendly
and for meal prep. Just freeze a few servings to easily reheat again in the future.
So, let me show you how to make it. To get started, you'll
need three large leeks. And when you're buying
leeks, look for ones that have a good amount of
white and light green parts as that's what you'll use in this recipe. Slice off the green leaves
of the leeks and discard them or use them in future stock. And then slice the lighter
portion in half, lengthwise. Leeks have all of these layers like onions because they're part of
the same Allium family. But they're notorious for getting dirt and sand in those layers. So, it's imperative that
you clean them well. I used to just rinse them under the faucet with running water and use my fingers to clean them like this. But I found that it
didn't always remove those hard to find gritty bits of sand. So, the best thing to do is slice them up. Then rinse them, after
they're sliced ,in a colander. I'll finished slicing all
three of these leeks up, place them in a colander and then take them over to the sink. Run the sliced leeks under
the faucet with cold water and use your to make sure that all of the dirt and debris gets removed.
You could also place them
in a large bowl of water and then drain the water,
if you prefer to do that. Then set them aside. Next up is the other main ingredient in this potato leek soup and
that's two pounds of potatoes. I prefer to use Yukon Gold potatoes for a smooth and cream texture. But you could use white potatoes
or russet potatoes as well. Peel the potatoes, slice
them in two small chunks, about the same size, so
that they cook evenly. Then place them in a bowl
to take over to the stove. All right, let's make this soup. Heat two tablespoons of
olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
Add the leeks and saute them
for about eight to 10 minutes or until they've softened. You don't really want them browned and starting to caramelize. So if you notice them
browning, like mine are a bit, just turn down the heat a smidge. Mince two garlic cloves
straight into the pot. And then, stir that together with a leeks for another minute. Add the chopped potatoes to the pot along with one bay leaf, two
to three sprigs of thyme. And my thyme is pretty woody today. One teaspoon of kosher salt, and four cups of vegetable
broth or chicken broth. If you wanna make this a vegan
or vegetarian soup though, do make sure that you use vegetable broth. Bring that to a boil, then
reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the pot, and let it cook
for about 15 to 20 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender.
When the soup is done, remove
the lid and give it a stir. Many of the thyme leaves will likely fall from the stem when you do this. And that's okay, as you're
gonna blend everything together in a second. And those extra thyme
leaves just add more flavor. Then use tongues to remove the bay leaf and thyme sprigs or just the woody stems, if that's all you have left like me. I like to poke the potatoes
with a fork in a few spots, just to double check that the
soup is ready to be blended. And if the fork slides right
through a potato chunk, you know, you're good to go. To blend this up, I like to use my Vitamix
Immersion Blender, which I'm kind of obsessed
with as it's so darn powerful.
I gave a demo of it in my
lentil soup recipe last year. So if you want more details
on it, make sure to go back and watch that video. And if you don't have
an immersion blender, you could blend this
potato leek soup in batches in a regular blender as well. The great thing about this recipe is that you can make it as
chunky or smooth as you'd like. Some folks like it slightly chunky. I personally prefer it velvety smooth so I blend it up completely. When you're done, you'll
notice that this soup has a fairly thick texture, thanks to the stretchiness of the potatoes. Again, you have options here.
If you like it thick, you can keep it as I've written it on
the recipe on my website. But if you prefer a thinner,
more watery soup texture, you can add one to two cups of extra broth to thin the soup down. And that will actually give
you an extra serving as well. So it's complete up to you. When you're ready to serve up
this tasty potato leek soup, add a few little folds of it to a bowl. It's such a comforting homey
recipe that'll fill you up and no adornments are needed.
But you know me, I'm
all about the toppings. So I like to add a little drizzle of extra Virgin olive oil on top. Although you do have to be careful that you don't accidentally
pour out too much because I've done that as well. Then at a generous sprinkle
of thinly sliced chives and freshly cracked black pepper. (gentle music) This really is an easy
soup recipe to whip up with just a handful of
healthy ingredients. And you've gotta love
that most of the time. It's the simplest recipes
that turn out the best. Don't you think? If you enjoyed today's video, make sure to give it a thumbs up. Share it with your family and friends if they're in need of a little
warmth and comfort food. And I will see you
again in the next video. (gentle music continues).
