Potato Leek Soup (Crock Pot & Instant Pot Friendly!)
Creamy Potato Leek Soup
This homemade Potato Leek Soup is smooth, creamy, and packed with comforting flavor. It’s an easy recipe you can prepare on the stovetop, in a slow cooker, or with an Instant Pot. The mild sweetness of leeks blends perfectly with tender potatoes to create a rich, satisfying soup that’s ideal for lunch or dinner.
One of the best things about this recipe is how easy it is to customize. Add crispy bacon, sharp cheddar cheese, Parmesan, or a splash of white wine for extra flavor. If you’re looking for a lighter version, substitute some or all of the potatoes with cauliflower, butternut squash, or sweet potatoes.
Serve it with homemade croutons, garlic bread, warm biscuits, or crusty artisan bread for a complete meal.
Why You’ll Love This Potato Leek Soup
- Rich, creamy, and full of comforting flavor
- Easy to make with simple pantry ingredients
- Works on the stovetop, Crock Pot, or Instant Pot
- Easy to customize with your favorite add-ins
- Perfect for meal prep and freezer-friendly
Preparing the Leeks
Leeks often contain dirt between their layers, so cleaning them properly is important.
Trim away the dark green tops and the root end, keeping only the white and light green portions. Slice the leeks lengthwise, rinse thoroughly under running water, and pat dry. Once cleaned, chop them into small pieces so they cook evenly.
How to Make Potato Leek Soup
Start by heating butter and olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the chopped leeks, carrots, and celery, cooking until they become soft and fragrant. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another minute.
Pour in the chicken broth, then add the potatoes, bay leaf, sage, and soy sauce. Bring everything to a gentle boil before reducing the heat to a simmer. Partially cover the pot and cook for about 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender.
Remove the bay leaf and blend the soup until smooth using an immersion blender. If you don’t have one, carefully blend the soup in batches using a countertop blender.
Stir in the heavy cream and sour cream until fully combined. If the soup is thicker than you’d like, add a little more chicken broth until it reaches your preferred consistency. Taste and season with salt and black pepper before serving.
Flavor Variations
This soup is delicious on its own, but you can easily add more flavor with a few simple ingredients.
A quarter cup of dry white wine, such as Chardonnay or Chenin Blanc, adds wonderful depth when cooked with the vegetables.
Freshly shredded sharp cheddar melts beautifully into the finished soup, creating an extra creamy texture.
A Parmesan or Romano rind can simmer with the soup while the potatoes cook, adding rich savory flavor. Remove the rind before blending.
Fresh thyme or a small amount of dried thyme pairs perfectly with leeks and potatoes.
Crispy bacon makes an excellent topping. For even more flavor, sauté the vegetables in a little of the reserved bacon fat.
A teaspoon of fresh lemon juice added near the end brightens the entire soup.
Healthier Substitutions
For a lighter version, replace the potatoes with butternut squash, cauliflower, or sweet potatoes.
You can also replace the heavy cream with coconut cream if you prefer a dairy-free alternative.
Substitute for Leeks
If leeks aren’t available, you can use an equal amount of chopped green onions, white onions, or yellow onions. The soup will have a slightly stronger onion flavor but will still be delicious.
Slow Cooker Method
Add the butter, olive oil, chopped leeks, carrots, celery, garlic, chicken broth, potatoes, bay leaf, sage, and soy sauce to your slow cooker. Make sure the potatoes are completely covered by the broth.
Cook on Low for about 8 hours or on High for about 4 hours until the potatoes are very tender.
Remove the bay leaf and blend the soup until smooth with an immersion blender. Stir in the heavy cream and sour cream, then adjust the consistency with additional broth if needed. Season with salt and pepper before serving.
Instant Pot Method
Turn the Instant Pot to the Sauté setting and melt the butter with the olive oil. Cook the leeks, carrots, and celery for about five minutes, then add the garlic and cook for another minute.
Pour in the chicken broth and stir in the potatoes, bay leaf, sage, and soy sauce. Lock the lid and pressure cook on High for 8 minutes.
Quick-release the pressure, remove the bay leaf, and blend the soup until creamy. Stir in the heavy cream and sour cream, adjust the thickness with extra broth if desired, and season to taste.
Storage
Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
For longer storage, freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Warm the soup gently on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a splash of broth if it has thickened during storage.
Helpful Tips
Always wash leeks thoroughly since dirt often hides between the layers.
Cut the potatoes into evenly sized pieces so they cook at the same rate.
Blend the soup while it’s still hot for the smoothest texture.
Freshly grated cheese melts much better than pre-shredded cheese.
Taste the soup before serving and adjust the seasoning if needed.
Finish each bowl with chopped parsley, fresh chives, crispy bacon, shredded cheese, homemade croutons, or freshly cracked black pepper for extra flavor and presentation.
Potato Leek Soup
Ingredients
Method
- Trim the leeks by removing the dark green tops and root ends. Use only the white and light green portions. Rinse them thoroughly to remove any dirt, then pat dry and dice.
- In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat.
- Add the diced leeks, carrots, and celery. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
- While the vegetables are cooking, peel the potatoes and cut them into 1-inch cubes.
- Pour 5 cups of the chicken broth into the pot, reserving the remaining cup in case you want to thin the soup later.
- Stir in the bay leaf, ground sage, and soy sauce, then add the cubed potatoes. Make sure the potatoes are fully covered by the broth.
- Bring the soup to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Partially cover the pot and cook for about 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are very tender and easily pierced with a fork.
- Remove and discard the bay leaf. Blend the soup until smooth and creamy using an immersion blender. If using a countertop blender, blend the soup in batches and return it to the pot.
- Reduce the heat to low and stir in the heavy cream (or half-and-half) along with the sour cream until fully combined.
- If you’d like a thinner soup, gradually stir in the remaining chicken broth until you reach your preferred consistency.
- Taste the soup and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed. Let it simmer gently for a few minutes before serving.
- For an extra-rich finish, remove the soup from the heat and stir in up to 1 cup of freshly shredded cheddar cheese, or sprinkle each serving with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Notes
Optional Flavor Enhancements
White Wine:For extra depth of flavor, add ¼ cup of dry white wine (such as Chardonnay or Chenin Blanc) to the pot with the butter, olive oil, and vegetables. Let it simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated before adding the garlic. Lemon Juice:
A teaspoon of fresh lemon juice added with the potatoes brightens the soup and balances its creamy richness. Bacon:
Cook 4–5 slices of thick-cut bacon until crispy. Remove the bacon and reserve about 2 tablespoons of the bacon drippings. Sauté the vegetables in the drippings along with 1 tablespoon of butter, then crumble the cooked bacon over each serving. Thyme:
Add ¼ teaspoon dried thyme or one fresh thyme sprig when adding the sage for an extra layer of earthy flavor.
Ingredient Swaps
- Yukon Gold potatoes make a great substitute for Russet potatoes.
- Replace some or all of the potatoes with butternut squash, cauliflower, or sweet potatoes for a lighter variation.
- Use coconut cream instead of heavy cream for a dairy-free option with a creamy texture.
Slow Cooker Instructions
Melt the butter and olive oil in the slow cooker, then add the leeks, carrots, celery, and garlic. Stir to coat the vegetables evenly. Pour in 5 cups of chicken broth, then add the potatoes, bay leaf, sage, soy sauce, and any optional seasonings. Make sure the potatoes are fully covered by the broth. Cook on Low for 8 hours or High for 4 hours, until the potatoes are very tender. Remove the bay leaf and blend the soup until smooth using an immersion blender, or carefully blend it in batches using a countertop blender. Stir in the heavy cream and sour cream, then adjust the consistency with additional broth if needed. Taste and season with salt and black pepper before serving.Instant Pot Instructions
Select the Sauté function and melt the butter with the olive oil. Add the leeks, carrots, and celery, cooking for about 5 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute. Pour in 5 cups of chicken broth, then add the potatoes, bay leaf, sage, soy sauce, and any optional ingredients. Lock the lid, seal the pressure valve, and cook on High Pressure for 8 minutes. Perform a quick pressure release, remove the bay leaf, and blend the soup until smooth. Stir in the heavy cream and sour cream. If necessary, add extra broth to achieve your desired consistency. Taste and adjust the seasoning before serving.Storage Tips
Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat gently on the stovetop, adding a little broth if the soup has thickened.Nutrition Information
Per Serving (Approximate)- Calories: 128
- Carbohydrates: 16g
- Protein: 3g
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 1g
- Cholesterol: 15mg
- Sodium: 489mg
- Potassium: 447mg
- Fiber: 1g
- Sugar: 1g
- Vitamin A: 1,311 IU
- Vitamin C: 15mg
- Calcium: 36mg
- Iron: 1mg
