Creamy Potato Leek Soup with Bacon (2024)

This potato leek soup tastes like your favorite loaded baked potato in one amazing bowl of good-for-you soup. The texture of potatoes and leeks makes it thick and velvety without the addition of milk or cream.

Our recipe combines boldly flavored real-food ingredients, a simple cooking technique, and one of the very best uses for leeks!

A leek is a green vegetable of the allium family with an edible bulb that grows underground. Leeks taste like a mild, sweeter version of an onion.

Cut the bottom roots and the top (hard and dark) leaves off your clean leeks, and then slice the remaining stalk and bulb into half-moon slices. It can be helpful to swish the chopped leeks in a bowl of cold water to remove any dirt that may have gotten stuck between the layers.

We know that leeks can be a little intimidating. Start to think of a leek as a tender, mild, flavorful (and giant) green onion, then you’ll start to see all the possibilities for using this wonderful, approachable vegetable.

While the top dark green leaves of a leek are hard and flat, it’s the bottom light green and white parts that chefs and in-the-know home cooks love to incorporate into recipes of all kinds.

Leeks are a classic flavor pairing with ham, chicken, seafood, cream, garlic, parsley, and thyme – yes, a lot of the flavors you get in this soup! Sauté them in olive oil and season with kosher salt for a simple stand-alone side or topping, or add them to your favorite stew for a light oniony flavor.

Pin for LaterRate recipe

Print Recipe

Servings: 6 cups (4 servings) 1x

Ingredients

• 4–5 strips slices bacon, chopped
• 1 large leek, thinly sliced (white and light green parts only; about 2–3 cups)
• 2 celery ribs, finely diced (about ⅓ cup)
• ½ medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• ¾ teaspoon dried thyme (or 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves)
• ½ teaspoon dried parsley (or 1 tablespoon fresh parsley)
• ½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
• 2 lbs. red or Yukon gold potatoes (or a mix), cut into ¼–½-inch cubes with skin still on
• 3 cups chicken or vegetable broth, divided
• Optional: Chopped parsley and/or chives, fresh cracked black pepper, or red pepper flakes

Instructions

Stovetop Directions:

1. Place a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
2. When the pot is hot, add the chopped bacon and cook, stirring occasionally until crisp (about 5 minutes).
3. Transfer the bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain; set aside.
4. To the same pot with the bacon drippings, add the sliced leek, celery, and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 7-8 minutes or until the onions start to soften.
5. Add garlic, stir, and cook for another 30 seconds or until fragrant.
6. Add the remaining ingredients to the pot (except for the bacon, ½ cup of the broth, and any garnishes). Set aside the ½ cup broth for later.
7. Bring ingredients in the pot just to a boil, then lower the heat to maintain a vigorous simmer and cover with a lid.
8. Cook for 20-22 minutes or until potatoes are very tender. Remove from heat and ladle half to three-quarters of the soup into the container of the blender.
9. Secure the blender lid in place and blend until the soup is creamy with some chunks remaining. Or, if you want it extra creamy, blend it even further to your desired consistency. (You can also use an immersion blender.)
10. Carefully remove the blender lid and stir the blended soup back into the pot.
11. Add the reserved ½ cup broth, if needed, to thin the soup to your desired consistency.
12. Season with salt as needed, stir in the bacon, and garnish with optional toppings of choice.

Instant Pot Directions:

1. Select the ‘sauté’ function on the Instant Pot, and when heated, cook the bacon, stirring occasionally until crisp (about 3-5 minutes).
2. Transfer the bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate and set aside.
3. To the Instant Pot (still on the ‘sauté’ function), add the leeks, celery, and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5-7 minutes or until the onions start to soften.
4. Add garlic, stir, and cook for another 30 seconds or until fragrant.
5. Add the remaining ingredients to the Instant Pot (except for the bacon, ½ cup of the broth, and any garnishes). Set aside the ½ cup broth for later.
6. Lock the lid in place and set the vent valve to the ‘sealing’ position.
7. Cook for 13 minutes at high pressure.
8. When cooking time is up, allow 5 minutes of natural release before flipping the vent valve to the ‘venting’ position to release any residual pressure.
9. Remove the lid from the Instant Pot, and transfer half of the soup to the container of the blender.
10. Secure blender lid in place and blend until soup is creamy with some chunks remaining. If you want it extra creamy, continue to blend to your liking. (You can also use an immersion blender.)
11. Carefully remove the blender lid and pour the blended soup back into the pot. Stir in an additional ½ cup broth, if needed, to thin the soup to the desired consistency.
12. Salt to taste, stir in bacon, and garnish with optional toppings of choice.

Notes

You can store this soup in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or freeze it for up to 3 months.

Nutrition Information

• Serving Size: 1 ½ cups
• Calories: 261
• Fat: 5 g
• (Sat Fat: 2 g)
• Sodium: 588 mg
• Carbohydrate: 45 g
• (Fiber: 5 g
• Sugar: 6 g)
• Protein: 12 g
• Cholesterol: 60 mg

Dairy-FreeEgg-FreeGluten-freeGrain-FreeNut-freePaleoWhole30

© The Real Food Dietitians