This Creamy Potato Leek Soup with Bacon features potatoes and leeks, with a touch of carrots and broccoli. It's blended until creamy and served with a swirl of cream and crispy bacon. Try it with a slice of jalapeño cheddar sourdough or your favorite soup crackers!
I recently participated in a program called Bountiful Baskets. It's geared towards providing rural communities with fresh veggies and fruits. For just $23, you get a basketful of fresh veggies and fruits that you might not normally purchase.
The fun part is not knowing what's included in your basket until you pick it up. This allows you to get creative and maybe try a few new recipes. My last order included leeks and potatoes, which was convenient since I've been craving creamy leek and potato soup with bacon.
This soup recipe is a new spin on an old classic. I decided to add a carrot and some broccoli that I already had on hand, which boosted the nutrition and improved the flavor. We really enjoyed this soup, and I hope you and your family do too!
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🧐 Why This Recipe Works
- This creamy leek and potato soup recipe is really yummy and easy to prepare.
- It only takes around 45 minutes to an hour to prepare, depending on how fast you work.
- If you don't mix in the cream and just add it to the individual bowls, the soup will freeze well.
- This recipe is gluten-free and can be made vegetarian by swapping out the chicken broth and bouillon with vegetable broth and omitting the bacon.
🛒 What You Need For This Recipe
🔖 Ingredients & Substitutions
- Leeks: You'll need 2 large leeks.
- Potatoes: This recipe calls for 2 ½ lbs of potatoes. I used Russet potatoes, but Idaho potatoes or Yukon gold potatoes would also work!
- Carrot: I added the carrot to add a touch of sweetness and boost the nutrition. If you don't have it on hand, you can leave it out.
- Garlic: I love garlic so I added 5 cloves, but you can use less if you'd like.
- Broccoli: 1 small head of broccoli.
- Herbs: You can add your favorite dried or fresh herbs including parsley, thyme, bay leaves, and basil. I added Herbs de Provence.
- Seasoning: Sea salt and black pepper.
- Serrano: I added one Serrano pepper for some heat, but it's totally optional!
- Bacon: A little crispy bacon adds a ton of flavor and texture. I used the bacon fat to sauté the vegetables, but you can also use olive oil, butter, lard, or tallow.
- Broth: The chicken broth can be substituted with vegetable broth.
- Cheese: Shredded sharp cheddar cheese to mix into the soup and also a little extra to garnish each bowl of soup.
- Cream: Heavy cream to add a touch of sweetness and creaminess or use half and half.
*Find the full list of ingredients in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
🔪 Helpful Tools
🥔 How to Make This Recipe
Step 1: Begin by chopping and frying the bacon over medium heat until crisp. Turn off the stove, then remove bacon and drain on paper towels, leaving bacon fat in the pot.
Step 2: Wash leeks, then use a sharp knife to slice off the root end and dark portion of the stalk, which tend to be tough and slightly bitter. Slice leeks down the middle, then slice each half into rings.
Pro Tip: When washing leeks, make sure to wash between the layers where dirt tends to collect.
Step 3: Add leeks and peeled and sliced carrot to the pot. Sauté over low heat for approximately 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, chop broccoli, slice pepper, and mince garlic. When the leeks are soft and wilted, add broccoli, Serrano, and garlic. Cook a few additional minutes, then turn the stove off.
Step 4: Peel and cube the potatoes into ½"-1" pieces and add to the pot. Sprinkle with Herbs de Provence and add chicken bouillon cubes. Pour 3 cans of chicken broth and 1 cup of water into the pot and mix to combine.
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Step 5: Bring the soup ingredients to a boil over medium heat. Once boiling, cover and simmer over low heat for 25-30 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork-tender. Turn off the heat, then use an immersion blender to blend the soup into a creamy texture.
Pro Tip: If you don't have an immersion blender, you can use a blender or a food processor to blend the soup, but wait until the soup has cooled off first.
Step 6: Season soup with salt and black pepper, then add ½ of the bacon and 1 cup of cheddar cheese. Stir with a wooden spoon until the cheese has melted.
🍽 Serving Suggestions
This soup can be served as a light lunch, a side, or an appetizer. To serve, ladle into bowls and swirl 1 tablespoon of cream into it. Top with a tablespoon of cheddar cheese and some of the reserved bacon.
You can also garnish your creamy leek and potato soup with chopped chives, fresh thyme leaves, or croutons.
You may also want to try this yummy vegan potato leek soup recipe!
🤷🏻♀️ FAQs
Using the right ratio of potatoes to broth will give you the perfect thick texture that you're looking for. If you used too much broth or not enough potatoes, you can simmer the soup longer to allow it to thicken as it reduces.
To make soup creamier, begin by using an immersion blender to remove any lumps and give the soup a smooth and creamy texture. From there, you can add cream, coconut milk, or cheese to make your soup extra creamy.
To keep your leek and potato soup from tasting bitter, avoid using the dark green parts of the leek stalk, which tend to be tough and bitter.
If your leek and potato soup is bland, most likely you didn't season it enough. Try adding salt, black pepper, and if you didn't already, herbs to brighten the flavor. Stirring in some bacon and cheese will also boost the flavor of your soup!
👩🏼🍳 Pro Tips
- If you prefer non-spicy food, don't add the serrano pepper.
- Carrot and broccoli aren't vegetables that are traditionally added to potato leek soup, but I think it improves the flavor of the soup and boosts the nutrition. If you don't have either one, you can still make this recipe!
- If you prefer, you can add the cream to the pot of soup at the same time you stir in the bacon and cheese.
- Store leftover bacon leek and potato soup in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- You can freeze potato leek soup for up to 3 months. To avoid freezer burn, double bag in freezer bags before freezing.
🥘 Related Recipes
Be sure to check out these other soup recipes!
📖 Recipe
Creamy Potato Leek Soup With Bacon
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 slices thick-cut bacon
- 2 large leeks
- 1 medium carrot
- 6 ounces broccoli
- 1 medium serrano pepper (optional)
- 5 cloves garlic
- 2½ lbs potatoes
- 2 tsps Herbs de Provence
- 3 cans chicken broth
- 2 cubes chicken bullion (or 2 teaspoon powder)
- 1 cup water
- 1½ cups cheddar cheese
- 1¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup whipping cream (optional)
Instructions
- Begin by chopping and frying the bacon over medium heat until crisp. Turn off the stove, then remove bacon and drain on paper towels, leaving bacon fat in the pot.
- Wash leeks, then use a sharp knife to slice off the root end and dark portion of the stalk, which tend to be tough and slightly bitter. Slice leeks down the middle, then slice each half into rings.
- Add leeks and peeled and sliced carrot to the pot. Sauté over low heat for approximately 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, chop broccoli, slice pepper, and mince garlic. When the leeks are soft and wilted, add broccoli, Serrano, and garlic. Cook a few additional minutes, then turn the stove off.
- Peel and cube the potatoes into ½"-1" pieces and add to the pot. Sprinkle with Herbs de Provence and add chicken bouillon cubes. Pour 3 cans of chicken broth and 1 cup of water into the pot and mix to combine.
- Bring the soup ingredients to a boil over medium heat. Once boiling, cover and simmer over low heat for 25-30 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender. Turn off the heat, then use an immersion blender to blend the soup into a creamy texture.
- Season soup with salt and black pepper, then add ½ of the bacon and 1 cup of cheddar cheese. Stir with a wooden spoon until the cheese has melted.
Serving Suggestions
- This soup can be served as a light lunch, a side, or an appetizer. To serve, ladle into bowls and swirl 1 tablespoon of cream into it. Top with a tablespoon of cheddar cheese and some of the reserved bacon.
Notes
- When washing leeks, make sure to wash between the layers where dirt tends to collect.
- If you don't have an immersion blender, you can use a blender or a food processor to blend the soup, but wait until the soup has cooled off first.
- If you prefer non-spicy food, don't add the serrano pepper.
- Carrot and broccoli aren't vegetables that are traditionally added to potato leek soup, but I think it improves the flavor of the soup and boosts the nutrition. If you don't have either one, you can still make this recipe!
- If you prefer, you can add the cream to the pot of soup at the same time you stir in the bacon and cheese.
- Store leftover bacon leek and potato soup in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- You can freeze potato leek soup for up to 3 months. To avoid freezer burn, double bag in freezer bags before freezing.
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