Potato Leek Soup with Cheese

This recipe is an offshoot of the more French classic potato leek soups. This is sort of a meat-and-potatoes type of recipe! It has a bit of cheese and can be served chunky or smooth.  You can even add some carrots and parsnips along with the potatoes in Step 2 for a bit of extra sweetness, as well as red chiles for a bit of heat. A family favorite!

Potato-Leek Soup With Cheese

This recipe is an offshoot of the more French classic potato leek soups, and can be served chunky or smooth!

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Course Main Course, Soup

Cuisine American, French

Servings 8

Ingredients

  

• 3 tbsp butter
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 leeks cut lengthwise, washed and cut small
• 1 sweet onion chopped small dice
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 large fresh bay leaves (optional)
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 5 russet potatoes peeled and cut into bite-size pieces
• 2 large carrots peeled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (optional)
• 1 quart chicken broth plus 2 cups or as needed
• 1 cup water or as needed
• ½ lb Colby-Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
• 2 tbsp  chopped fresh dill or 1 tablespoon dried (optional) 
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 4 oz. cream cheese (optional)
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• ½ cup chopped fresh chives to taste
• Croutons for topping, homemade or purchased (optional)

Instructions

 

• Melt butter and olive oil in a heavy large pot over medium heat.

  Add leeks, onion, garlic, bay leaves, coriander and sauté until softened and translucent, about 7 minutes.

  Add potatoes and carrots and sauté 5 minutes.

  Add enough chicken stock over the top of potatoes to cover.

  Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low heat. Simmer covered, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and fish out the bay leaves.
• Purée the soup with a hand-held immersion blender or in a regular blender until smooth:

  With a large ladle transfer half of the soup into a blender. Add the cream cheese (if using) and blend until smooth.

  Caution: Be sure not to fill the blender more than halfway; cover loosely with a dish towel to catch excess splash.

  Pour into a large bowl and set aside. Repeat remaining soup. Return bathes of pureed soups to the saucepan. Add cream and heat through on low heat.
• Other method for Step 2: Mash potatoes with potato masher to desired consistency.

  Stir Colby-Monterey Jack cheese and cream cheese into potato mixture, return soup to a low simmer, add cream and cook until cheese melts and soup is hot.

  Season soup to taste with salt and pepper.
• Ladle soup into serving bowls and top with toasted pepitas, chives and additional grated cheese of choice. Enjoy.

Keyword potato soup