Quick Facts
Time: 30 minutes • Yield: 6 servings • Skill: Easy • Method: One-pot, immersion blend • Diet: Vegetarian, GF, DF-friendly
Introduction
Potato Soup is the weeknight staple that turns humble leeks and potatoes into something restaurant-smooth. This vichyssoise-style recipe blends to a polished, spoon-coating texture you can enjoy steaming with thyme and olive oil or chilled for an elegant starter. Expect mellow, sweet leeks, buttery potatoes, and a quiet herbal hum. It’s family-friendly, budget-conscious, and ideal for meal prep without sacrificing comfort.
Why You’ll Love It
- Weeknight-easy: straightforward steps, 30-minute target.
- Flexible: serve hot or cold; garnish to match the season.
- Balanced flavor: sweetness from leeks, roundness from potatoes, bright finish if you add lemon.
- Great leftovers: sets up thicker; thins perfectly with stock.
Potato Soup (Vichyssoise-Style, Hot or Cold)
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Heat olive oil over medium heat. Add sliced leeks and a pinch of salt. Cook for 6–8 minutes until softened and sweet without browning. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add diced potatoes, vegetable stock, thyme sprigs, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook for 12–14 minutes until potatoes are fork-tender.
- Remove thyme sprigs. Use an immersion blender to blend the soup until completely smooth. Add stock in splashes (2–3 Tbsp at a time) if too thick.
- Off heat, stir in milk. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt or pepper. Add a squeeze of lemon for brightness. Garnish with a swirl of olive oil and chopped chives.
- Serve hot, or chill uncovered for 15 minutes then refrigerate 2–3 hours for a vichyssoise-style cold soup. Finish chilled soup with fresh lemon before serving.
Nutrition
Notes
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 3 leeks (white/light green), thinly sliced and rinsed
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1½ lb Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced
- 5 cups low-sodium vegetable stock
- 2–3 thyme sprigs
- 1 tsp kosher salt (plus to taste)
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ cup dairy or plant milk (add off heat)
- Olive oil, chives, lemon wedge for finish
What each ingredient does:
Oil: gentle sauté + finish. Leeks: sweet onion depth. Garlic: savory backbone. Potatoes: creamy body. Stock: flavor carrier. Thyme: herb lift. Salt/pepper: structure. Milk: silk. Chives/lemon: fresh pop.
Pro tip: Rinse sliced leeks in a bowl of water; grit sinks, leeks float.
Substitutions & Swaps
Aromatics: swap in 1 cup onion or shallot if leeks are pricey.
Potatoes: russets blend fine—just don’t over-blend; waxy potatoes give a slightly lighter body.
Dairy-free: use oat milk or skip and add 1 Tbsp extra olive oil at finish.
Make it hearty: stir in a handful of white beans after blending for protein.
Garnish play: dill + lemon, scallions + chili oil, or parsley + toasted seeds.
Equipment Notes
Heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven; immersion blender (safer than transferring hot soup). If using a countertop blender, vent lid, cover with towel, and blend in batches. A ladle and fine strainer help if you want ultra-smooth texture.
Step-by-Step
- Sweat the leeks: Heat olive oil over medium. Add leeks + pinch of salt. Cook until soft and sweet, 6–8 minutes; avoid browning. Add garlic; cook 30 seconds.
- Simmer: Add potatoes, stock, thyme, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer, then reduce to medium-low. Cook 12–14 minutes until potatoes are fork-tender.
- Blend: Fish out thyme. Blend until silky-smooth. If too thick, add stock by the splash (2–3 Tbsp at a time) until it lightly coats the back of a spoon.
- Finish: Off the heat, stir in milk for a velvety sheen. Taste and adjust with salt and pepper. For brightness, squeeze in a little lemon. Swirl a teaspoon of olive oil over each bowl and shower with chives.
- Serve hot or chill: For hot soup, ladle immediately. For cold vichyssoise-style, transfer to a shallow container, cool uncovered 15 minutes, then cover and refrigerate 2–3 hours until thoroughly chilled. The flavor softens and deepens when cold; finish with a fresh squeeze of lemon before serving.
Doneness cues: Potatoes break with a fork; soup falls in a glossy ribbon from a spoon; no visible lumps after blending.
Make-Ahead, Storage & Reheating
Make-ahead: Slice and wash leeks up to 2 days before—store wrapped in paper towels inside an airtight container. Peel and cube potatoes day-of, or up to 8 hours ahead kept submerged in cold water in the fridge to prevent browning. You can also simmer the soup fully a day in advance; flavors will meld.
Fridge: Store in airtight containers up to 4 days. The soup thickens as it rests; that’s normal (the starch continues to hydrate).
Freeze: Up to 3 months. Cool completely, portion into freezer-safe containers, leaving headspace. Thaw overnight in the fridge; whisk in a splash of warm stock or water to restore the original silky texture.
Reheat: Warm gently over low heat, stirring often. Add stock/water (1–3 Tbsp per cup) to loosen. If reheating a chilled version for hot service, re-season with a fresh pinch of salt and a squeeze of lemon to wake up the flavors.
How to Lighten / Make It Creamy
Lighten it: Use 1 Tbsp oil instead of 2, and finish with extra lemon and chives for brightness. Swap half the potatoes for cauliflower florets; simmer together and blend—texture stays silky with fewer calories.
Make it extra creamy: Blend ¾ of the soup ultra-smooth, then whisk in the remaining ¼ for body. Off heat, stir in ¼ cup plain yogurt or unsweetened oat milk for dairy-free creaminess. Add cultured dairy last and off heat to avoid curdling; if the soup is very hot, temper by whisking warm soup into the dairy first.
Toppings, Garnishes & Finishes
Crunch: garlic croutons, toasted pumpkin seeds, crushed kettle chips, or crispy shallots.
Fresh: chives, dill, parsley, thinly sliced scallions, or a light chiffonade of spinach.
Tang/Heat: lemon zest, white wine vinegar, chili crisp, Aleppo pepper, or a drizzle of chili oil.
Microcopy: A sprinkle, a swirl, a squeeze—your three-second upgrade.
Sides & Pairings
Serve with warm crusty bread or a seeded baguette, a crisp green salad with lemon vinaigrette, or simply steamed green beans tossed with olive oil and salt. For a heartier table, pair with a protein like seared salmon or roasted chickpeas. Looking for more cozy bowls? Try our Best Potato Soup, Cheesy Potato Soup, or Vegan Potato Soup next on SoupMore.com.
Scaling the Recipe
To double: Use a larger Dutch oven (at least 6–7 quarts) so the potatoes simmer evenly. Increase aromatics proportionally and extend simmer time by 3–5 minutes until all cubes are fork-tender. Blend in batches to avoid overcrowding. To halve: Use a 3-quart saucepan and reduce all ingredients accordingly; simmer time may drop by 2–3 minutes. For batch cooking, spread finished soup in shallow pans to cool quickly before refrigerating.
Nutrition & Dietary Notes
Potatoes supply potassium and fiber (especially if a few peels are left on), while leeks contribute prebiotic fibers for gut-friendly appeal. The recipe is naturally vegetarian and gluten-free as written, and easily dairy-free by finishing with plant milk or olive oil. Allergens to watch: dairy if using regular milk. For lower sodium, start with unsalted stock and season gradually.
Troubleshooting
- Too salty? Add a splash of water/unsalted stock and a squeeze of lemon. A spoonful of unsalted white beans blended in can also soften salinity.
- Too bland? You likely need salt and acid. Add a pinch of salt, a small squeeze of lemon, and a drizzle of good olive oil.
- Too watery? Simmer uncovered 5–8 minutes to reduce, or blend in a few additional potato cubes cooked in salted water until tender.
- Gummy texture? You may have over-blended starchy potatoes with a high-speed blender. Next time, use an immersion blender and blend just until smooth; for now, whisk in a splash of stock and a teaspoon of olive oil to loosen.
- Leeks browned early? Lower the heat and add a tablespoon of water to cool the pan; a pale leek keeps flavors sweet and delicate.
FAQs
Can I use frozen or precut ingredients?
Yes. Frozen diced potatoes and pre-sliced leeks work well. Add 1–2 extra minutes to the simmer and blend as directed.
What are the best potato swaps?
Yukon Golds are ideal for creamy body. Russets work too (blend gently), while red potatoes yield a slightly lighter, less starchy texture.
How do I keep it from drying out when reheating?
Loosen with 1–3 Tbsp stock or water per cup of soup and warm on low heat, stirring often. Finish with lemon and chives.
Can I make it dairy-free or gluten-free?
Absolutely. Use oat or almond milk—or omit milk and add a drizzle of olive oil. The soup contains no gluten ingredients.
How long does it keep and can I freeze it?
Refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge and whisk in a splash of liquid to restore silkiness.
Variations
- Lemony Herb: Add zest of 1 lemon during blending and finish with extra dill and parsley.
- Spicy Chipotle: Stir in 1–2 tsp minced chipotle in adobo while blending; balance with a touch of honey and lime.
- Creamy Parmesan: Finish hot soup with ½ cup finely grated Parmesan and a splash of milk for a richer, savory profile.
Chef Notes / Test Kitchen Tips
What moved the needle most during testing was heat control in the leek step. Keeping the leeks pale prevents bitterness and preserves their sweetness, which sets the entire flavor baseline. Salt in stages—once with the leeks, again after simmering, and finally after adding milk and lemon. For texture, blend until just silky, then stop; over-processing potatoes can lead to gumminess. The sweet spot for doneness is 12–14 minutes of gentle simmering—potatoes should be tender but not falling apart. If serving chilled, season slightly more assertively: cold mutes salt and acid.
Conclusion
This Potato Soup earns a permanent place in the weeknight rotation: fast to cook, luxuriously smooth, and genuinely versatile—equally at home in a steaming bowl or served cold with a citrusy finish. It keeps for days, freezes beautifully, and welcomes whatever garnish or side you’ve got on hand. If this bowl hit the spot, rate the recipe, leave a comment with your favorite garnish, and check out Potato Soups or all variations of Soup recipes for your next cozy night in.
