Recipes
Uk

Leek & Potato Soup

A creamy, comforting British soup perfect for cold days.

Ingredients

  • 3 large leeks, trimmed and sliced
  • 600g potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp butter or olive oil
  • 1.2L vegetable or chicken stock
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 100ml single cream (optional)
  • Fresh parsley, chopped
  • Salt & black pepper

Method

  1. 1

    Heat butter, cook onions and leeks 10-12 minutes until softened

  2. 2

    Add garlic, thyme, bay leaf. Cook 1 minute

  3. 3

    Add potatoes and stock. Simmer 20 minutes until potatoes soft

  4. 4

    Remove bay leaf. Blend until smooth

  5. 5

    Stir through cream if using. Season generously

  6. 6

    Garnish with parsley

Swaps & variations

  • Smoky depth: add ½ tsp smoked paprika
  • Veg boost: add 1 parsnip or celery stalk
  • Protein: stir through white beans before blending
  • Crispy topping: fried leeks, bacon bits, or toasted seeds

Storing & freezing

Refrigerate up to 4 days. Freeze for up to 3 months before adding cream.

Grow it yourself

  • Leeks: Start indoors late winter-spring. Transplant when pencil thickness
  • Potatoes: Chit seed potatoes in a bright, cool room for 2 weeks before planting
  • Parsley: prefers partial shade and rich, moist soil
  • Onion fly protection: cover seedlings with fleece
  • Leek moth: companion plant carrots to confuse pests
  • Hand-pick slugs early morning
  • Leeks: Harvest when stems reach 2-3cm thick
  • Potatoes: Harvest early varieties when plants flower
  • Parsley: Snip outer leaves first

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