Description
This easy and comforting potato soup features tender potatoes and leeks or onions cooked in broth, blended with cream cheese for a smooth, creamy texture. It’s a versatile recipe that allows you to customize the thickness and toppings, perfect for a cozy meal any time of year.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 4 leeks, sliced or 2 medium/large onions, diced
- 6 medium-sized potatoes, diced (about 6 cups)
- 6 cups broth (chicken or vegetable)
- 1 8oz block of cream cheese
- Olive oil, for cooking
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
Toppings (optional)
- Bacon bits
- Scallions
- Shredded cheese
- Fresh herbs
Instructions
- Sauté Aromatics: In a large Dutch oven or stockpot, heat a drizzle of olive oil over medium heat. Add sliced leeks or diced onions and cook until they are soft and just beginning to brown, seasoning with salt and pepper along the way to enhance their flavor.
- Add Potatoes and Broth: Stir in the diced potatoes and pour enough broth over them to just cover. Reserve the remaining broth for later use. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce heat to simmer until the potatoes are very tender, testing by piercing with a fork.
- Remove Some Potatoes: Use a slotted spoon to carefully remove some of the softened potatoes and set them aside to maintain some texture in the soup.
- Blend the Soup Base: Add the cream cheese in pieces to the pot and use an immersion blender to puree the soup base until smooth. This creates a creamy consistency that’s rich and velvety.
- Reintegrate Potatoes and Adjust Consistency: Return the reserved potatoes to the pot, season with additional salt and pepper to taste, and add more broth if you prefer a thinner soup. Let it simmer gently for 5 to 10 minutes to meld flavors.
- Serve with Toppings: Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with your choice of toppings such as grated cheese, scallions, crispy bacon, or fresh herbs for added flavor and texture.
Notes
- This soup is highly adaptable: for a perfectly smooth and thick soup, puree all the potatoes; for a brothier texture, puree fewer potatoes and add more broth.
- Feel free to substitute broth type depending on dietary preferences or what you have on hand.
- Toppings can be customized to your liking, adding a personal touch and extra flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 230
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 550mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 26g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 35mg
