Creamy Potato Leek Soup with Bacon

The savory flavors of pureed creamy potatoes, leeks, celery, bacon, herbs, and broth combine for an irresistible bowl of whole-food goodness. Our blender technique provides a creamy texture without the armwork of a potato masher or the heaviness of added cream. Make extra batches of this favorite soup, freeze it in an airtight container, and reheat it for an easy comfort food meal any night of the week. We’ve included directions for both stovetop and the Instant Pot.

Health Benefits of Leeks

Leeks are one of the 10 whole-food ingredients that come together to make this nourishing soup. They’re part of a family of vegetables called alliums, along with all types of onions and garlic. 

This family of vegetables is particularly high in anti-inflammatory compounds like vitamin C, vitamin K, and beta-carotene. Getting plenty of these compounds in your diet over time may lower your risk of inflammation-related conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, joint pain, and digestive ailments. 

Leeks are also an excellent food source of prebiotic fiber, the type of fiber that promotes good gut health and helps you absorb other nutrients to their fullest.

Ingredients To Make Potato Leek Soup

This recipe all comes together with a sweep through the produce aisle plus some bacon and broth – that’s it!

• Red or Yukon gold potatoes – use either kind or a mix of both potatoes
• Bacon – we like the no-sugar bacon from Applegate or the bacon from ButcherBox
• Fresh leek – see below for how to select a leek
• Celery
• Yellow onion – or use a white onion
• Garlic
• Dried thyme – can use fresh thyme or substitute dried oregano or dried marjoram
• Dried parsley – can use fresh flat-leaf parsley or substitute dried cilantro, dried basil, or dried or sprigs of fresh chives
• Salt
• Low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth – substitute chicken stock or vegetable stock, or make your own broth with our recipes for broth on stovetop or in the Instant Pot.

Find the ingredient list with exact measurements in the recipe card below.

How To Make Potato Leek Soup

To make potato leek soup:

1. Cook the diced bacon in a heavy-bottom pot (such as a Dutch oven) on medium heat, then remove the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Next, sauté the leek, celery, onion, and garlic in the bacon drippings. 
2. Once the onion has softened, add the broth, potatoes, and seasonings. Cook the potato leek soup for about 20 minutes, until the potatoes are quite tender and easily pierced with a fork.
3. Ladle between half to three-quarters of the soup into the container of a blender. This step is what makes the soup creamy and thick. Blend the soup until it is mostly blended with some small chunks of potato remaining.
4. Return the blended portion of soup to the pot and stir it all together. To finish this easy potato soup recipe, simply add the bacon back in. 
5. Ladle it into bowls and garnish with some of the leftover bacon and fresh herbs. Top with croutons for a crispy crunch, or add a dollop of sour cream or plain Greek yogurt if you don’t mind the dairy, and enjoy!

For the Instant Pot directions, scroll down to the recipe card below.

For serving size and the complete directions and ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card below. All of our recipes include the nutrition analysis, listing calories (kcals), protein, carbohydrates/carb, fiber, sugar, sodium, cholesterol, and more per serving.

How To Store

To eliminate prep time for a weeknight meal, make a large batch of this potato leek soup over the weekend. You can store it in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or freeze it for up to 3 months.

More Comfort Food Recipes To Try

Creamy Ham and Potato Soup

Sweet Potato Hash with Bacon

Easy Taco Soup Recipe (Instant Pot, Stovetop or Crockpot)

Savory Sweet Potato Bacon Waffles

Video: How to Make creamy potato leek soup

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Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.8 from 26 reviews

Creamy Potato Leek Soup with Bacon

The complementing flavors of creamy potatoes, leeks, celery, bacon, spices, and broth combine for a delicious, nutritious, and budget-friendly bowl of whole-food goodness.

Prep: 15 min.Cook: 30 min.Total: 45 min.

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Servings: 6 cups (4 servings) 1x

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Ingredients

• 4–5 strips slices bacon, chopped
• 1 large leek, thinly sliced (white and light green parts only; about 2–3 cups)
• 2 celery ribs, finely diced (about ⅓ cup)
• ½ medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• ¾ teaspoon dried thyme (or 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves)
• ½ teaspoon dried parsley (or 1 tablespoon fresh parsley)
• ½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
• 2 lbs. red or Yukon gold potatoes (or a mix), cut into ¼–½-inch cubes with skin still on
•  3 cups chicken or vegetable broth, divided
• Optional: Chopped parsley and/or chives, fresh cracked black pepper, or red pepper flakes

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Instructions

Stovetop Directions:

1. Place a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
2. When the pot is hot, add the chopped bacon and cook, stirring occasionally until crisp (about 5 minutes). 
3. Transfer the bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain; set aside.
4. To the same pot with the bacon drippings, add the sliced leek, celery, and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 7-8 minutes or until the onions start to soften.
5. Add garlic, stir, and cook for another 30 seconds or until fragrant. 
6. Add the remaining ingredients to the pot (except for the bacon, ½ cup of the broth, and any garnishes). Set aside the ½ cup broth for later. 
7. Bring ingredients in the pot just to a boil, then lower the heat to maintain a vigorous simmer and cover with a lid.
8. Cook for 20-22 minutes or until potatoes are very tender. Remove from heat and ladle half to three-quarters of the soup into the container of the blender. 
9. Secure the blender lid in place and blend until the soup is creamy with some chunks remaining. Or, if you want it extra creamy, blend it even further to your desired consistency. (You can also use an immersion blender.) 
10. Carefully remove the blender lid and stir the blended soup back into the pot. 
11. Add the reserved ½ cup broth, if needed, to thin the soup to your desired consistency.
12. Season with salt as needed, stir in the bacon, and garnish with optional toppings of choice.

Instant Pot Directions:

1. Select the ‘sauté’ function on the Instant Pot, and when heated, cook the bacon, stirring occasionally until crisp (about 3-5 minutes). 
2. Transfer the bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate and set aside.
3. To the Instant Pot (still on the ‘sauté’ function), add the leeks, celery, and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5-7 minutes or until the onions start to soften. 
4. Add garlic, stir, and cook for another 30 seconds or until fragrant.
5. Add the remaining ingredients to the Instant Pot (except for the bacon, ½ cup of the broth, and any garnishes). Set aside the ½ cup broth for later.
6. Lock the lid in place and set the vent valve to the ‘sealing’ position. 
7. Cook for 13 minutes at high pressure. 
8. When cooking time is up, allow 5 minutes of natural release before flipping the vent valve to the ‘venting’ position to release any residual pressure.
9. Remove the lid from the Instant Pot, and transfer half of the soup to the container of the blender. 
10. Secure blender lid in place and blend until soup is creamy with some chunks remaining. If you want it extra creamy, continue to blend to your liking. (You can also use an immersion blender.)
11. Carefully remove the blender lid and pour the blended soup back into the pot. Stir in an additional ½ cup broth, if needed, to thin the soup to the desired consistency.
12. Salt to taste, stir in bacon, and garnish with optional toppings of choice.

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Notes

You can store this soup in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or freeze it for up to 3 months.

Nutrition Information

• Serving Size: 1 ½ cups
• Calories: 261
• Fat: 5 g
• (Sat Fat: 2 g)
• Sodium: 588 mg
• Carbohydrate: 45 g
• (Fiber: 5 g
• Sugar: 6 g)
• Protein: 12 g
• Cholesterol: 60 mg

Dietary

Dairy-FreeEgg-FreeGluten-freeGrain-FreeNut-freePaleoWhole30

© The Real Food Dietitians

Recipe By: The Real Food Dietitians

The photos in this blog post were taken by Rachel Cook of Half Acre House.

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