This rich, flavorful and brothy version of potato leek soup is a bit of a departure from the more traditional creamy, blended version. And, it's made extra filling and savory from the addition of delicious smoked sausage!
A Delicious, Brothy Take on Potato Leek Soup
Potato leek soup is one of those soups that traditionally gets blended to a smooth, creamy finish, which is the way that we often find it offered up in recipes or on a restaurant menu.
But I've found that leaving this soup on the brothy side, and adding in some savory smoked sausage, is an absolutely heavenly way to prepare and enjoy it. It's so hearty and flavorful that way!
So the recipe I'm sharing here is my slightly lighter yet more savory take on the classic leek and potato soup. And because I preserve the rich broth, it allows the potatoes, the leeks, and that juicy smoked sausage to be seen and their unique textures and flavors to be tasted.
Soup's on! Got your bowl handy? 😉
A Quick & Easy Potato Leek Soup Recipe
The ingredient list for this recipe is on the short side, and I love that.
This is a quick-cooking soup (right around 20 minutes!). The ingredients are layered into the pot and simmered just until tender, creating lots of big, bold flavors, not to mention that hearty texture that'll leave bellies happy and feeling satisfied.
I find that serving this soup with warm, rustic bread on the side makes it not only a complete meal, but also super cozy—it truly needs nothing else!
Here's my potato leek soup recipe a glance:
- I begin by caramelizing the smoked sausage slices in the soup pot.
- Once browned, I add in the leeks, and allow those to get a little color and soften.
- Next I add in the garlic, allow it to become aromatic, then add in the potatoes and the stock. I allow the soup to simmer until tender, about 20 minutes.
- I finish off my leek and potato soup with a little squeeze of lemon juice for brightness, some chopped parsley. It's scrumptious served with warm bread and butter!
Tips & Tidbits for Potato Leek Soup:
- Your favorite smoked sausage: I like to use smoked kielbasa in this recipe, but another great pick is smoked beef sausage. You can substitute your own personal favorite sausage as well!
- Slicing your leeks: When working with leeks, you want to use only the white and pale green part of them. Cut the long green stems off, and discard those. Then, cut the leeks in half length-wise, give them a rinse, and slice them into thin semi-circles.
- Make things vegetarian: This recipe can easily be converted to be vegetarian. Simply leave out the sausage and substitute vegetable stock!
- Make ahead for deeper, richer flavor: Soups are known for becoming more flavorful and rich when they have a day or two to deepen; so if you'd like to get a bit of extra flavor out of your soup, prepare it a day or two before you plan on serving it. The flavors will mingle together that much more! 😉
Feast your eyes on these, or just jump to the recipe:
Recipe
Potato Leek Soup
by Ingrid Beer
Category: Soup
Cuisine: Welsh
Yield: Serves 6
Nutrition Info: 413 calories
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Total time: 35 minutes
Ingredients:
• Olive or avocado oil
• 1 (14 ounce) package smoked Kielbasa (or smoked beef sausage), sliced into circles
• 3 leeks (white and pale green part only), rinsed and sliced thinly into semi-circles
• 4 cloves garlic, pressed through garlic press
• Salt
• Black pepper
• 4 russet potatoes, peeled and diced into small, bite-size pieces
• 6 cups chicken stock, hot
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
-Place a large soup pot over medium-high to high heat, and drizzle in about 2 tablespoons of oil; once the oil is very hot, add in the sliced smoked sausage, and leave it undisturbed for a couple of minutes to allow for it to caramelize and get some good color; then stir, and allow it to caramelize some more for several minutes.
-Once the sausage is browned, drizzle in a little more oil (if the sausage is not too greasy already), and stir in the sliced leeks; it may seem like a lot of leeks, but they will cook way down as you allow them to also caramelize and get golden with the sausage, about 10 minutes, or so.
-Once the leeks are golden-brown, add in the garlic, a pinch of salt and black pepper, and stir just until the garlic becomes aromatic; then, add in the potatoes, along with the hot chicken stock, and bring to the boil.
-Reduce the heat, cover with lid just partly askew, and allow to simmer for about 20 minutes, or until your potatoes are tender.
-Finish with the lemon juice and the parsley, and serve with some good bread.
Hungry for more soups? Check out this Chorizo Soup, this Italian Vegetable Soup with Spicy Sausage, and this Beef Barley Soup!
And if creamy soups are your thing, try my Carrot Ginger Soup or my Tomato Basil Soup!
Cook's Note: This recipe was originally published in 2016, and has been updated with even more love!
Deborah Behney
I've been waiting and anticipating your next email.
Can't wait to try this wonderful
soup! God Bless.
The Cozy Apron
Deborah, thank you so very much for such a kind compliment...may you be warmed and uplifted by the recipe!
Katherine
I made this soup last week, and it was so good! The addition of parsley and lemon juice is so creative and delicious! I accidentally doubled the broth amount and it was still good. Thank you!
The Cozy Apron
Hi Katherine, I'm so glad you tried and enjoyed! Thanks for sharing that with me. And hey, if you doubled the stock, at least you had more to enjoy! 🙂
Ruth
Ingrid, I can't wait to try the soup!
The Cozy Apron
Ruth, please enjoy the soup!
Taryn
I made this tonight. Added in some minced onion, and mixed vegetable broth and chicken stock, because that's what I had, and it was amazing! First time I've ever cooked with leeks, and honestly, it was so flavorful and hearty. Cannot wait to make this again!
The Cozy Apron
Hi Taryn, so glad you tried this! Happy you enjoyed it and that you found a little warmth & comfort in this simple soup.
Sarah
I LOVE this recipe. Thank you so much for sharing your cooking, and life with us ☺
The Cozy Apron
Sarah, thank YOU! So glad you enjoyed!
Laura Ashley
Can I make this and freeze leftovers? Just 2 of us, so I like to freeze the extra for a day that I am working late and just be able to pull out of freezer and heat! Sounds wonderful!
The Cozy Apron
Hi Laura! That is a great idea, and I don't see why you couldn't freeze it. I'm sure it'll be delicious when reheated, and a real comfort on a cold night after a busy day. Hope you enjoy!
Liz
Ingrid, we loved this soup! Made Rosemary Foccacia bread to serve with and the meal was outstanding. There are two of us. , This made 3 meals for each of us and the leftovers were as satisfying the last day as they on the first! Thank you, again, for sharing your recipes and technique with us!
The Cozy Apron
Hi Liz, that is so wonderful! Very happy to read that you both enjoyed, and that you had plenty of leftovers. 😉
Thanks for taking the time to share your experience!
Melissa
Ingrid, what an absolute delicious soup! Jacques Pépin's Potato Leek Soup has been my go-to for years, but we very much enjoyed your heartier version. I used smoked turkey sausage, and we were fortunate enough to use potatoes and leeks from our garden. Served it with some crusty bread and fresh fruit. Can't wait for leftovers! Love, Melissa
Julia
I made your soup today just as written. I made no changes and both my husband and I really enjoyed it. It went well with my homemade loaf of Cheddar Cheese and Dill Bread.
The Cozy Apron
So glad you enjoyed, Julia! The homemade bread as an accompaniment sounds amazing!