Leek Potato Soup

Recipe courtesy Alton Brown, 2005

Show: Good EatsEpisode: Sprung a Leek

Rated: 5 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (130)

Cook Time:
1 hr 15 min
Level:
Intermediate
Yield:
6 servings

Times:

Prep: 25 min
Inactive Prep: --
Cook: 1 hr 15 min
Total:: 1 hr 40 min

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Ingredients

1 pound leeks, cleaned and dark green sections removed, approximately 4 to 5 medium
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Heavy pinch kosher salt, plus additional for seasoning
14 ounces, approximately 3 small, Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced small
1 quart vegetable broth
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1 tablespoon snipped chives

Directions

Chop the leeks into small pieces.

In a 6-quart saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the leeks and a heavy pinch of salt and sweat for 5 minutes. Decrease the heat to medium-low and cook until the leeks are tender, approximately 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the potatoes and the vegetable broth, increase the heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and gently simmer until the potatoes are soft, approximately 45 minutes.

Turn off the heat and puree the mixture with an immersion blender until smooth. Stir in the heavy cream, buttermilk, and white pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning if desired. Sprinkle with chives and serve immediately, or chill and serve cold.

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Comments & Reviews

recipe Leek Potato Soup
Mary Goshen, NY 11-19-2009
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A little tweak made this great
Rated: 4 stars out of 5

The first time I made this, it was good, but didn't quite knock my socks off. The buttermilk gave it too much tang for my... taste, though others may like that . I made it this week and changed the proportions: 1 1/2 cups cream and 1/2 cup buttermilk. I also used chicken broth, which gives more body to the soup. It was thick and creamy and the leek flavor, not the buttermilk, was the star. Read more
recipe Leek Potato Soup
Duilia Arlington, HI 11-17-2009
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made it with my own twist! SOLD OUT!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

This was a great recipe to begin with but I made it with my own twist and everyone loved it!!! I added celery to the... potatoes and leaks. I added garlic to the olive oil. Used double the amount of white wine and used plain yougurt instead of the cream... topped with crisp onions instead (cooked the same way). Super tasty and not bad for you at all! It looked just like the video, smelled fantastic, tasted terrific. Read more
recipe Leek Potato Soup
Jennifer Washington, DC 11-11-2009
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Great Soup!!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

Fantastic recipe from Alton. I sauteed about 1/4 of a diced yellow onion, and chopped two stalks of celery with the leeks. ... On occasion, to make this a bit more healthy, I've omitted the cream and buttermilk, and added a few tablespoons of half and half instead. Perfect combination for a cold day!Read more
recipe Leek Potato Soup
Meg Glen Cove, NY 11-08-2009
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Yummy!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

The soup was delicious! I made a half recipe for my husband and me and it worked out perfect!
recipe Leek Potato Soup
Florencia Doral, FL 11-05-2009
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Great Homemade Feel!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

This recipe was a hit. I tested it on my husband and a couple of friends we had over for dinner. They finished their bowls... and took what was left home. One suggestion I would make would be to reserve some of the cooked potato chunks on the side before pureeing. Then add back into the soup so that it has cooked potato pieces in the soup, gives it a little more texture then pureed soup. Hope you enjoy it too!Read more
recipe Leek Potato Soup
Lesleigh El Dorado Hills, CA 10-20-2009
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Disappointed
Rated: 2 stars out of 5

What a disappointment! I made this soup exactly as the recipe stated and after the rave reviews thought it would be great. ... The tang of the buttermilk was all you could taste, way too overpowering. The leeks and potatoes totally got lost. And all that cream--way too rich. Even my husband who likes everything didn't care for it. Not worth the calories. If you must make this, take the advice of the other readers--use bacon, way less cream (or half & half) & buttermilk, and it has to improve. Or, better yet, skip the buttermilk altogether. Read more