Description
This easy potato soup recipe delivers a creamy and comforting bowl of goodness perfect for any day. Utilizing simple ingredients like leeks or onions, potatoes, and cream cheese, it comes together quickly on the stovetop. The soup is versatile—smooth and thick or chunky and brothier—depending on your preference, and can be garnished with delicious toppings like bacon, scallions, or cheese for an extra flavor boost.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 4 leeks, sliced (or 2 medium/large onions, diced)
- 6 medium-sized potatoes (yielding about 6 cups diced potatoes)
- 6 cups broth (chicken or vegetable)
- 1 8oz block of cream cheese
- Olive oil, to taste
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Toppings (optional)
- Bacon, cooked and crumbled
- Scallions, chopped
- Grated cheese
- Fresh herbs (such as parsley or chives)
Instructions
- Sauté the aromatics: In a large Dutch oven or stockpot, heat a tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the sliced leeks or diced onions and cook until softened and just beginning to brown, about 5-7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add potatoes and broth: Add the diced potatoes to the pot, then pour in enough broth to just cover them (reserve the remaining broth for later use). Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and cook until the potatoes are tender and easily pierced with a fork, about 15 minutes.
- Remove some potatoes: Use a slotted spoon to remove a portion of the cooked potatoes and set them aside. This will help control the texture of the soup when pureed.
- Add cream cheese and blend: Add the softened cream cheese in pieces to the soup in the pot. Using an immersion blender, purée until smooth and creamy. Then return the reserved potatoes back into the pot.
- Adjust consistency and seasoning: Stir the soup and add additional broth if you prefer a thinner consistency. Season with more salt and pepper to taste. Simmer the soup gently for 5-10 minutes to meld flavors.
- Serve with toppings: Ladle the soup into bowls and top with your choice of bacon, scallions, grated cheese, fresh herbs, or any favorite toppings.
Notes
- This soup is highly adaptable: for a perfectly smooth and thick soup, purée all the potatoes. For a brothier and chunkier texture, remove fewer potatoes to purée and add more broth.
- You can substitute cream cheese with sour cream or heavy cream for different textures and flavors.
- Using vegetable broth makes the soup vegetarian-friendly, while chicken broth is preferred for a richer flavor.
- Leftover soup can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated gently on the stove.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 220 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg
