Easy and Budget Friendly Potato Leek Soup

 

I always love soup season. It is so easy to make pantry items or vegetables into a delicious, warm, and filling soup. Soup can be healthy and full of vitamins and minerals as well as fiber and protein. During the seasons, I like to buy fruits and vegetables that are the most inexpensive for the season. So, for the fall and winter, potatoes, leeks, onions, garlic, and carrots are pretty affordable! Traditionally, potato leek soup is made with only a few ingredients, but I like to pack it with as many vegetables as possible for optimal benefits! 

 

This recipe is enough for I would say 4 people, but it could be enough for 5-6 if paired with additional sides. I intuitively eat, and when I cook for myself and maybe a couple friends, I will have enough left over for 1 or 2 more meals. This is my own personal recipe I have developed over the few times I have made this soup! It is a wonderful base to have that is easy to build upon. 

 

Ingredients:

·         3 large or 4 small potatoes with the skin

·         1 large leek thinly sliced all the way up the leaves

·         1 medium onion (white or yellow)

·         3 celery stalks thinly sliced

·         1 large bulk carrot (or about 6-8 baby carrots) thinly shredded

·         2-3 tbs of olive oil

·         2 Tbs of flour

·         32 oz of chicken broth or vegetable broth

·         1 tsp of salt

·         1 tsp of pepper

·         ½ tsp of cayenne pepper (optional for some spice)

·         ¼ cup of sour cream

·         ½ cup of 1% milk

·         Parmesan cheese to top

·         About 10 green onions chopped and mixed in. 

 

Steps:  

1.      In a large pan add two tablespoons of olive oil over medium low heat. Thinly slice the leek and celery. Dice the onion and shred the carrots. Add all of these to the pan and sauté until softened.

2.      While they are softening, wash and chop the potatoes into small cubes. The smaller they are cut the quicker they will cook! 

3.      Add in flour and evenly incorporate, cook for about 2 minutes.

4.      Once everything is softened, add the potatoes and seasonings, and allow to heat up. Then, add in the chicken broth or vegetable broth and bring to a simmer.

5.      Cook until the potatoes are fork tender about 10 minutes. 

6.      When everything is soft, you can either use an immersion blender, normal blender, or bullet blender to puree everything into a smooth texture.

7.      Return the pureed soup to the pot and add in the milk and sour cream. Combine and heat.

8.      Once hot, serve with shredded Parmesan cheese, fresh chives, or even some super fine bacon bits for a savory touch!

Prep Time: 20 Minutes  

Cook Time: 20 Minutes

I love this soup so much. I was always intimidated to try and make it because I had never cooked with a leek before. It is the perfect cross between celery and onion making it just about perfect for soup season! This soup feels so savory and filling even though it is full of vegetables! Remember, you can always make it a little extra spicy with some additional cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, or extra fresh cracked pepper. For a deeper level of flavor, you could even think about adding in bell peppers or squash. 

 

For me, per serving, this soup broke down to less than $2.00 a serving! I always have seasonings on hand, and I save money by buying onions, carrots, and potatoes in bulk because of their long shelf life. I also tend to have other vegetables on hand, so it is so easy to just add them in the bulk up soup and make them even healthier. 

 

-AC

 https://www.specialtyproduce.com/produce/Leeks_113.php for Leek Image