Potato Leek Soup

Simple and easy potato leek soup, creamy without the cream! A hearty soup with potatoes and leeks. According the recipe you can use either Yukon gold or Russet potatoes for this soup. The Yukon golds will be creamier. I didn't use any of these, I used another kind of potatoes. Which one? I don't know :)

Save prep time by peeling and dicing the potatoes while the leeks are cooking in the second step.

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes
Yield: Serves 4-6

Ingredients

- 3 large leeks
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 4 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth for vegetarian option)*  I used Chicken stock cubes.
- 2 lbs potatoes (Yukon gold or Russet), peeled, diced into 1/2 inch pieces
- 1 1/2 Tsp kosher salt plus more to taste
- pinch of dried marjoram
- 1 or 2 sprigs of fresh thyme, or 1/2 Tsp dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- Sprinkle of Tabasco sauce or other red chili sauce
- white or black pepper to taste

* If cooking gluten-free, be sure tu use gluten-free broth.

Method

1. Clean the leeks. Cut them lengthwise, fan them open under running water to dislodge any dirt or mud hiding inside. Cut of the tough dark green tops and discard (either compost or freeze for making stock). Slice the white and light green parts of the leeks crosswise into 1/4-inch thick slices.

2. Melt butter on medium heat in a 3 to 4 quart thick-bottomed pot. Add the chopped leeks, stir to coat with the butter. Cover the pot and lower the heat to low, cook for 10 minutes until the leeks are softened. Check to make sure the leeks are not browning.

3. Add the broth, diced potatoes, bay leaf, marjoram, thyme, and a teaspoon of salt to the pot. Increase the heat to high to bring to a simmer, then lower the heat to maintain a low simmer, and cook for 20 minutes, until the potatoes are cooked through.

4. Remove and discard the bay leaf and thyme sprig. Use an immersion blender or standing blender to blend about half of the soup if you want a chunky soup, or all of it if you would like your soup to be more smooth.Add the parsley, and cook a few minutes more. Add a few dashes of Tabasco to taste. Add freshly ground pepper and more salt to taste (Potatoes soak up salt, so you may need to add more salt than you expect.)

Bon Appétit!

Nutrition facts

Serving size: 1 serving

Calories: 268

Total fat: 0.975 g

Cholesterol: 0 mg

Total carbohydrate: 60.75 g

           Sugar: 4.87 g

Protein: 16.73