Slow Cooker Potato Leek Soup Recipe

This Slow Cooker Potato Leek Soup is a comforting and hearty dish perfect for colder weather or anytime you’re in the mood for a satisfying soup.

It’s hard to beat a warm, comforting meal that is made without much fuss. This easy soup recipe combines the simplicity of fresh ingredients with the convenience of slow cooking, resulting in a delicious and effortless dish.

Whether you’re a seasoned home cook or a beginner in the kitchen, this recipe promises to deliver rich flavors and creamy textures (without heavy cream) with minimal effort. So, grab your crock pot, and let’s get started!

Ingredients to Make Slow-Cooker Potato Leek Soup

• Potatoes: Russet potatoes are great for this recipe because they break down well and create a creamy texture when blended. Yukon Gold potatoes are a good alternative if you prefer a slightly buttery flavor. Ensure they are peeled and diced to similar sizes for even cooking.
• Leeks: Only use the white and light green parts as they are milder and more tender. Thorough washing is crucial to remove all the silt trapped between the layers. This process ensures your soup is free from grit.
• Garlic: Garlic adds a layer of depth and complexity to the soup’s flavor profile. When sautéed with leeks, its sweetness enhances the overall taste of the soup.
• Celery: Celery contributes to the soup’s aromatic base (along with leeks and garlic), offering a hint of bitterness that balances the richness of the potatoes and the creaminess of the beans.
• Broth: Using low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth allows you to control the salt level of your soup better. Vegetable broth is an excellent option for making this dish vegetarian or vegan.
• Butter or Olive Oil: Both are used for sautéing the leeks and garlic. Olive oil is a healthier option and can make this recipe vegan.
• Ground White Pepper: Made from the ripe seeds of the pepper plant with the outer layer removed, white pepper offers a milder, more delicate pepper flavor compared to black pepper. It has a slightly musty, earthy aroma. White pepper adds a subtle warmth and depth to the soup without the more pronounced bite of black pepper, complementing the mild flavors of the potatoes and leeks. Its lighter color also keeps the soup’s color more uniform and appealing. That said, if you don’t have white pepper, you can easily substitute black pepper.
• White Beans: Adding a can of white beans (like cannellini or great northern beans) not only adds protein but also makes the soup more filling and increases its nutritional value. Ensure they are well-drained and rinsed to remove excess sodium.
• Leek Oil (optional): Drizzling leek oil on top of the soup before serving adds a burst of fresh leek flavor and a visually appealing green color. It enhances the soup’s presentation and adds an extra layer of leek flavor, tying the dish together. I use Feasting at Home’s Leek Oil recipe, which just happens to be a great way to use the green tops of the leeks.
• Chopped Chives (optional): Chopped chives sprinkled on top of the soup serve as a garnish, adding a fresh, oniony bite that contrasts beautifully with the creamy texture of the soup. The green of the chives also adds a pop of color, making the dish more visually appealing.

How to Clean Leeks

Leeks are known for their delicious, mild onion-like flavor, but they also have a reputation for being tricky to clean due to the silt and soil that gets trapped between their many layers as they grow.

Leeks are grown in sandy or silty soil to facilitate their elongation and to ensure their stems remain tender and white. As the leek grows, the soil is often mounded around it, a process known as blanching, to protect the edible parts from sunlight which keeps them white and tender. This method of cultivation, while great for the leek’s growth and flavor, also means that soil and silt become trapped between the tightly packed layers.

Thoroughly washing leeks is crucial to avoid gritty textures in your dishes. Taking the time to clean them properly ensures that you can enjoy their mild, sweet flavor without the unpleasant crunch of dirt.

Steps to Thoroughly Wash Leeks:

1. Trim and Slice: Start by trimming off the root ends and the dark green tops of the leeks, leaving the white and light green parts. These dark parts are tougher and less flavorful, though they can be saved for making stock or this Leek Oil. Slice the leeks lengthwise in half to expose the inner layers.
2. Cut into Half Moons: After slicing them in half, chop the leeks into half-moon shapes. This shape increases the surface area, making it easier to remove any hidden dirt.
3. Bowl of Water: Place the sliced leeks in a large bowl of cold water. The water helps to loosen any dirt or silt that’s trapped between the layers.
4. Agitate and Soak: Use your hands to agitate the leeks in the water, helping to dislodge any silt. Let them soak for a few minutes. The dirt will sink to the bottom of the bowl while the leeks float.
5. Rinse: Carefully lift the leeks out of the water to avoid reintroducing them to the settled dirt at the bottom of the bowl.
6. Repeat if Necessary: Sometimes, one round of soaking isn’t enough to remove all the silt. Empty the bowl, rinse it out, fill it with fresh water, and soak the leeks again if you still see dirt attached.
7. Colander Rinse: For an extra layer of assurance, you can then place the leeks in a colander and give them a final rinse under cold running water.
8. Dry: Pat the leeks dry with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel, or let them air dry for a bit before using them in your recipe.

Making Crock Pot Potato Leek Soup

Tips for the Best Slow Cooker Potato Leek Soup

• Sautéeing Leeks, Celery, and Garlic: You don’t have to sauté the leeks, celery, and garlic; you could just add everything raw to the slow cooker. But, by taking an extra 10 minutes to sauté these aromatics before scraping them into the slow cooker, your potato leek soup will have that deeper and sweeter flavor.
• Slow Cooking: Cooking on low heat for a longer period helps in developing the flavors more profoundly than cooking on high heat.
• Blending: For a smoother soup, puree it thoroughly. If you prefer a chunkier texture, blend only part of the soup. An immersion blender works best for this, but if you’re using a regular blender, be careful with the hot liquid.
• Garnishes: Leek oil, sour cream, and chives add both flavor and a visually appealing touch to the soup. Don’t skip on these if you want to elevate the dish.

Frequently Asked Questions About Slow Cooker Potato Leek Soup

Busy Morning Ahead? Prep This Soup The Night Before!

By prepping these ingredients the night before, you can significantly reduce the active preparation time the next day. When you’re ready to cook, simply assemble the leek potato soup ingredients in your slow cooker according to the recipe instructions. This approach makes it easy to enjoy delicious, home-cooked meals even on busy days.

Peel and chop the potatoes, then store them in a bowl of cold water in the refrigerator to prevent them from turning brown. This water helps to remove some of the starch and keeps the potatoes fresh.

Clean and slice the leeks as described in the washing instructions. Once they’re thoroughly washed and sliced, drain them well, pat dry if possible, and store them in an airtight container or a zip-top bag in the refrigerator.

Chop the garlic and celery and keep them in separate airtight containers in the fridge. Garlic can be minced or left in whole cloves if you prefer a milder flavor.

You could also go ahead and sauté the leeks, celery, and garlic. After sautéing, allow the mixture to cool to room temperature before storing. Transfer the cooled mixture to an airtight container and refrigerate it overnight. When you’re ready to make the soup, simply add the pre-sautéed leek, celery, and garlic to the slow cooker along with the other prepared ingredients according to the recipe instructions.

More Soup Recipes

We are bona fide soup people; there are few meals as satisfying as a delicious bowl of soup. Browse some of these options for other soup recipes.

• Slow Cooker Tuscan White Bean Soup
• Healthy, Cream of Tomato Soup
• Hearty Beef Soup
• Peanut Butter Soup
• Slow Cooker Split Pea and Ham Soup
• Chicken Vegetable Soup

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