Easy 4 Ingredient Potato and Leek Soup

This easy 4 Ingredient Potato and Leek Soup recipe is all you need for weeknight dinners when the weather is chilly. It’s a silky smooth potato soup that tastes tons richer than you’d expect with just four ingredients.

As with many things, you can always make it more complicated, and I’ve added some suggestions. But this humble 4 ingredient potato soup recipe is a great illustration of how you can use fresh ingredients prepared simply to create something that is so much more.

creamy potato soup topped with purple and green onions with a spoon and biscuit.
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Recipe inspiration

This 4-ingredient recipe is inspired by the Potage Parmentier (Leek and Potato Soup) from Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking. In fact, her potato and leek soup is the original 4 ingredient potato soup if you exclude her parsley or chive garnish.

 

Ingredients

a cutting board with the four ingredients in this potato soup.

When I first posted this recipe, I made it only with Yukon Gold potatoes. Yukon Gold potatoes are particularly good if you are want chunks of potatoes like in this corn and bacon soup. Russet or baking potatoes are starchier and are the best for mashed potatoes, French fries, and latkes.

I decided to poll the Soup Lovers Facebook group which potato these soup experts use in their potato soups. And, to my surprise, there was a pretty equal split. After trying it, I think the best potatoes for potato soup are a combination of potatoes, just like the best apple pie will use a combination of apple varietals.

Leeks have a sweeter and more subtle flavor than yellow onions. If you don’t have leeks, you can sub a sweet onion like a Vidalia or Walla Walla onion in a pinch. The only fussy step in the recipe is with the leeks because they tend to accumulate dirt as they grow.

How to clean leeks

The four panels below show you how to clean leeks. First trim the ends of the leek (Panel #2, below).

four panels showing how to clean leeks.

Next, make a partial cut running lengthwise from top to bottom of the leek (Panel #3). Spread the layers apart to look for dirt (Panel #4) and run the leek under the faucet to clean. Easy!

Please see the recipe card below for complete information on ingredients and quantities.

Variations and substitutions

This is one time where a recipe with a small number of ingredients truly doesn’t need anything more. But, if you want to, here are a few suggestions:

  • Use some other member of the onion family like sweet onions or even garlic.
  • Use sweet potato instead of or with the potato.
  • Add cauliflower to make a cauliflower, leek, and potato soup. Or add broccoli.
  • Use vegetable or chicken broth in place of the water.
  • Add herbs and spices like pepper or nutmeg.
  • Add cream to finish.
  • Add a cup of cheddar or other cheese.
  • Add a garnish or two like parsley, chives, green onion, cheese, or crisped bacon.

Recipe tips and tricks

The 4-ingredient potato soup comes together in 45 minutes, most of which is hands off time. Vegetable soups are really quick to make and great for weeknight dinners.

Step 1: Melt the butter in a soup pot and cook the sliced leeks over low heat until they are soft and just beginning to brown (Panels #1 and #2 below).

five panels showing the steps in making this 4 ingredient leek and potato soup.

Step 2: Add the potatoes and salt and stir for a minute or so (Panel #3).

Step 3: Cover the vegetables with water, put the lid on the pot, and let it simmer (Panel #4).

Step 4: Once the potatoes are soft, purée the mixture and then return it to the soup pot to rewarm (Panel #5). Serve hot, warm, or even cold!

If you use a hand-held stick blender to purée soups, please make sure to unplug it before you clean it! You can read more about this and other hazards in the kitchen from a doctor’s perspective.

What to serve with this 4-ingredient potato soup

Serve this soup with:

Recipe FAQs

Can I freeze this leek and potato soup?

Yes. Soups freeze perfectly as long as you haven’t added cream, which can separate in the process of freezing and reheating. Just reheat your frozen soup gently in the microwave or a small pot with a little extra water.

Can I make this as a chunky potato soup?

Sure, it’s still a 4 ingredient potato soup if you only purée half the soup. But you’ll want to pay closer attention to how you slice the potatoes and leeks so that you have bite-sized pieces.

Can I make this vegan?

Of course, simply sub out the butter for olive oil and top with your favorite garnishes.

Check out some other soups like this corn soup with potatoes and bacon or vegetarian options like this garbanzo bean soup or this almond and broccoli soup.

Like potatoes and onions? Check out these recipes using one or the other:

Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-heart 💜💜💜💜💜 rating in the recipe card below. Let me know how much you loved it, or any problems you had, in the comments section further down.

Recipe

4 Ingredient Potato and Leek Soup

5 from 1 vote
Category: Soup
Cuisine: French
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 201kcal
This 4-ingredient potato and leek soup recipe is perfect for a weeknight. It's silky smooth and richer than you'd expect with just 4 ingredients. Add garnishes or try out some of the suggested variations.
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Equipment

  • Blender or food processor

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons (1.5 ounces) butter
  • 2 leeks, cleaned and sliced
  • 3 Yukon Gold potatoes (about 1.5 pounds), peeled and chopped
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  • Melt the butter in a soup pot over low heat.
    3 tablespoons (1.5 ounces) butter
  • Add the sliced leeks and cook until softened and just beginning to brown, about 10 minutes.
    2 leeks, cleaned and sliced
  • Add the potatoes and salt and stir to mix.
    3 Yukon Gold potatoes (about 1.5 pounds), peeled and chopped, 1 teaspoon salt
  • Cover the vegetables with water, about 4 cups, cover the pot, and simmer for about 30 minutes until you can pierce the potatoes easily with a fork.
  • Remove the pot from heat and let the potato soup cool briefly before puréeing in the blender or food processor. Return the soup to the pot and rewarm gently.

Notes

Be sure to clean your leeks by making a partial cut running lengthwise from the top to the bottom of the leek. Spread the layers apart and run the leek under the faucet to clean out any dirt.
If you use a hand-held stick blender to purée this 4-ingredient potato soup, please make sure to unplug it before you clean it! You can read more about this and other hazards in the kitchen from a doctor’s perspective.
This 4 ingredient potato and leek soup can be served hot, warm, or even cold.

Nutrition

Calories: 201kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 599mg | Potassium: 620mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1007IU | Vitamin C: 30mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 2mg
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