Meatless Friday: Potato Leek Soup

Kate Taliaferro shares a simple recipe for a meatless soup your family will enjoy at any time of year.

I love simple food. Few ingredients, classic cooking methods, things I have on hand. I also enjoy learning about new ingredients that could become staples in my pantry. I hope that my children, upon leaving our home, will have a wide range of knowledge about food from all over the world and be comfortable preparing a variety of dishes for themselves and others. The ingredient I’m currently learning how to cook well with is leeks.

Leeks are in the onion/garlic/scallion family. They are milder than onions and cook up with a sweeter, almost creamy texture. They are also very nutrient dense: lots of vitamins, low calories. Learn more about leeks and nutrition at WebMD.com. 

Below is a very simple, few ingredient Potato and Leek Soup recipe. This is going to become a staple for our family during Lent. Everyone ate it (we have 6 kids under age 10) and it goes great with a hunk of sourdough bread. 

Bonus – you only need the stem of the leeks, not the leaves (they are too tough for this recipe). However, you can freeze the green, leaf tops to use for veggie stock which you can then use when you make this recipe again because you’re going to love it so much!

Click to tweet:
For #MeatlessFriday: a simple recipe for a meatless soup your family will enjoy at any time of year. #catholicmom

Potato Leek Soup

Ingredients 

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 medium leeks, cleaned and thinly sliced (stem only, discard or freeze tops)
1 cup celery, thinly sliced
2 to 4 teaspoons garlic, finely minced
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
4 to 5 medium russet potatoes, diced (I left the skins on for my version for the sake of the nutrients. I do believe it made the broth a bit darker than if I had peeled them)
6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 tablespoon chicken base (Better than Bouillon)
Extra stock or water to thin, if necessary
Sour cream and chives to garnish (optional)

Directions 

Heat oil in a large stock pot or Dutch oven. Add leeks and celery and cook until vegetables are tender, about 8-10 minutes. Add garlic and pepper. Cook for an additional minute, being careful not to burn the garlic. Add potatoes, stock and the chicken base. Bring to a biol, then turn down the heat and simmer for about 30-40 minutes until potatoes are tender. Add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with sour cream and chives. 

Note: To clean leeks, slice and place in a bowl of cool water for soaking in order to let dirt sink to the bottom, remove leeks and place in a mesh strainer to drain. 

Serves 4 to 6 depending on bowl size and how much bread you use 

Recipe inspired by one found in the Emerson Creek Pottery and Tearoom Cookbook

Copyright 2021 Kate Taliaferro
Images (from top): Canva Pro; copyright 2021 Kate Taliaferro, all rights reserved.