Slow Cooker Potato Leek Soup
29 Comments Oct 02, 2021
Updated Feb 22, 2024
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Slow Cooker Potato Leek Soup is one of the most amazing and flavorful soups. Loaded with Yukon gold potatoes, leeks, herbs, and heavy cream, this creamy soup cooks slowly while you carry on with your day.
If you are wanting a hashbrown-style soup, try my Hashbrown Potato Leek Soup Recipe.
Table of Contents
Why This Soup Works
This is a delicious soup. The herbs combine with the leeks and potatoes for an incredibly creamy soup. This soup is great by itself, or you can serve it with crusty bread.
Because it cooks the slow cooker potato leek soup cooks in the crockpot, you can go about your day and let the slow cooker do its thing. Slow-cooked food just tastes better, and this is one of those recipes that prove it.
Sometimes potato leek soup is called Vichyssoise Soup which means cream of potato leek soup in French, though Vichyssoise is served cold.
How to make slow cooker potato leek soup
- Leeks – These look like giant green onions and have so much flavor! Be sure to cut, then rinse these for they are filled with sand.
- Salted butter – You will use this to brown the leeks in, this will add a carmalized flavor to the soup
- Seasonings: Garlic, salt, pepper, bay leaves, and thyme.
- Yukon gold potatoes – Buttery yukon gold potatoes are the best choice for this soup, they have a creaminess that russet potatoes do not.
- Chicken broth – Can use low sodium if you are cutting back.
- Heavy cream – This is added at the end of the cooking time to top off the flavor for the soup.
Step By Step Directions
Step One: You’ll want the round, lighter part of the leeks for this recipe, cut into rounds or half moons. The dark green part of the leek can be tough and chewy.
Step Two: Over medium-high heat, combine the leeks with the butter and garlic in a large skillet. Cook until the leeks are soft.
Step Three: Add the potatoes (peeled or unpeeled), bay leaves, thyme, salt, and pepper to the slow cooker.
Step Four: Add the broth to the slow cooker and place the lid on top. Cook on HIGH for 5 hours or LOW for 8 hours.
Step Five: Remove the bay leaves and thyme sprigs from the soup after the potatoes are softened. Using an Immersion Blender (or food processor), puree the soup.
Step Six: Add the cream to the soup, then blend it once again. Garnish with chives and serve the Potato Leek Soup with crusty bread.
Variations
I love to change recipes to suit the people I am making them for. With this recipe, there are simple things that you can do to change it up.
- Add Bacon. Who doesn’t love bacon! You can certainly add bacon to this soup. You will want to add it at the end when you are serving the soup. Use crispy bacon and crumble it over the top.
- Switch the Herbs. I love this recipe because it is super flexible and you can change it up to suit your tastes. If you don’t like one of the ingredients, simply swap it out for something else that you do like.
- Make it Vegetarian- This recipe uses chicken broth as well as butter and cream. You can make it vegetarian by using vegetable broth. If you wanted to make it vegan, you will need to use a butter substitute as well as a cream substitute. Often times, vegan cream cheese can be used in place of heavy cream.
Recipe FAQs
Leeks are typically pretty dirty inside the layers. To clean, slice off any dark green parts and discard. Cut leeks in half lengthwise and rinse under cold water to remove any dirt trapped between leaves. Cut into your desired size, based on the recipe you’ll be following, in this case, you want to cut the leeks into thin slices.
This recipe should last about 4 days in the fridge if you store it properly. After the soup has cooled, you need to store it in an airtight container or use a freezer bag.
What kind of potatoes are best for potato leek soup?
I recommend using Yukon gold potatoes. These are the best potatoes for the best texture and flavor. Yukon gold potatoes offer a creamier soup. You can also use Russet potatoes. You do not want to use other potatoes. They are not great for soups. The potatoes hold their shapes and do not break down in the soup. The soup will not puree well and you won’t get the texture you are looking for.
Potatoes don’t freeze well, they tend to get grainy after being thawed. We prefer to refrigerate this soup and eat it for lunches.
First, use Yukon gold potatoes instead of russet potatoes. Second, DO NOT over blend, it will turn into glue.
5 more potato soup recipes:
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Slow Cooker Potato Leek Soup
Ingredients
- 2 large leeks, sliced
- 3 Tbsp. salted butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 lbs. yukon gold potatoes
- 7 cups chicken broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme, or 1 tsp. dried leaf thyme (not ground)
- 1 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- fresh chives, chopped (garnish)
Instructions
- Slice the leeks, discarding the thick green pieces that are at the ends. Add to a large skillet with the butter and garlic and cook over medium-high heat until the leeks are softened.
- Add to the crock pot along with the potatoes (peeled if you prefer), bay leaves, thyme, salt and pepper.
- Add the chicken broth and close the lid. Cook on high for 5 hours or low for 8 hours.
- Once the potatoes have softened enough remove the thyme (if using fresh sprigs) and bay leaves. Use an immersion blender (or food processor or blender) to blend the soup. DO NOT over blend. If you are using a food processer or blender, you will have to blend the soup in small batches.
- Add the cream, blend again a little, then top with chives for garnish. Serve hot with crusty bread.
How to Video
Sarah’s Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
When you say not to overblend, would you think that 30 seconds in a blender on the west setting would be sufficient?
Blend until it’s just the right consistency, do it any more and you may have glue. 30 Seconds may be too long.
Got it. Thank you!
Salted or unsalted butter for the leeks?
It should be salted. I apologize for the confusion. Though you can use unsalted if that’s all you have.
Do you mean to make it vegan? It already is vegetarian
Not with chicken broth. 🙂
This was an easy to make recipe. I did substitute some turnips for some of the potatoes and omitted the bay. It was gobbled up quite quickly even by a picky 5 year old.
Delicious as written. To lighten it up, I used half and half and it was still terrific. Thanks for the great recipe.
I would recommend starting with half the amount of cream the recipe calls for and add more to taste.
I did a 1/2 batch and used 3 cups chicken bone broth + water in till it covered veggies in pot. Turned out fantastic!
Do I cook the potatoes whole in the crockpot or cut first?
If they are on the small size you can leave them whole, or cut them in half or quarter if they are large.
Excellent and easy recipe! I started too late in the day so made in on the stovetop instead of the crock pot, this is definitely a keeper.
Yukon potatoes, leeks, what is not to like. Thanks for
this lovely recipe.
K
Any tips on adding a protein source like TOFU? I try to make non-meat meals for a friend. She eats eggs though.
Thanks.