Creamy Vegan Potato Leek Soup
Servings: 4
Calories: 471kcal
Ingredients
- 3 large leeks
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 large sprigs fresh sage (or rosemary)
- 10 to 12 sprigs (7g) fresh thyme
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- 12 ounces (340g) Yukon gold potatoes (3 medium potatoes)
- 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper (optional; or ¼ to ½ tsp red pepper flakes)
- 4 cups (960 mL) good-quality vegetable broth
- 2 (15-ounce / 425g) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 3 ounces (85g) fresh baby spinach, chopped (optional)
Herby Oil
- 1 cup (14g) flat-leaf parsley (leaves only)
- 1 handful (8g) fresh dill (leaves only) (or more parsley)
- 2 medium lemons
- 1 clove garlic, grated or minced
- ½ teaspoon flaky sea salt
- ¼ cup (56g) extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Prep the leeks: Cut off the roots and the top few inches of dark green tops first, then thinly slice the remaining leeks. Add to a bowl of cold water and gently agitate them to loosen the dirt. Use your hands or a slotted spoon to scoop out the leeks onto a clean towel and pat dry (don’t drain them, or the dirt will fall back into the leeks).
- Make the Bouquet Garni: Gather the bay leaves, sage sprigs, and thyme sprigs in a single pile. Use kitchen twine to tightly tie them together (see Note 1). Set aside.
- Heat the 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Once shimmering, add the leeks with a few pinches of salt. Cook until softened and starting to brown, 7 to 9 minutes, stirring occasionally.a. While this cooks, rinse the potatoes, then peel and dice them.
- Add the garlic and chili flakes to the pot. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring frequently. If needed, add a splash of broth to deglaze, scraping up any browned bits. Add the broth, Bouquet Garni, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, pepper to taste, potatoes, and beans. Stir well.
- Bring the soup to a boil. Then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pot, and simmer the soup for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender, uncovering to stir a few times.
- Meanwhile, make the Herby Oil: Finely chop the parsley and dill. Using a microplane, zest the lemons on top of the parsley, then grate the garlic into the mix. Add to a small jar (this makes it easier to distribute the oil). NOTE: If you prefer things less lemony, start with 1 lemon's zest. Stir in the flaky sea salt and the ¼ cup (56g) olive oil. Taste, adding more salt to taste.
- Once the potatoes are tender, scoop out the Bouquet Garni and discard. Blend about half of the soup (3 to 3 ½ cups / 680 to 800g).a. Stand blender option: Transfer half of the soup to a stand blender. Replace the blender cap with a dish towel to allow the steam to vent. Blend until thick and smooth. Return to the pot and stir to incorporate.b. One-pot option: Use an immersion blender throughout half of the soup, but be sure to not blend it all—you want to retain some texture.
- Add the baby spinach to the soup. Simmer for 2 minutes, or until the spinach has wilted and is silky. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Serve the soup in bowls. Spoon the Herby Oil over each bowl.
Video
Notes
- If you don’t have kitchen twine to tie up the thyme/sage into a “bouquet garni”: (1) replace the twine with either (a) a long stem of flat-leaf parsley, with leaves removed or (b) plain, unwaxed dental floss; OR (2) Add the herbs to a cheesecloth and remove after simmering; OR (3) Add the thyme/sage sprigs & bay leaves whole in the soup; after simmering and before blending, use tongs to fish the whole sprigs and bay leaves out, discarding.