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This Potato, Leek, and Kale Soup is the perfect creamy comfort food to warm you up on a cold, blustery day.
One of my all-time favorite meals is potato soup. Creamy and rich, it’s comfort food in a bowl. This recipe uses golden potatoes, leeks, and kale for a super creamy and comforting bowl of soup on a cold, blustery day. Let me walk you through how to make it!
Ingredients for Potato, Leek, and Kale Soup
Bacon: The bacon is used as a topping, and some of the bacon fat is used for sauteing the vegetables.
Onion:I used a medium yellow onion for this soup.
Leeks: As leeks grow, they can get a lot of sand and dirt stuck inside. I give them a good wash before chopping, and I also rewash them in a strainer after chopping to get any remaining bits of dirt cleaned off.
Garlic cloves: You can use fresh garlic from either the garlic bulb or buy the pre-minced variety.
Golden potatoes: Gold potatoes have a lot more flavor and a creamier texture than some other types of potatoes. Their skin is pretty tender as well, so I don’t bother peeling these. The skins get pureed into the soup anyway, so it’s also easier.
Stock: I prefer chicken stock myself, but feel free to use vegetable stock if you prefer. One of my favorites is Kitchen Basics.
Milk: I’ve only tested this with cow’s milk, so 1%, 2%, or whole would be best. If you’re feeling extra, you can use half and half or heavy cream. Skim milk won’t give any creaminess because it has no fat. I have not tested it with any plant-based milk, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work as long as it’s unflavored.
Kale: I usually buy kale pre-chopped, but you can chop it yourself too. If I chop it myself, I usually got with a fine chop so that the kale cooks and wilts faster.
Extra toppings: The sky is the limit, but the go-tos would be crumbled bacon, minced chives, sour cream (or Greek yogurt), and cheese – specifically cheddar cheese works well.
How to Make Potato Leek Soup
First, you’ll cook the bacon until super crispy (so it can be crumbled later) in a large stockpot and save about 2 tbsp. of bacon fat to saute the vegetables: onions, leeks, garlic, and potatoes.
After sauteing the vegetables, you’ll add the stock and allow the potatoes to thoroughly cook for about 20-25 minutes or until the potatoes can be easily pierced with a fork.
You’ll add the milk and use an immersion stick blender to puree the soup. If you don’t have an immersion stick blender, you can transfer the soup into a regular blender to puree. You may have to work in batches, and you’ll need to transfer the soup back into the stockpot.
Once the soup is pureed, you’ll turn the heat to low if you haven’t already and add in the chopped kale. Let the soup cook with the kale in the stockpot for about 5-10 minutes or until the kale is cooked and wilted.
When you serve the soup, serve with your favorite potato soup toppings. As I mentioned above, I like bacon, minced chives, sour cream, and cheddar cheese.
Can You Freeze Potato Soup?
Unfortunately, potato soup and dairy containing soups don’t freeze that great. When they defrost, it may be separated, or the texture may be off. I don’t recommend it, but if you want to make this soup in advance and freeze it for later. You can make the soup up to step 3 and puree the soup without the milk and the kale. Then, freeze for up to 3 months. When you rewarm the soup, you can add the milk, cook until slightly thickened, add the kale, and cook for additional 5-10 minutes.
Potato, Leek, and Kale Soup
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35-40 minutes
- Total Time: 45-50 minutes
- Yield: 6–8 servings 1x
- Category: soup
- Method: stove top
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 4 slices of bacon
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 large leek, cleaned and chopped
- 3–4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 lbs. golden potatoes (about 4 larger golden potatoes), chopped
- 4 cups of stock (chicken or vegetable)
- 1 cup of milk
- 4–6 cups of fresh kale, chopped
- Salt + pepper
- Extra toppings: chives, sour cream or Greek yogurt, cheese (optional)
Instructions
- Cook bacon in a large stockpot until crispy. Drain bacon on towels and set aside. Leave about 2 tbsp. of bacon fat in the stockpot. Add onion and leeks. Season with salt and pepper. Saute 3-5 minutes.
- Add garlic and golden potatoes and saute for an additional minute. Add stock and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low-medium to simmer and cook for 20-25 minutes or until the potatoes can be easily pierced with a fork.
- Reduce heat to low, add milk, and puree using an immersion blender or transfer to a regular blender to blend in batches if needed.
- Stir chopped kale into to pureed soup in the stockpot and keep warm on low heat for additional 5-10 minutes or until kale is wilted.
- Serve with your favorite toppings.
Notes
To freeze this soup:
You can make the soup up to step 3 and puree the soup without the milk and the kale. Then, freeze for up to 3 months. When you rewarm the soup, you can add the milk, cook until slightly thickened, add the kale, and cook for additional 5-10 minutes.
Keywords: potato soup
