Simple Bacon Potato and Leek Soup

5 from 1 vote

Thick and creamy bacon potato and leek soup: all come together quickly to make a comforting and satisfying soup for the colder days of the year.

Prep Time15

Cook Time40

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American, British, German

Servings: people

Calories: 651kcal

Author: Adina

Leeks: Wash, top, and tail them, discarding the wilted dark green ends (about 1 inch/ 2 cm). Slice them lengthwise, starting at the transition between the white and the green part and moving the knife towards the top of the plant.
Wash leeks: Fan open the layers without taking the leek apart and rinse under cold running water until all the dirt is removed.
Chop the leeks and celery.
1 lb leeks / 450 g + 1 celery stalk
Potatoes: Peel, wash and cut them into cubes.
2 lbs potatoes / 900 g
Sauté: Heat oil and butter, and add leeks and celery. Cook them, often stirring, for 5 minutes until softer. Add potatoes and stir for another 2-3 minutes.
1 tablespoon olive oil + 1 tablespoon butter
Simmer: Add stock, thyme, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil and simmer on low heat for 15-20 until the potatoes are soft.
4 cups chicken stock or vegetable broth / 1 liter + 1 teaspoon thyme + 1 bay leaf + 1 teaspoon fine sea salt + ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Blend: Remove the bay leaf, add cream, and blend the soup with an immersion blender (Notes 4 and 5).
¾ cup heavy cream / 175 ml
Adjust the taste with a few gratings of nutmeg, salt, and lots of freshly ground black pepper.
a few gratings of nutmeg
Fry the bacon in the pan just before serving. Break it into smaller pieces or crumble it over each bowl of soup. Sprinkle fresh thyme, chives, or parsley on top and serve immediately.
8 slices streaky bacon + fresh thyme, chives, or parsley

Leeks: Weighed after cleaning. They come in very different sizes, I had two large ones, but you might need up to 4-5 smaller ones.
Butter: Salted or unsalted; adjust the amount of salt you need accordingly.
All-purpose potatoes like Yukon or white potatoes; they are between waxy and starchy.
It’s preferable to always use an immersion blender for blending soups or other hot liquids.
Blending in a food processor: Place a folded towel on the machine’s lid. Blend the soup in batches, and increase the speed only gradually to avoid the lid exploding and causing burns or other damages.