This Cheesy Leek & Potato Soup is my favourite soup! It's creamy, filling and full of cheese flavour. It is everything I'm looking for in a soup! I like it chunky, with the pieces of potato and leek intact, but you could also blitz it into a puree. It's a great vegetarian soup choice, and with a couple of swaps you can make it vegan too.
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Ingredient Tips & Equipment Information
- I've made this soup with cow's milk, almond milk and oat milk. You can use either, or try making it with soy or oat milk too. I wouldn't recommend using coconut milk as it could affect the flavour
- Although I provide cup measurements, I highly recommend weighing your ingredients out using digital kitchen scales. It is the most accurate way to measure ingredients and will ensure the best results. Digital scales are very low cost and can be purchased for around £12 ($16.50).
- For teaspoon (tsp) and tablespoon (tbsp) measurements, please use measuring spoons and not the type of spoons you eat with. Again this will ensure accuracy and provide the best results.
For the full recipe with measurements, head to the recipe card at the end of this post.
How to make Cheesy Leek & Potato Soup
Start by cooking the onion and leeks in some oil and butter. Meanwhile add milk to the flour slowly and stir into a paste.
Add the flour paste, the rest of the milk, the water and the vegetable stock cubes. Also add the potatoes. Bring the mixture to a boil and boil until the potatoes are soft. Take off the heat, add the cheese and salt and stir in.
For the full recipe with measurements, head to the recipe card at the end of this post.
How should the soup be stored and can it be frozen?
Once the soup has fully cooled down you can store it in an airtight container, either in the fridge for 2-3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. It will develop a skin as it cools, and a quick stir will get rid of this. When the soup is stored in the fridge or freezer and reheated, it does thicken up more than when it is fresh. You can add a glug of milk or water as you reheat it to thin it out a bit.
Does this soup have to be served as a chunky soup?
I am a big fan of chunky leek and potato soup, so I always serve it as is, however you can definitely blitz it using a blender to make it into a smoother soup.
Can this recipe be made vegan?
Yes! You will need to use dairy free milk and either omit the cheese, or use a vegan cheese. I regularly make this soup using almond milk. You could also use soy or oat milk. I wouldn't recommend using coconut milk as it could affect the flavour. For the cheese, use a vegan option that melts well. Or you could add some nutritional yeast instead for a cheesy flavour.
What can you serve with this soup?
- Garlic bread
- Your favourite bread, spread with butter or margarine
- Crunchy croutons
- Crackers
- Grilled cheese
More tips for making the Cheesy Leek & Potato Soup:
- I've never used cornflour (corn starch) to thick the soup instead of flour, however they do both perform the same function so I have no reason to believe that you could not use cornflour instead
- My favourite cheese to use for this soup is extra mature cheddar
- This soup is great served with crusty bread and butter!
Troubleshooting
My number one tip for getting the best results is to read through this whole page of tips and recommendations before starting, and follow the recipe exactly. If you have any questions about this recipe, or if something went wrong and you need help, please use the comment form below and I will get back to you. You can also get in touch with me on my Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. I'd love to hear from you!
Recommended equipment & ingredients
- Chef's knives
- Food processor
- Garlic press
- Chopping boards
- Measuring spoons
- Kitchen scales
- Hand blender
- Ladle
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Cheesy Leek & Potato Soup
Ingredients
- ½ tbsp Vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp Butter unsalted
- 1 White onion diced
- 275 g Leeks chopped (2-3 medium sized leeks)
- 100 g Plain flour (all purpose flour)
- 1 litre Water
- 775 ml Milk any kind
- 3 Vegetable stock cubes I used Oxo
- 1 kg Potatoes peeled and diced into small cubes
- 200 g Cheddar cheese grated
- 2 tsp Salt more or less to taste
Instructions
- Add the oil and butter to a large pan and warm on a low heat until the butter is melted
- Add the sliced leeks and diced onion to the pan, and cook them for 5-8 minutes until soft
- In a mixing bowl, measure out the flour. Add some of the milk slowly, whisking as you add it. Stop when you have a smooth paste
- Add the paste to the pan, then add the rest of the milk and mix in
- Add the water, stock cubes and diced potato. Bring the mixture to a simmer and let it bubble for 15-20 minutes, until the potato pieces are soft. Make sure to stir it often so it doesn't catch on the bottom of the pan
- When it is done, turn the heat off and stir in the cheese. It will melt into the soup
- Then add salt to taste. I like to add 2 tsp, but you may like less depending on your preference or the strength of the cheese
- Serve immediately, or allow to cool fully and store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. You can also freeze this soup
Notes
- I've made this soup with cow's milk, almond milk and oat milk. You can use either, or try making it with soy or oat milk too. I wouldn't recommend using coconut milk as it could affect the flavour
- Although I provide cup measurements, I highly recommend weighing your ingredients out using digital kitchen scales. It is the most accurate way to measure ingredients and will ensure the best results. Digital scales are very low cost and can be purchased for around £12 ($16.50).
- For teaspoon (tsp) and tablespoon (tbsp) measurements, please use measuring spoons and not the type of spoons you eat with. Again this will ensure accuracy and provide the best results.
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