The Gray has fully descended upon the us here in the Pacific Northwest. If you’re not local to the area and not sure what I mean, imagine about 9 months of scarcely interrupted cloud cover. While I always have enjoyed autumn, the onset of ‘the rainy season’ here in Seattle is always a little daunting. After all, is anyone really ready to say goodbye to the sun for three quarters of the year? However, one welcome change with the changing seasons is the transition to more cozy, rich comfort foods. In particular, I’ve really been enjoying this Cheesy Potato Leek Soup during these cooler October days
This soup is vaguely inspired by a dish from The Melting Pot that I loved as a kid: fondue made with melty cheese, white wine, and just a hint of nutmeg. Rather than raclette and gruyere, however, I use my favorite white cheddar to pack a punch in this soup. If you have access to Beecher’s Flagship Cheddar, I highly recommend it here! If not though, Kerrygold is a great option. If possible though, please buy a block of cheese and grate it freshly before using! Fresh grated cheese has a much nicer texture, and should melt easier in the hot soup.
This Cheesy Potato Leek Soup is pretty easy to whip together. The only special equipment needed is an immersion blender or a well vented standing blender to turn this into a creamy, delicious soup. I recommend serving thick slices of crusty sourdough bread and perhaps a roasted veggie alongside this soup.
Related Recipes
This No Knead Garlic and Rosemary Loaf would be perfect to scoop up bites of soup.
If you’re looking for more vegetarian comfort foods, check out this Mushroom Pot Pie, or these Tofu Parmesan Sandwiches.
If you enjoy this soup, let me know in the comments below!
Cheesy Potato Leek Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter diced
- 4 leeks white and light green parts only, washed and sliced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- Dash nutmeg
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup grated white cheddar
- Chives to garnish
Instructions
- Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add butter.
- Add leeks and cook until tender, about 8-10 minutes.
- Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add wine and cook until wine has mostly cooked off, about 2-3 minutes
- Add broth, potatoes, salt, and pepper, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and simmer partially covered, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender, about 15-20 minutes.
- Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until only a few chunks of potato and leek remain.
- Add cream and nutmeg and stir. Let simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 10-15 minutes.
- Add shredded cheese and stir until melted. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve warm topped with chopped chives, if using.
