Go Back
Delia Smith Potato and Leek Soup
Nancy Wilson

Delia Smith Potato and Leek Soup (Leek, Onion and Potato Soup)

A smooth, creamy soup from The Delia Collection: Soup, made with leeks, onion and potato simmered in stock and milk. Serves 4 to 6.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Cooling and blending 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 4
Course: Soup
Cuisine: British
Calories: 316
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the soup
  • 4 large leeks trimmed and finely sliced
  • 1 medium onion chopped small
  • 2 medium potatoes peeled and diced
  • 50 g butter
  • 850 ml vegetable stock
  • 275 ml milk
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper
To serve
  • 2 tbsp cream or crème fraîche
  • 1.5 tbsp fresh chives snipped (or fresh parsley, chopped)

Equipment

  • Large, thick-based saucepan with a lid
  • Wooden spoon
  • Sharp knife and chopping board
  • Blender or stick blender
  • Bowl for holding the first batch if blending in batches

Method
 

  1. Prep leeks. Trim the roots and tough outer layer. Halve the leeks lengthways, slice finely, wash in two or three changes of water and drain well.
  2. Chop vegetables. Chop the onion small. Peel and dice the potatoes.
  3. Melt butter. Gently melt the butter in a large, thick-based saucepan.
  4. Sweat vegetables. Add the leeks, onion and potatoes and stir to coat in butter. Season, cover and cook over a very low heat for about 15 minutes.
  5. Add liquid. Pour in the stock and milk and bring to a simmering point.
  6. Simmer gently. Cover and simmer very gently for 20 minutes until the vegetables are soft. Keep the heat low so the milk does not boil over.
  7. Cool slightly. Take the pan off the heat and leave it for a few minutes.
  8. Blend soup. Blend until smooth, filling the blender no more than halfway and working in batches if needed.
  9. Reheat and season. Return the soup to the pan, warm it gently and adjust the seasoning.
  10. Garnish and serve. Swirl in the cream or crème fraîche and scatter over the chives or parsley.

Notes

  • No oven is used, so no fan oven or gas mark conversion applies. Use a very low hob heat for sweating and a gentle simmer after the milk goes in.
  • Use a pan of at least 3 litres. The stock and milk alone come to 1,125ml (my arithmetic), and the vegetables add more.
  • The 35 minutes on the original page is cooking time only. Plan about an hour in total, which is my estimate.
  • Fridge: cool within 1 to 2 hours and eat within 2 days (Food Standards Agency advice). Freezer: up to 3 months, without the cream. Eat within 24 hours of defrosting and do not refreeze.
  • Slice the leeks first, then wash them in several changes of water. Blend only until smooth, because over-blending potato can make it gluey.
  • Vegetarian when made with vegetable stock. Check your stock label if you need it gluten free.