Slow COoker Potato Leek Soup
I love a nice, hearty soup on a cold winter day. This soup uses fresh vegetables and herbs, as well as some cream. While some may shy away from using heavy cream in recipes, when balanced in a healthy diet full of vegetables, fruits and other polyunsaturated fats, cream is totally fine to use occasionally. So enjoy it today! This recipe is based off of a similar recipe from themagicalslowcooker.com
Serves: 6-8
Time: 15 mins prep, 5-8 hours cook time
Ingredients
- 2 large leeks, dark green parts discarded and light colored parts sliced thin
- 3 TBS salted butter
- 2 tsp minced garlic in water
- 3 lbs Yukon gold potatoes (or russet potatoes, peeled)
- 7 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 sprigs of fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried leaf thyme)
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- Fresh chives, chopped (garnish - optional)
- Optional sides: salad and fresh bread
Method
- Prep the Leeks: Slice the leeks and discard the tough, dark green parts at the ends.
- Sauté the Aromatics: Heat a large skillet on the stove and add the butter. Once the butter is melted, add the garlic and leeks and cook over medium-high heat until the leeks are soft.
- Combine in Slow Cooker: Put the leeks into the crock pot, along with the potatoes (peeled, if desired and cut into smaller chunks if they are large), bay leaves, thyme, salt, and pepper.
- Cook: Add the chicken broth and put the lid on. Cook on high for 5 hours or low for 8 hours.
- Remove Herbs and Blend: Once the potatoes are soft, use tongs to get the bay leaves and thyme out. Use an immersion blender to blend the soup - do not overblend.
- Finish and Serve: Add the cream and blend again a little bit. Serve the soup with chives on top, if desired, and with a side salad and/or toasted sourdough bread.