Photo by Heidi Harris
Potato Leek Soup with a generous topping of crunchy croutons
The abundance of leeks and garlic in Joseph Marini’s Potato Leek Soup makes it very silky and rich with flavor. It’s a simple soup that leaves the soul feeling nourished and enriched.
Serves 6-8
Ingredients
- 8 russet potatoes
- 1 bunch of leeks (2 large stalks)
- ½ cup garlic cloves
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 3 cups vegetable stock
- 8 cups water
- 5 tablespoons kosher salt
- 3 teaspoons white pepper
Directions
1 | Peel the potatoes, cut into 1″ cubes, and set aside in a bowl with enough water to cover the potatoes.
2 | Trim half of the green part from the leeks and remove the bottom, then slice them in half lengthwise. Wash the leeks in water very well to remove all the sand. Chop the leeks and set them aside.
3 | Crush the garlic with the back of a knife and set it aside. In a large stockpot on medium heat, sauté the leeks and garlic in olive oil until the leeks are soft. Add the stock, water, and potatoes along with 3 tablespoons of kosher salt and 2 teaspoons of white pepper.
4 | Allow the soup to simmer until the potatoes are very soft and easily fall apart when poked with a fork. Set up a food processor and an empty bowl for transferring the soup. Remove the soup from the stove and place it next to a food processor. Using a ladle, scoop the cooked potatoes and leeks along with the liquid into the food processor and blend until smooth.
5 | Transfer the puree to a clean bowl and repeat until all of the cooked potatoes and liquid has been processed. Use the additional salt and pepper to season to taste as needed. The pureed soup should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, but not so thick that it resembles loose mashed potatoes.
6 | Adjust by adding a little hot water if needed until the desired consistency is reached. Serve hot or allow it to cool and store in a refrigerator for up to four days.
See more of Joseph’s crowd-pleasing soup recipes!
By Joseph Marini
Photography by Heidi Harris
Excerpted from Mastering the Art of Entertaining (SparkPress, 2023).
“I’m often asked why I love entertaining so much. It took me a long time to understand the answer to this. Fitting in, even sometimes within a family, can be difficult. By entertaining, I was allowing myself to be vulnerable enough to be seen for who I was. It allowed me to create a group of family and friends that would truly see and appreciate my authenticity. I now realize the rewards of living intentionally and opening up m home (and heart) to bring people together over food.”
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