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    Home » Soups & Salads

    Updated: May 16, 2024 · Published: Apr 16, 2024 · by Angela · This post may contain affiliate links · 5 Comments

    Slow Cooker Potato Leek Soup

    Jump to Recipe

    Slow cooker potato leek soup is a rich & creamy soup that is wonderful for lunch or a first course at dinner. This Crock-Pot recipe is quick & easy with a lot of flavors. This French classic is so comforting & delicious you will wonder where this recipe has been your whole life.

    Slow Cooker Potato Leek Soup PN1 overhead of 2 bowls filled ready to eat with parsley on top and crackers and spoon to the side

    Leeks and potatoes are a classic combination for a hearty yet smooth soup. It has a bit of cayenne for some heat that pairs well with the heavy cream for balance.  Cream of potato leek soup has a pungent onion flavor from the leeks combined with the starchy potatoes. Finally, the rich mouth-feel of the cream gives an all-around delightful taste. 

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients for Slow Cooker Potato Leek Soup
    • How to Make Slow-Cooker Potato Leek Soup
    • How to Clean Leeks
    • Cook the Leeks
    • Cook the Soup in the Crock-Pot
    • Puree the Potato Leek Soup
    • Substitutions & Variations
    • Toppings for Potato Leek Soup
    • How to Store & Reheat Potato Leek Soup
    • Slow Cooker Potato Leek Soup

    Ingredients for Slow Cooker Potato Leek Soup

    This simple recipe uses a combination of pantry staples and fresh ingredients. All are relatively inexpensive and easy to find in most grocery stores.

    Slow Cooker Potato Leek Soup ingredients
    • Salted Butter - added flavor and perfect for sauteeing the leeks before they go into the slow cooker
    • Leeks - clean & sliced leeks (about 1.5 large or 2-3 regular)
    • Garlic - pairs well with leeks
    • Yukon Gold Potatoes - these thin-skinned buttery potatoes work best
    • Bay leaf - a classic creamed soup ingredient
    • Salt & Pepper - season to taste
    • Dry Thyme - the perfect accompaniment for leeks
    • Cayenne pepper - the heat offsets all the richness of the cream
    • Chicken or vegetable broth - use vegetable broth for a vegetarian version
    • Heavy Whipping Cream - full-fat for richness & a thick creamy texture
    • Cheddar Cheese - medium or sharp is best and is the secret ingredient for added flavor

    See the Recipe Card for amounts & full instructions.

    NOTE: This is a gluten-free soup that is still thick and creamy - thanks to the potatoes. There is no flour or roux for this recipe.

    How to Make Slow-Cooker Potato Leek Soup

    Begin this recipe by prepping and cleaning the leeks, since this will be the main step that is really time-consuming. Slice the leeks into rings, both the white & green parts. 

    Keep in mind leeks are a member of the onion family, so there will be fumes that could bother your eyes. Do not touch your face while handling cut leeks, make sure to wash your hands thoroughly. 

    How to Clean Leeks

    Here are the simple steps for the best way to slice, clean, & prep leeks. Because they are buried in the soil, how they grow results in a gritty vegetable that needs a thorough cleaning.

    • Slice the leeks into rings.
    • Break the rings up and place in a large bowl.
    • Add enough water to submerge the leeks
    • Let them sit for 5 minutes so the grit, dirt, & sand can fall to the bottom of the bowl.
    • Use your hands to agitate & move them around to get them very clean.
    • Use a slotted spoon to remove them from the water and place in a colander.
    • Rinse with clean water over the leeks in the colander & set aside.
    Slow Cooker Potato Leek Soup leeks on a cutting board sliced

    While the leeks are submerged to clean, begin prepping the other ingredients.  If you have more leeks than are needed for the recipe, freeze leeks easily to use later.

    Wash, peel, and cube the Yukon gold potatoes. You will want them to be in about 1" cubes, as seen below. 

    Slow Cooker Potato Leek Soup diced potatoes on a cutting board and bowl of soaking cut leeks

    Cook the Leeks

    Over medium-low heat melt butter in a large saute pan. Once melted, add the leeks. Cook for about 5 minutes until they are tender and soft.
    Slow Cooker Potato Leek Soup leeds sauteing in a pan

    Cook the Soup in the Crock-Pot

    This soup makes a decent batch so you need a slow cooker that is big enough to hold it all. I am using a 7-Quart CrockPot. It fits this recipe with room to spare for when blending later (contains any possible splash!)

    To the slow cooker insert, add the leeks, potatoes, garlic, and all seasonings through the cayenne pepper.  Next, pour in your broth of choice either chicken or a vegetarian broth.  Set the slow cooker to low for 8 hours or high for 5 hours. 
     
    How do you know when potato leek soup in the slow cooker is done?  It takes anywhere from 5-8 hours to cook, you will want the potatoes to be soft and tender and the leeks to be almost falling apart with the stir of a spoon.  Once cooked, remove the bay leaf. Let the slow cooker then sit on warm or low if your slow cooker doesn't have a "warm setting".
    Slow Cooker Potato Leek Soup ingredients in the slow cooker and a mearuing cup with the broth to the side

    Puree the Potato Leek Soup

    One of my favorite cheap kitchen tools is an immersion blender. Using one here is the easiest way to puree the potato leek soup. This way you can keep the soup hot and blend!

    To puree the potato and leek soup, use the immersion blender for 1-2 minutes moving it all around to get all the soup. Make it super smooth or leave some chunks - enjoy it your way.

    Slow Cooker Potato Leek Soup with immersion blender pureeing the soup
     
    Now that the soup is blended to your liking, add the cream and shredded cheddar cheese. Stir to combine and melt through the soup. Let the dairy products warm through for about 15-30 minutes, leaving it on warm or the low setting.  
     
    Ladle the soup into a soup bowl. To serve you can also top with fresh herbs, crumbled cooked bacon, or more cheddar cheese.
    Slow Cooker Potato Leek Soup pureed in teh crock-pot with cream and cheddar cheese added

    Substitutions & Variations

    You can adjust a few ingredients in this recipe to meet special diet needs. 

    • Vegetarian - use vegetable or mushroom broth for a meat-free version.
    • Potatoes - if you cannot find the Yukon gold you can substitute with fingerling or red potatoes (peeled). Or even cans of drained new potatoes like I use in my Potato Enchilada recipe.

    I have not tried any dairy-free milk alternatives for this recipe and do not recommend them at this time.

    Slow Cooker Potato Leek Soup overhead shot of soup ready to eat in the crockpot and a bowl filled and spoon

    Toppings for Potato Leek Soup

    To add more flavor and fun to potato leek soup, try one or more of these great topping ideas.

    • Crumbled cook pork or turkey bacon
    • Minced fresh herbs like parsley, dill, & chives
    • Shredded cheddar cheese
    • A drizzle of heavy cream or sour cream
    • Homemade air fryer croutons or oyster crackers
    • A dash of hot sauce
    Slow Cooker Potato Leek Soup two bowls ready to eat with spoon and crackers

    How to Store & Reheat Potato Leek Soup

    Store in the refrigerator in an air-tight container for up to 5 days. You can also freeze it for up to a month.

    To thaw, defrost for 2 days in the refrigerator. Reheat on the stove or microwave and add a touch of cream again to bring back the creamy texture.
     
    Slow Cooker Potato Leek Soup PINREDO closeup overhead of a white bowl filled with soup and crackers to the side
    Slow Cooker Potato Leek Soup overhead

    Slow Cooker Potato Leek Soup

    Angela
    Slow cooker potato leek soup is a rich & creamy soup that is wonderful for lunch or a first course at dinner. Leeks and potatoes are a classic combination for a hearty yet smooth soup. It has a bit of cayenne for some heat that pairs well with the heavy cream for balance.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Share on Facebook
    Prep Time 20 minutes mins
    Cook Time 4 hours hrs
    Total Time 4 hours hrs 20 minutes mins
    Course Side Dish, Soup
    Cuisine American
    Servings 12
    Calories 166 kcal

    Equipment

    • Slow Cooker

    Ingredients
      

    • 3 tablespoons salted butter
    • 4 cups clean & sliced leeks about 1.5 large or 2-3 regular
    • 3 cloves garlic
    • 1 pound Yukon gold potatoes washed & peeled
    • 1 bay leaf
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
    • ¼ teaspoon dry thyme
    • ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
    • 5 cups chicken or vegetable broth
    • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
    • ½ cup cheddar cheese grated
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • Slice the leeks into rings, both the white & green parts. Place them in a large bowl and separate the rings so they are exposed and can clean easily. Now add enough water to submerge them. This is how you will clean them.
      Let the grit or sand that is inside the leeks fall to the bottom of the bowl & let them sit for at least 5 minutes in the water. Use your hands to agitate & move them around every minute or so to really work the dirt out.
    • After the leeks have been soaking for about 5 minutes, using your hands or a large slotted spoon, remove them from the large bowl of water and place them in a colander. Rinse with clean water to get any last bit of dirt from the leeks. Let sit to dry a bit while prepping the remaining ingredients.
    • Wash, peel, and cut the potatoes into 1" cubes. Also, peel the garlic from the clove and remove the outer skin. There is no need to cut the garlic, it will cook easily in the slow cooker and will be pureed later.
    • Over medium-low heat melt butter in a large saute pan. Once melted, add the leeks. Cook for about 5 minutes until they are tender and soft.
    • To the slow cooker insert, add the leeks, potatoes, garlic, and all seasonings through the cayenne pepper.
      Pour in your broth of choice either chicken or a vegetarian broth.
    • Set the slow cooker to low for 8 hours or high for 5 hours.
      The potatoes should be tender and soft when the cooking stage is done. Remove the bay leaf. Let the slow cooker then sit on warm or low if your slow cooker doesn't have a "warm setting".
    • Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until it is smooth.
    • Add the cream and shredded cheddar cheese. Stir to combine and melt through the soup. Let the dairy products warm through for about 15-30 minutes, leaving it on warm or the low setting.
    • Ladle the soup into a soup bowl. To serve you can also top with fresh herbs, crumbled cooked bacon, or more cheddar cheese.
    • Store in the refrigerator in an air-tight container for up to 5 days. You can also freeze it for up to a month.
      To thaw, defrost for 2 days in the refrigerator. Reheat on the stove or microwave and add a touch of cream again to bring back the creamy texture.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 166kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 4gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 37mgSodium: 624mgPotassium: 258mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 933IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 75mgIron: 1mg
    Keyword comfort food, creamy, crock pot, dairy, easy, fall, slow cooker, soup, spicy, vegetable, winter
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    « Potato Enchiladas
    Slow Cooker No-Bean Chili »

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Caroline Parrott says

      October 28, 2021 at 9:39 am

      I bet those leeks saute-ing made the house smell awesome!

      Reply
      • Angela says

        October 28, 2021 at 12:34 pm

        They sure did. The only hard part is waiting the hours for the slow-cooked soup to be done but it is worth it.

        Reply
    2. Dorothy says

      November 17, 2021 at 4:45 pm

      5 stars
      This hit the spot and a good soup recipe. Creamed soups are my favorite and besides clam chowder this is my favorite and a keeper of a recipe.

      Reply
    3. Holly says

      November 12, 2023 at 5:39 am

      What is the serving size? This does not appear to be a low calorie soup.

      Reply
      • Angela says

        November 13, 2023 at 1:11 pm

        Hi - the soup makes 12 servings and is 152 calories per serving. The recipe card in the post includes full nutritional information in the notes.

        Reply

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