Hearty Potato and Leek Soup With Bacon Recipe

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Updated on 03/1/22
Potato and leek soup

David Marsden / Photolibrary / Getty Images
Prep: 25 mins
Cook: 45 mins
Total: 70 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
289 Calories
18g Fat
26g Carbs
9g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 289
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 18g 23%
Saturated Fat 9g 47%
Cholesterol 48mg 16%
Sodium 751mg 33%
Total Carbohydrate 26g 9%
Dietary Fiber 2g 8%
Total Sugars 7g
Protein 9g
Vitamin C 11mg 53%
Calcium 127mg 10%
Iron 2mg 10%
Potassium 557mg 12%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Creamy, delicious potato leek soup with bacon. So budget-friendly and comforting for those chilly fall days or cold winter evenings. This recipe is ready in about an hour, and the aroma wafting through the house will have you getting a bowl ready to put some of this fabulous soup in. Crumbled, cooked bacon flavors this hearty potato soup, along with leeks and onions. Sprinkled with the bacon, and fresh chopped parsley or sliced green onion tops for a decorative and delightful finishing touch.

Select a starchy potato such as russets or Yukon Gold to use as they hold together well and are ideal to put in soups. Make your own chicken broth or use vegetable broth instead. 

Fresh leeks are more readily available in September through April and are usually bought in bunches of four. Look for leeks that have a bulb that is clean, white, and slender and the tops are dark green, rolled, and firm. Leeks are a part of the onion family and have a mild, slightly sweet taste. For this soup, you should only use the white part of the leek.

Serve it with crusty rolls or cornbread and a tossed salad for a satisfying meal. You might also choose to cut some thick slices of homemade bread for dipping into the soup.

Ingredients

  • 4 slices bacon

  • 2 large leeks, white part only, thinly sliced

  • 1 medium onion, diced

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

  • 3 cups chicken broth

  • 2 cups diced potatoes

  • 2 cups half-and-half, or whole milk

  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

  • Salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • Thinly sliced green onion tops, or more chopped parsley, for garnish

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients. 

  2. Cook bacon in a large saucepan over medium heat until almost crisp; remove the bacon to paper towels and crumble. Set aside. Pour off all but 1 teaspoon of the drippings off.

  3. Add leeks and diced onion along with butter and oil. Cook the mixture, stirring, until leeks are tender, about 10 minutes.

  4. Sprinkle the flour over the onion mixture and blend in. Stir in chicken broth and potatoes. Cook stirring, until thickened.

  5. Cover and simmer over low heat until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

  6. Stir in half-and-half or whole milk, whichever you're using, and heat through.

  7. Add the chopped parsley and salt and pepper to taste.

  8. Garnish with the crumbled bacon and fresh chopped parsley or thinly sliced green onion tops.

Tips

Use russets or Yukon Gold for the potatoes.

Recipe Variation

Substitute vegetable broth in place of the chicken broth. 

How to Store and Freeze Soup

The soup should be cooled down before storing.


  • Soup can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
  • This potato leek soup can also be frozen. Place it in freezer-safe containers or freezer bags with the excess air pressed out and put in the freezer where it can be stored for up to three months.