This comforting Slow Cooker Potato Leek Soup is a creamy and flavorful dish made with tender leeks, Yukon gold potatoes, and a touch of fresh herbs. Slow-cooked to perfection, it offers a rich, velvety texture ideal for a cozy meal served with crusty bread.
Sauté leeks and garlic: Slice the leeks, discarding the thick green ends. Heat butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add sliced leeks and minced garlic, and cook until the leeks are softened but not browned.
Transfer ingredients to slow cooker: Add the sautéed leeks and garlic to the slow cooker along with peeled potatoes, bay leaves, thyme, salt, and pepper.
Add broth and cook: Pour in the chicken broth, cover with the lid, and cook on high for 5 hours or on low for 8 hours until the potatoes are tender.
Remove herbs and blend soup: Remove the fresh thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Blend the soup with an immersion blender until smooth but not over blended. Alternatively, blend in batches using a food processor or blender.
Add cream and finish blending: Stir in the heavy cream and blend gently again just to combine the soup smoothly.
Serve: Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with chopped fresh chives. Serve hot with crusty bread on the side.
Notes
Peeling the potatoes is optional depending on your preference for texture.
You can substitute vegetable broth to make this recipe vegetarian.
If you prefer a thinner soup, add additional broth during blending.
Use dried thyme if fresh is unavailable but reduce quantity to 1 teaspoon as indicated.
Be careful not to over-blend to maintain a creamy but slightly textured soup.
For a richer flavor, use unsalted butter and adjust salt accordingly.
