Potato Leek Soup

🧂 Ingredients

• 2½ lbs Yukon gold potatoes ($3.02*)
• 3 Tbsp salted butter ($0.33)
• 1 Tbsp olive oil ($0.18)
• 2 leeks (minced, (1½ lbs untrimmed) $2.39)
• 3 garlic cloves (minced, $0.12)
• 1 tsp salt ($0.01)
• 1 tsp black pepper (freshly cracked, $0.05)
• 1 sprig fresh thyme (or ½ tsp if using dry thyme, $0.09)
• 1 bay leaf ($0.14)
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar ($0.01)
• 6 cups vegetable broth ($0.54**)
• 1 cup heavy cream (room temperature, $1.32)
• 1 green onion (minced, $0.12)
• 1-2 Tbsp cornstarch (optional, (as needed) $0.14***)

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1

   Gather all the ingredients.

2. 2

   Boil potatoes (skin on) until fork tender, 15-20 minutes.

3. 3

   Meanwhile, trim and clean leeks. I separate the tough outer layers and the ends from the tender, inner layers. You want to use the inner layers in your soup!

4. 4

   Rinse any dirt off the tough outer leaves and ends and save it for future stock. Nothing goes to waste in our budget-friendly kitchen!

5. 5

   Mince the green onion, leeks, and garlic.

6. 6

   Strain potatoes once fork tender.

7. 7

   Melt butter and oil in the same pot you boiled the potatoes in and add prepared leeks, garlic, salt, and black pepper. Sauté until softened, about 8 minutes over medium heat.

8. 8

   Dice 2 cups of the potatoes into ½” pieces. Set aside.

9. 9

   Add whole potatoes, thyme, bay leaf, apple cider vinegar, and vegetable broth to the pot with the sauteed leeks. Bring to a simmer.

10. 10

    Mash the potatoes in the pot while simmering.

11. 11

    Remove bay leaf and thyme stem. Temper the cream by adding some of the hot broth to the room temperature heavy cream.

12. 12

    Add the tempered cream to the pot and turn the heat down to low, simmering for 5-8 minutes.

13. 13

    Ladle half of the soup broth (with chunks of potatoes and leeks included) into a blender. Let it cool for a few minutes before blending until smooth.****

14. 14

    Pour the pureed soup back into the simmering pot with the rest of the soup.

15. 15

    Add the green onions and reserved diced potatoes into the pot.

16. 16

    Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper, if desired. (Add corn starch to thicken by creating a slurry, if desired.) Serve and enjoy.