Potato-Leek Soup with Roasted Garlic (No Milk or Cream)
This thick, creamy potato soup with leeks is infused with sweet, savory roasted garlic. There’s no milk and no flour, but I use a simple technique to create a satisfying velvety texture anyway. And to make each bowl a little special, garnish with crispy chunks of roasted potatoes scattered over the top.
Ingredients
- 1 head of garlic separated into cloves and peeled
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt
- 6 cups vegetable broth or water
- 3 pounds yellow potatoes such as Yukon Gold (peeled or unpeeled as you prefer) cut into 1½-inch dice
- 1 leek white and light green parts thinly sliced, or 1 medium onion, chopped
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Instructions
Roast the garlic and potatoes
- Heat the oven to 425 (220 C) degrees.
- Put the garlic cloves in a small baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with a pinch of salt and cover with a piece of foil. Roast until the cloves are soft and golden brown, 20-25 minutes. (The roasted garlic can be prepared up to 5 days ahead. Store in the refrigerator in a covered container).
- Put 2 cups of the potatoes on a baking sheet. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and ½ teaspoon salt and toss around to coat. Put them in the oven next to the garlic, and roast until tender, 25-30 minutes.
Make the soup
- Meanwhile, heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the leek and cook until softened. Add the roasted garlic, remaining raw potatoes, 6 cups broth and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 25 minutes.
- Puree the soup with a hand blender or in a regular blender in batches (let it cool 10 minutes before putting in the blender) until smooth. Stir in ¼ cup of the Parmesan cheese and the lemon juice.
- To serve, put 4 or 5 roasted potatoes in each serving bowl. Ladle the soup over the potatoes. Sprinkle with additional cheese and the parsley.
Notes
- The soup will keep refrigerated 3-4 days, or frozen in small containers up to one month. Cool the soup completely before freezing to avoid ice crystals from forming.
- Pro tip for peeling garlic: Separate unpeeled garlic cloves from the head. Put them in a bowl and cover with cold water. Soak the cloves 15-30 minutes, then drain. The skins should loosen and peel away easily.
Nutrition
Calories: 230kcalCarbohydrates: 45gProtein: 8gFat: 2gSodium: 1091mgFiber: 5gSugar: 4g
