Creamy Leek & Potato Harvest Soup

Enough for the Whole Village Creamy Leek & Potato Soup.

Creamy, hearty and packed with vegetables, this potato and leek soup gets extra body from parsnips, carrots and quinoa. Slowly browned onions, plenty of thyme and white pepper give the broth a warm, savoury flavour, while half-and-half makes everything creamy without making the soup overly heavy. So bring out the BIG pot and lets begin.

Servings: 8–10 Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 50–60 minutes Total Time: About 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients:

Vegetables

• 2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced

• 3 large leeks, white and light green parts only

• 4–5 large potatoes (about 1.2–1.5 kg / 2½–3¼ lb), peeled and roughly chopped

• 4 medium parsnips (about 450–500 g / 1 lb), peeled and roughly chopped

• 4 medium carrots (about 400–450 g / 14–16 oz), peeled and roughly chopped

• 4 celery stalks, left whole or cut in half so they're easy to remove
  

Broth & Seasonings

• 2–3 tbsp butter or olive oil, for cooking the onions

• 2 L (8½ cups) vegetable broth

• 2 bay leaves

• 8–10 whole black peppercorns

• 1½ tbsp dried ground thyme, plus more to taste

• 1 tsp ground white pepper, plus more to taste

• 1–2 tsp salt, to start, then adjust to taste depending on the saltiness of your broth
  

To Finish

• 1 cup (170 g) dry quinoa, thoroughly rinsed

• 2 cups (473 mL) half-and-half cream (10% cream)
  

Directions

1. Clean and prepare the leeks

Cut off the root ends and remove the tough, dark green tops. Keep the white and light green portions!

Slice the leeks in half lengthwise, then slice them into half-moons. Place the sliced leeks in a large bowl of cold water and use your hands to gently separate the layers.

Swish the leeks around thoroughly to loosen any trapped dirt or grit, then let them sit for a few minutes so the dirt settles to the bottom.

Lift the leeks out of the water with your hands or a slotted spoon rather than pouring the entire bowl through a strainer. If there is still visible grit, repeat with fresh water. Drain well.

2. Slowly brown the onions

Heat 2–3 tablespoons of butter or olive oil in a large soup pot over low to medium-low heat.

Add the 2 sliced onions and cook slowly for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until very soft and golden.

Don't rush this step—the browned onions add a deeper, slightly sweet flavour to the finished soup.

3. Add the leeks

Add the 3 cleaned and sliced leeks and cook for another 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.

4. Add the vegetables and seasonings

Add the 4–5 chopped potatoes, 4 parsnips, 4 carrots and 4 celery stalks.

Pour in 2 litres of vegetable broth(if using store bought, buy low sodium!)

Add 2 bay leaves, 8–10 whole peppercorns, 1½ tablespoons ground thyme, 1 teaspoon white pepper and 1 teaspoon salt.

You can always add more thyme, white pepper and salt at the end, so season conservatively if your vegetable broth is already salty.

5. Simmer

Bring the soup to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and partially cover the pot.

Simmer for 25–30 minutes, or until the potatoes, carrots and parsnips are completely tender.

6. Remove the aromatics

Remove the celery stalks and bay leaves. Remove as many of the whole peppercorns as you can easily find.

Tip: To make this easier, put the bay leaves and peppercorns into a tea infuser or small cheesecloth bundle before adding them to the pot. Then you can lift them out all at once.

7. Blend

Using an immersion blender, purée the soup until smooth and creamy.

If it is thicker than you'd like, add a little additional vegetable broth until it reaches your preferred consistency.

8. Add the quinoa

Thoroughly rinse 1 cup of dry quinoa under cold running water.

Stir the quinoa directly into the blended soup and return it to a gentle simmer.

Cook for approximately 15–20 minutes, stirring regularly and scraping along the bottom of the pot so the thick soup doesn't stick.

The quinoa is ready when it's tender and its little white "tails" become visible.

9. Add the cream

Once the quinoa is cooked, reduce the heat to low and stir in 2 cups (473 mL) half-and-half cream.

Warm gently until heated through. Avoid bringing the soup to a hard boil after adding the cream.

10. Season to taste

Taste and adjust the salt, thyme and white pepper.

If the quinoa has absorbed more liquid than you'd like, thin the soup with additional vegetable broth, milk or cream.

A Note About the Quinoa

Yes, there's quinoa in my potato and leek soup—and it works!

The quinoa gives the soup extra texture and turns an already creamy vegetable soup into a much more substantial meal. It goes surprisingly well with the potatoes, leeks and root vegetables without taking over the flavour.

Quinoa will continue to absorb liquid as it sits, so the soup will thicken considerably in the fridge. When reheating, add a splash of vegetable broth, milk or cream until it's back to the consistency you like.