Creamy Potato Soup
Posted: | Categories: Recipes | Tags:soup winter
Creamy Potato Soup
Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users
Author:
Melissa Ben-Ishay
I famously do not like creamy, blended soups. Too much like baby food! To get away from a baby food texture, I added crunchy, cheesy croutons to the top of this soup. It’s the perfect combination of cozy, comforting soup, and adding caulflower makes it a bit lighter while boosting the soup’s creaminess (it’s packed with pectin, which gives a creamy texture without adding any dairy).
Ingredients
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2 large leeks, light green and white parts
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1 tablespoon avocado oil
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1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
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Black pepper
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5 Yukon gold potatoes
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5 garlic cloves
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1 small head cauliflower
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4 cups broth
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1 teaspoon garlic powder
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1 teaspoon oregano
For the croutons
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3 garlic cloves
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1 tablespoon olive oil
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½ teaspoon salt
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Black pepper
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4 slices sourdough bread
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¼ cup Parmesan, plus more for topping
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Wash the leeks well (get all the sand out of the layers), cut in half lengthwise, then roughly chop. If your leeks are really sandy, add them to a salad spinner after chopping to wash again.
- Heat two teaspoons of oil in a large, high-walled pan with a tight-fitting lid over medium heat. Add the leeks and cook for 7-10 minutes, until soft. Season with ¼ teaspoon salt and a few turns of black pepper, stirring occasionally. Remove the leeks from the pan and set on a nearby plate or bowl.
- While the leeks cook, prep the potatoes. Peel off the skins and cut into 1” slices. Add 2 more teaspoons of oil to the pan and add the potatoes and 5 garlic cloves. Season with ¼ teaspoon salt and a few turns of black pepper. Cook for 10-15 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden on both sides and soft. If the garlic starts to brown, remove it from the pan and keep with the leeks.
- Cut the cauliflower into 1” florets and add to the pan with the potatoes. Return the leeks and garlic to the pan.
- Pour in the broth, stirring slightly to lift up anything that might be stuck on the pan. Season with ½ teaspoon salt, a few more turns of pepper, garlic powder, and oregano. Stir everything together, reduce heat to low, and cover the pan. Cook for 15-20 minutes, until the veggies are completely softened.
- While the veggies cook, make the croutons. Grate the remaining 3 garlic cloves in a large bowl and stir in the olive oil. Add ½ teaspoon salt and a few turns of black pepper and stir the mixture together.
- Cut the bread into ¾” cubes and add to the bowl. Mix well to get the bread covered in the garlicky oil, then top with ¼ cup Parmesan. Use your hands to get the bread well coated in cheese and garlic.
- Transfer the Parm-coated bread to the prepared baking sheet and grate more cheese on top.
- Bake the croutons for 7-10 minutes, until golden brown and crispy.
- Use a ladle to transfer the veggies and some of the broth into a high-powered blender. Pulse until completely smooth, adding extra broth as needed to adjust the consistency. This is personal preference!
- Once you’ve reached your desired texture, taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
- Top the soup with the garlicky croutons just before serving so they don’t get soggy. Store any leftovers separately, and reheat the croutons in the oven just until warmed through.
What You'll Need
