Creamy Potato Soup
Posted: | Categories: Recipes | Tags:soup winter
Creamy Potato Soup
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
2 large leeks, light green and white parts
1 tablespoon avocado oil
1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
Black pepper
5 Yukon gold potatoes
5 garlic cloves
1 small head cauliflower
4 cups broth
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon oregano
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3 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
Black pepper
4 slices sourdough bread
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.
