Potato Leek Soup with Roasted Garlic & Cheddar Cheese
Homemade Potato Leek Soup with Roasted Garlic & Cheddar Cheese is a flavorful, easy-to-make, bowl of comfort full of creamy potatoes, rich roasted garlic, sweet leeks, warm broth, and topped with tangy Greek yogurt. Perfect for a casual winter weeknight dinner or when you’re craving the classic soup with a gourmet twist.
I originally shared this recipe on August 25, 2012. I have updated the images and some of the text today. This post contains affiliate links.
Table of contents
Praise For Potato Leek Soup with Cheese and Garlic
When it’s winter and the days are long and cold, all we can think about is soup. And we like our soup to be a big bowl of creamy, cheesy comfort and this potato cheese soup fits the bill!
At its purest form, this soup is a delicious but humble potato leek soup that’s been elevated to the next level with the addition of rich sharp cheddar and sweet roasted garlic. This kicked-up dish really is a stick-to-your-ribs kind-of meal. With the best part being that it comes together in no time and uses easy-to-find store-bought ingredients and common pantry staples.
And while we love this easy-to-make, one-pot dish on cold chilly days, we know your family will too! It is a great lunch or dinner in a bowl. All you need to complete the meal is a chunk of crusty bread.
Key Ingredients For This Gourmet Potato Leek Soup
- Garlic: To give this potato leek soup rich complexity and kick up the flavors a notch or twelve we added in roasted garlic! You’ll need three whole heads- which sounds like a lot, but the roasting process will really mellow the flavors.
- Leeks: Use only the white and light green parts of the leek. I find that their mild onion-like, slightly sweet flavor complements the savory undertones of the dish really well. Here’s how to cut and clean the leeks
- Potatoes: Use any waxy, thin-skinned potato waxy potatoes, such as a Yukon Gold or red potatoes to produce an ultra-creamy texture pureed in this soup.
- Chicken Stock or Broth: For the base of the soup, you’ll want chicken stock or low-sodium chicken broth. While using chicken stock will produce a richer flavor base, low-sodium chicken broth is a great option to use if you are running low on time and can’t make your stock. And if you’d like to keep this vegetarian, feel free to use Vegetable Stock.
- Dry White Wine: Dry white wine brings out the flavors of this delicious soup while also adding another note of acidity. We prefer to use a Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay but feel free to use your favorite; just be sure to use a brand that does not have a lot of oak or residual sugar.
- Cheddar Cheese: Freshly shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese is used in the soup. We find that full-bodied, tangier flavors of this cheese pairs well with all the rich elements of this dish, however; if you would prefer to use just a sharp cheddar that would be delicious as well.
- Kitchen Staples: Salt and Pepper and Olive Oil
- Fresh thyme: To season
- Greek yogurt and Scallions: For garnish
Step-By-Step Instructions To Make Leek Potato Cheese Soup
Step 1: Preheat Oven
Preheat oven to 350 °F.
Step 2: Roast Garlic
With a serrated knife, cut the ends of the garlic head off, exposing individual tips of garlic cloves. Place root-side down on a double layer of foil and drizzle 1 teaspoon of oil over the exposed garlic clove ends. Wrap foil into a packet and place it in the oven. Roast until garlic is soft, fragrant, and starting to brown; approximately 1 hour. Remove from oven and open packet to allow garlic to cool.
Step 3: Prepare Soup Base
Meanwhile, in a large soup pot over medium heat, heat the remaining olive oil. Add leek, thyme, and salt. Cook, stirring often until leek is softened and slightly brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add wine, increase heat to high and boil until the wine is almost evaporated about 1 to 3 minutes. Then, add broth and potatoes, cover, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and maintain a gentle simmer. Remove lid and continue simmering until the potatoes are soft, 15 to 18 minutes.
Step 4: Add in Roasted Garlic and Puree
Squeeze the roasted garlic out of their skins and into the soup. Puree in batches until desired consistency is reached. Stir in cheese.
Step 5: Finish Soup
Serve immediately with a dollop of Greek yogurt and scallions.
FAQ And Expert Tips For Potato Leek Roasted Garlic Soup
Store any leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Reheat any leftovers on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in the microwave until warmed through.
No, if you do not drink or cook with alcohol, wine can be omitted completely without effecting the taste as the garlic will add plenty of acidity. If omitting, skip ahead to step 4.
How To Safely Puree Hot Soup
If you’ve never pureed hot soup before, keep these safety tips in mind:
- Do not fill the blender too high. To be safe, only fill the blender jar to the halfway point and puree in batches.
- Be sure the lid is firmly closed, set a dry kitchen towel over the top, and hold on tight to the top.
- Turn the blender on low and slowly increase the speed. If the blender is turned on too high initially, it will build up too much steam that can violently push the top right off the blender and can cause the hot soup to go everywhere.
- If you have one, feel free to use a hand immersion blender. It’s convenient, easy to clean, and usually a safer way to puree than the blender method
Additional Soups with Potatoes To Try
- Potato Soup with Andouille Sausage is a hearty chunky stew with a little anise added to it!
- I love this slow cooker potato and kielbasa soup in the cold months. The house smells fantastic when it’s cooking!
- The trick to making this cheesy kale soup creamy is adding in potatoes.
- My creamy and chunky Corn Chowder gets its creaminess from pureeing the soup with the cooked potatoes in it. No other thickener required!
- If you have an instant pot this creamy cheesy cauliflower soup is super simple and ultra-silky smooth.
Additional Roasted Garlic Recipes To Try
- Roasted Garlic Caesar Salad is a hearty and delicious salad for true garlic lovers!
- Stove-Top Roasted Garlic is a great and simple technique to know if you love roasted garlic.
- Roasted Garlic Hummus is close the classic that we all know and love but with a nice rich twist!
Thanks so much for reading. If you are new here, you may want to sign up for my free weekly email newsletter for healthy recipes delivered right to your inbox. Or follow me on Instagram. If you make these recipes, please come back and leave a star rating and review! It is very appreciated. Happy Cooking! ~Katie
PrintPotato Leek Soup with Roasted Garlic & Cheddar Cheese
- Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
Potato Leek Soup with Roasted Garlic & Cheddar Cheese is creamy, gourmet and rich tasting. The potatoes thicken the soup naturally so there is no flour, roux or gluten and to make it vegetarian, simply swap in no-chicken broth. We love it topped with Greek yogurt and a sprinkle of scallions or chives for a hearty meal in a bowl. Serve for lunch or dinner with crusty bread.
Ingredients
- 3 whole heads garlic
- 3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 large leek, sliced and washed and drained
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 6 cups reduced sodium chicken broth or stock or vegetarian no-chicken broth
- 2 pounds thin-skinned waxy potatoes, such as Yukon gold, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
- 4–ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (1 cup)
- 6 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
- 2 scallions, sliced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 °F.
- Cut ends of garlic head off with a serrated knife exposing individual tips of garlic cloves. Place root-side down on a double layer of aluminum foil and drizzle 1 teaspoon oil over the exposed garlic clove ends. Wrap foil into a packet and transfer to the oven (seam side-up.) Roast garlic until soft, fragrant and starting to brown, about 1 hour. Remove from oven and open packet and allow garlic to cool.
- Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 teaspoons oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add leek, thyme and salt and cook, stirring often until the leek is softened and starting to brown slightly, 3 to 5 minutes. Add wine, increase heat to high and boil until the wine is almost completely evaporated, 1 to 3 minutes. Add broth or stock and potatoes, cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low to maintain a gentle simmer, remove lid and continue simmering until the potatoes are very soft, 15 to 18 minutes.
- Squeeze the soft roasted garlic out of the papery skins into the soup. Puree in batches until desired consistency. USE CAUTION WHEN BLENDING HOT LIQUIDS! Stir in cheese.
- Serve topped with a dallop of Greek yogurt and scallions.
- Prep Time: 50 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Category: soup
- Method: oven/stove top
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups each
- Calories: 270
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 876 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 11 g
I’m simple. I like it in a grilled cheese sandwich with tomato.
My very favorite way to use chedar cheese? Grilled cheese on ciabata bread. Next favorite? Cheesburger!!
Our family & friends FAVORITE way to use cheese is in my Cheese Fondue, to die for!!! It has sharp cheddar, swiss & gruyere with a splash of pinot gris, makes my mouth water just thinking about it. We serve it with pears, apples, grapes and some home made bread. Yum Yum. Anyone interested in full recipe, email me and I am happy to share 🙂
Just signed up for your newsletter. I don’t do twitter, but I do follow Cabot on Facebook.
I love to make a panini with homemade rosemary-olive oil sourdough rustic bread, rare roast beef deli meat, sharp cheddar with olive oil mayo and dijon mustard.
I love, love , love CABOT cheddar cheese. I melt it over large dipping chips, great snack. Melt it for dips with veggies. I put a slice on top of baked potatoes, and melt in the microwave. Use it in Mac and Cheese. Great topping for Cauliflower. Cabot is just to irrestible , use it for everything that needs a flavor boast!
Apple and cheddar grilled cheese!
truwest@live.com
My favorite way to cook with cheddar is to cut an acorn squash in half crosswise. Trim the points on the top and bottom so that the halves will “sit” in a roasting pan without tipping. Add some sliced, pickled jalepenos (I use Trappeys and add about 4), 1 TBSP Butter and top all the way (stuff it full!) with cheddar. Bake at 375 – Cover with a loose tin foil tent for about 45 minutes – then uncover and cook until cheese is brown – about another 10 minutes. Delicous! Try it.
I follow Cabot Co-Op on twitter
I signed up for the newsletter
Mac and cheese or grilled ham and cheddar sandwich.
signed up for newsletter
Twitter name is @kdff (for my prior comments on following both of you
Tweeted at https://twitter.com/KDFF/status/241185967904542720
Follow Healthy Seasonal Recipies on Twitter
follow Cabot on twitter