Leek Soup | The Modern Proper (2024)

Leeks, they’re more than just the fancy relatives of onions and garlic. We especially love them cooked in butter and blended into this rich and creamy soup.

Photography by Gayle McLeod

Leeks, Not Just Supercharged Scallions

Because of their size, leeks seem like they would be Maximum Onion on a scale of eye-watering to full on sobbing while you slice. They are, somewhat surprisingly, the gentle onion. Subtly onion in flavor compared to their allium family counterparts, leeks add just the right amount of onion flavor to this creamy leek soup.

How To Cook Leeks

If you’re a newcomer to cooking with leeks, you might have a few questions that need answering before we get going.

• What part of a leek do you use for soup? You’ll be using the white and light green parts only.

• Can I use the green part of leeks in soup? The darker green parts of leeks are bitter and have a tougher texture. They are edible, but we’re only using the tender and mild portion of the stalk for this recipe.

• How to cut leeks for soup: First, cut off the root end. Next, cut off the green leaves where the stalk intersects with the darker green portion. You’ll have a nice, cylinder-shaped stalk. Slice it into rounds about ¼ inch thick, as uniform as possible so they cook evenly.

• How to wash leeks: We have found the easiest way to clean leeks is after slicing them. You can fill a bowl or the kitchen sink with water and let the leeks soak to loosen any debris from when they were growing in the earth. You can then dry them in a colander or salad spinner.

• Fond of leeks? Check out some other recipes with leeks, like our Braised Leeks with Beurre Blanc, Shirred Eggs with Leeks, Wild Mushroom Chowder with Bacon and Leeks, Potato Leek Au Gratin.

How To Make Leek Soup

It’s likely you’ve heard of Potato Leek Soup, and our recipe has the same velvety texture but with a secret little ingredient to cut back on carbs, making this healthy leek soup (or healthier leek soup!). You’ll be using a can of chickpeas instead of potatoes!

1. Cook the alliums: Melt the butter in a pot over medium heat. Add the leeks, onion, and garlic and cook, stirring often, until the leeks are tender, about 10 minutes.

2. Stir in the seasonings, stock, water, bouillon, and chickpeas. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the chickpeas are very soft.

3. Blend!

4. Stir in the parmesan and cream, until the cream is warmed through.

5. Serve! Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with parmesan and chives or parsley, if using.

Tools You’ll Need

• Measuring cups and spoons

• A sharp kitchen knife

• Large stock pot or Dutch oven

• Wooden spoon

• Immersion blender or high-speed blender

• Ladle

Let The Soup Times Roll

You might know that when we find a good thing, we like to explore many varieties of the theme. So it goes with our feelings on the topic of soup. Try more of our favorite soup recipes, like:

• Corn and Leek Bisque

• Tikka Masala Soup

• Stuffed Pepper Soup

• White Bean Chicken Soup

Lots Of Soup For You!

We hope that you made, and loved, our homemade leek soup recipe. Snap a photo of your beautiful bowls of leek soup and maybe even a video of the beautiful people you feed it to. Tag us on Instagram using @themodernproper and #themodernproper. Happy eating!