A thick and creamy classic potato and leek soup recipe made dairy-free served with a bacon and herb infused breadcrumb. Made with just a few inexpensive ingredients, this easy meal is the perfect comfort food to feed the whole family.
Winter has arrived and that means soup season is in full swing.
Recently I posted the recipe for my mum’s pumpkin soup which reminded me just how much I do enjoy a nice comforting bowl of homemade soup, particularly when the nights start to cool down. So today, I am sharing another favourite.
Unlike pumpkin soup, potato and leek soup is not something I grew up with and despite it being such a classic recipe, it has only been a recent addition to my kitchen in the last few years. What I love about it though is the mild flavour and the super thick, creamy texture.
As with many blended soups, to make this even creamier, cream is often added at the end. Being dairy-free I don’t want to miss out on this addition as it aids the final texture, so instead we use coconut milk. And I know everyone always says ‘you can’t taste the coconut’ and you always can, but in this recipe I actually forgot I added the coconut milk. You really don’t taste it at all. The leeks and onions seem to cancel out the flavour so all you are left with is that creamy finish which is exactly what we are after.
Now, let’s talk about the delicious bacon breadcrumb aka all the flavour. Most potato and leek soups want you to serve them with salty croutons or bits of bacon. For something a little different I decided to play with the idea and use the bacon for the salty element combined with the bread and turn it into a crumb to add texture and flavour to the soup. And the result was delicious!
Bacon, bread, fresh parsley and garlic come together in the food processor until they resemble a fine crumb. This mixture then gets toasted in a frying pan with a little extra salt to taste. The smell of cooking this crumb is divine and it really adds that extra layer of flavour as well as contrasting texture to the creamy soup.
This crumb makes this soup no longer just a simple family favourite, but a home cooked meal to be proud of.
For some reason I always think that soup takes hours on the stove but that’s really not the case. Allow about 30 minutes for cooking, the rest of the time is chopping or blending. It really couldn’t be easier and the whole thing will take you less than an hour total.
Soup is also a fantastic option for meal prep or leftovers. I love making a batch, eating it for dinner that night and then having the rest for lunches during the week. This potato and leek soup will keep in the fridge for 2-3 days properly sealed, or you can freeze it in individual portions for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, defrost in the fridge overnight and heat it up in the microwave or in a small saucepan on the stove.
Get ready to embrace the cooler weather and enjoy the comforts of oversized knits, thick socks, hot chocolates, and creamy soups.
If you do make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and rating below! And tag any of your creations on Instagram with #eightforestlane as I would love to see.
Dairy-Free Potato and Leek Soup with Bacon Crumb
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 2 leeks sliced
- 2 garlic cloves crushed
- 4 medium potatoes chopped
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 1 bay leaf
- ¼ cup coconut milk
- salt and pepper to taste
Bacon Crumb
- 1 slice crusty bread torn into pieces
- 2 rashers of shortcut bacon roughly chopped
- 1 clove garlic
- small handful of fresh parsley
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large, heavy bottomed pot on the stove. Add in chopped onion and leeks and saute until soft using a wooden spoon to ensure they do not stick to the bottom. Add garlic and potato into the pot and continue to saute for a further 5 minutes, again being sure to scrape any browning bits off the bottom.
- Add in chicken stock and the bay leaf and let simmer for 20 minutes, or until the potato is soft.
- While the soup is cooking, make the crumb topping. In a blender or food processor add the bread, bacon (uncooked), garlic and parsley and pulse until a fine crumb forms.
- Heat a small amount of olive oil in a frying pan and add crumb mixture. Cook for about 10 minutes until brown. Add salt to taste. Set aside.
- Remove the bay leaf from the soup and let it cool for about 10-15 minutes before blending. You can either use an immersion blender or transfer to a regular blender in batches and blend until smooth and creamy.
- Add blended soup back into the pot and mix through coconut milk and salt and pepper over low heat for 5 minutes.
Notes
Nutritional information is provided as a guide only and is calculated using automated online tools, therefore we cannot guarantee the accuracy. We encourage you to make your own calculations based on the actual ingredients used in your recipe.
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Jamie-lee
So delicious and simple to make!
Sally
So happy you enjoyed it!