I’m back with another good soup recipe and this time it’s potato & leek soup with crispy bacon bits. The crazy thing about this soup is it doesn’t have any heavy cream in it and yet it’s creamy, dreamy and extremely luscious. This velvety potato leek soup proves that simple ingredients prepared thoughtfully can create extraordinary results. The addition of roasted garlic and crispy bacon elevates this humble soup into something special.

Why This Recipe Works

Through careful testing, I’ve discovered that the combination of slow-roasted garlic, properly sweated leeks, and well-blended potatoes creates a naturally creamy texture that rivals traditional cream-based soups. The bacon adds a perfect salty contrast to the smooth soup.

Understanding Key Components

1. The soup: the star ingredients are obvious leek and potatoes but there are also garlic and onion to add another layer of dimension to this soup. Potatoes provide natural creaminess and body. Leeks offer subtle onion flavor. Roasting the garlic milds down the harsh garlicky flavour and allow the other ingredients to shine.
2. Crispy bacon: Bacon adds texture and saltiness. Place the bacon straight onto a tray and into the oven until crispy. If you want the bacon flavour to be in the soup, I suggest you cook the bacon in the pot first then add in the leeks & onion, and continue with the recipe.
3. Herbs: Fresh herbs brighten the soup. I used rosemary and parsley but alternatives could include chives, thyme, sage and bay leaves.
4. Bread: i used focaccia but sourdough would also be amazing. Toast in butter on a frying pan.

Professional Tips

• Cut potatoes uniformly for even cooking
• Sweat leeks thoroughly to bring out sweetness of the leeks.
• Blend until completely smooth. You could also do this in batches to ensure smooth consistency and also passing it through a sieve.
• Strain for extra smoothness (optional)
• Omit the bacon for a vegetarian version.

Storage and Reheating

• Refrigerate soup up to 4 days. Freeze soup up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in refrigerator. Don’t freeze bacon garnish
• Store bacon separately to maintain crispness
• Reheat gently on stovetop
• Add fresh garnishes when serving

Remember: The key to this soup’s success lies in proper technique – thoroughly cooking the leeks, roasting the garlic until sweet, and blending until perfectly smooth. While it takes time, most of it is hands-off, and the result is worth every minute.

The beauty of this recipe is its simplicity combined with technique. Each step builds flavor, creating a soup that’s both elegant and comforting. Serve hot with plenty of crispy bacon and buttery bread for a memorable meal.

Ingredients

5-6 potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 leek, chopped
1 onion, diced
1 garlic bulb, top chopped off
1 sprig rosemary
2 cups veggie stock
2 cups water
Butter
Parsley, for garnish
2 strips bacon
Bread slices, toasted in butter

Method

1. Preheat oven to 160C/320F.
2. In a small ramekin, place your garlic bulb inside with a generous drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake low and slow for 1.5-2 hours or until the garlic is golden brown and soft.
3. Place the bacon strips onto a baking tray and also into the oven until the bacon is golden brown. Mince the strips or leave it whole if you prefer.
4. In a pot over medium heat, melt 2 tbsp of butter. Add in the leeks and onion, sweat until soft and translucent.
5. Squeeze out the roasted garlic into the pot, followed by the potatoes, rosemary, stock and water. Simmer until the potatoes are soft and cooked through, then fish out the rosemary sprig.
6. With a stick blender (or a standing blender), blend your soup until smooth. Serve the soup into bowls with the crispy bacon bits, a drizzle of olive oil and parsley.