Creamy Potato Leek Kale Soup

5 from 38 votes

This comforting potato leek kale soup is the perfect blend of creamy potatoes and tender leeks, with a pop of color and nutrition from kale. It's the perfect dish for a chilly winter evening.

Prep Time5

Cook Time25

Course: Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan

Servings:

Calories: 394kcal

Author: Allie Petersen

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
3 large leeks equates to ~4 cups chopped* See note
4 cups peeled & chopped potatoes ~3 medium size Yukon or Russet potatoes
3-4 cloves garlic minced
1 teaspoon salt *use less if using full-sodium broth
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 tbsp fresh thyme (remove thyme leaves from sprigs) or ~1 teaspoon dried
2 bay leaves
4 cups vegetable broth low-sodium broth (if using regular broth can decrease salt)
1 cup coconut milk full-fat but could substitute for lite
2-3 cups chopped kale bite-sized pieces
diced green onion optional for topping

Instructions

Cook your leeks: In a large pot or Dutch oven, begin heating your olive oil over medium heat. Add your chopped leeks and cook for 5 minutes until leeks are fragrant and softened.
*Read below in the Notes section for how to clean/cut your leeks properly.
1 tablespoon olive oil, 3 large leeks
Add in minced garlic, salt, pepper, and thyme and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
3-4 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
Add in chopped potatoes and cook for 3-4 minutes.
4 cups peeled & chopped potatoes
Pour in vegetable broth, coconut milk, water, bay leaf and stir. Bring it to a boil and them simmer for 20 minutes, covered.
4 cups vegetable broth, 1 cup coconut milk, 2 bay leaves
Remove bay leaf. Using an immersion blender, blend your soup to desired thickness. I like to leave a few pieces of leek and potato for texture.
Tip: Don't overblend or your soup will be gummy.
Add in chopped kale and bring back to simmer for a few minutes.
2-3 cups chopped kale
Serve with diced green onion on top and fresh black pepper. I love to have some bread on the side for dipping!

Notes

⭐️Clean and Slice Leeks Properly: Leeks can trap dirt between their layers, so it's crucial to clean them thoroughly. Cut off the dark green part then slice the leeks in half lengthwise and soak them in a bowl of water, separating the layers to allow dirt to sink to the bottom. Then cut the white and slightly green part into 1 inch wide pieces.

Still not sure how to clean/cut the leeks? Watch this video here!

Other tips:

- Add kale towards the end of the cooking process to maintain a vibrant green color and a slightly crisp texture. This prevents the kale from becoming too mushy.

- For creamy texture, blend a portion of the soup with an immersion blender. This creates a thicker consistency for the soup!
- If you don't have an immersion blender, you can take ¼- ⅓ of your soup and blend in a blender. Don't overblend to prevent that "gummy" texture that occurs when potatoes are overblended.

Nutrition