Smashed Potato Leek Soup

I have been craving potatoes all the time lately. Sweet potatoes, red, yellow, russet, fries, mashed, blended, you name it, I want it. 

Honestly, I don't think I have ever eaten Potato Leek Soup before, but for some reason I wanted "us" to make it. I'm glad I did, because it turns out I love it! 

We combined several different recipes and made up some other parts. We like our soup a little chunky and not pureed like most recipes called for. With a little extra cooking time on the stove, and a little "smashing", it turned out perfect.

Smashed Potato Leek Soup Recipe (Printable recipe)

Makes 6-8 servings

Ingredients:

1 yellow or sweet onion

4 garlic cloves minced

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 large leek

2 bay leaves

1 tsp crushed thyme

1 tsp fresh rosemary, minced

8 medium-sized potatoes

1 cup white wine

4 cups of Vegetable broth, or just enough to cover the potatoes

1 tsp salt

8 oz half and half

¼ cup fresh chopped parsley

Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions:

Wash and peel the potatoes, and set aside.

Roughly chop the onion, then dice by hand or quickly chop in a food processor. Add onions and garlic to Dutch oven or large soup pot with the olive oil over medium heat. Stir frequently

Meanwhile, wash the leeks and chop them up in 1/4 inch slices, using the white and light green parts. Finely mince the rosemary and thyme.

When the onions have become translucent, add the leeks, bay leaves, thyme, and rosemary, cook for about 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently.

Dice the potatoes and add them to the pot when the leeks are soft. Add the white wine and then the broth until the liquid level just covers the potatoes. Add a teaspoon of salt and then bring it all to a boil.

Turn down the heat until the soup is at a steady simmer, cover it and let it cook for about an hour and a half. 

Once the potatoes are falling apart and the base looks creamy, slowly add the half and half, and mash the potatoes against the side of the pot till you have a nice creamy consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste and increase heat for the last 15 minutes. 

Garnish with chopped fresh rosemary and/or parsley and serve with some good crusty bread. Enjoy!