The BEST Potato Leek Soup

Image via Flickr

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Here in the US, St. Paddy’s day is pretty popular. Corned beef and cabbage and green beer will be on many people’s menus tonight. Here in the DeJarnett household, our favorite Irish-inspired dish is Potato Leek Soup. We’re not Irish 8( but some of my characters are (Jason McAlister and his family), so I thought I’d share the recipe in case you’d like to try it.

NOTE: I label this recipe as the BEST because it’s gone over so well with everyone I know – even hard-to-please 10 year-olds! If fifth graders will eat it, it must be pretty good!

Potato Leek Soup

1 leek (about 1″ in diameter)
1 small onion, quartered and sliced
1/4 Cup butter (everything’s better with butter!)
2 Tablespoons flour
3 cans (14 oz size) chicken broth (I recommend Swanson’s)
4 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped
16 ounce container of sour cream (light would work too)
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

In a large non-stick skillet, saute leeks and onion until soft. Add butter and flour, cook for 3 minutes. Add chicken broth and potatoes, simmer 30 minutes. Remove from heat. With a stick blender, carefuliy puree the soup in the skillet until smooth. (You can also use a blender, but the soup is very hot.) Whisk in the sour cream (you can use less than the whole container, depending on taste), and parsley, if desired. Salt and pepper to taste.

Great hot on cold days, or cold on hot days. Even the kids will eat it!

Serves 4-6

Fun FYI: I first made this recipe *cough*ty years ago as part of a research project on Ireland for the sixth grade. I have yet to visit the Emerald Isle, but it’s definitely on my list!