Slow Cooker Potato Leek Soup

a spoonful of potato soup with cheese and bacon

Hearty potatoes and sweet leeks are simmered low and slow with stock and milk to make a thick and creamy gluten-free version of classic potato soup. No heavy cream required.

Course Main Course, Soup

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 4

Total Time 4 20

Servings

Calories 321kcal

Author Amee

Equipment

slow cooker

Ingredients

3 tbsp butter *you can use salted or unsalted here
2 large leeks rinsed and chopped (you can also use onions, but leeks add great flavor)
2 lbs Russet potatoes peeled and diced into 1" cubes *I weigh after peeling and cutting
3 cups chicken stock
4 cups whole milk divided (I use the Fairlife brand for more protein)
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp cornstarch
6 slices of cooked bacon crumbled
additional salt and pepper to taste
optional toppings: shredded cheddar cheese, diced green onions or chives, sour cream

Instructions

Melt butter in a sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add leeks and cook for 5-7 minutes, until softened, stirring often.
Add to the slow cooker along with diced potatoes, 3 cups of milk (reserve 1 cup for later), chicken stock, salt and pepper. Cover and slow cook on low heat for 4 hours. Remove the lid and check the potatoes. They should be soft when pierced with a fork.
Mix the reserved 1 cup of cold milk and cornstarch with a whisk until well blended. Add the mixture to the soup and continue to cook on low heat for an additional 10 minutes, or until the soup is thickened. *I transfer the soup into a stockpot to do this on the stovetop over medium-low heat right before serving.
Next, take a potato masher and gently mash potatoes until they are creamy, but leave some chunks for texture. You can also use an immersion blender here, but don't overblend. You just want to blitz it a few times to cream some of the potatoes, while leaving some chunks behind. The soup will continue to thicken as it sits and cools.
Season with additional salt and pepper, to taste.
Ladle into bowls and add crumbled bacon and any other favorite toppings.

Notes

Make it creamier by adding a couple of tablespoons of heavy cream to the milk and cornstarch mixture.
Bake your bacon! It's so much easier with much less mess. To bake the bacon, arrange it in a single layer on a rack fitted over a baking sheet. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes at 400 degrees or until the bacon is cooked through and lightly crisped. Once it cools, you can crumble it.

Nutrition