Most cauliflower potato soups are too heavy on the cauliflower and lack overall flavor. Not this one! I set out to create a creamy Cauliflower Potato Leek Soup that has great depth of flavor, is interesting to eat and is more than just a bowl of puréed steamed veggies. And this recipe delivers! It’s creamy, cozy and has layers of flavor.
I’m a big fan of puréed soups, but my husband can get sick of them pretty quickly. Which is why I’ve started partially pureeing a lot of my soups, including this cauliflower potato leek soup. It’s creamy and cozy while maintaining some texture so you feel like you’re eating a meal, not baby food.
Plus, this soup is a great example of an everyday gourmet meal. It’s got a simple enough ingredient list that you can throw it together on a weeknight yet has enough substance to be appropriate for a dinner party or Sunday night dinner.
The soup starts with leeks that get cooked in bacon drippings (already a great sign, yea?) then garlic, cauliflower, potatoes and not one, but two types of mustard are added for depth of flavor, zip and a little heat.
It all gets partially puréed so the soup has body and texture before whole milk is added to even more creaminess. The don’t forget to top it all off with crispy bits of bacon!
If you’re like me and rely on soups most of the fall and winter, then be sure to try out some of my other soup recipes. Around here, Chicken Pot Pie Soup, Roasted Garlic Tomato Soup and my Greek Lemon Chicken and Rice Soup are on constant rotation throughout the colder months.
What Makes this Recipe so Good
- Elegant yet realistic: the flavors of this soup are elegant and elevated but the soup itself is really simple to bring together. Make it for a weeknight dinner or make it for a dinner party—it’s right at home either way.
- Quick and easy: this soup is apart of my Soup-er Simple Series which means it has a short and sweet ingredient list and comes together in under an hour. The most work you’ll have to do is cleaning the leaks—the rest is quick and straightforward.
- Healthy-ish: this soup is loaded with veggies, but it’s also delicious thanks to some bacon, bacon drippings and whole milk. Have your veggies and enjoy them too with this soup!
Ingredients Needed
- Bacon: the first step of the soup is cooking bacon and then reserving the drippings to cook the soup in. Use a thick-sliced bacon that you love.
- Leeks: you’ll need two average-sized leeks. Use just the white and light green parts for this recipe. If you want, you can reserve the fibrous dark green parts for frying up and serving as a side dish.
- Garlic: fresh is best, always! You’ll need 4 large cloves.
- Chicken broth: when it comes to making soups, I always have Better than Bouillon on hand. It’s convenient, tastes better and requires far less storage space than boxes of broth.
- Cauliflower: grab a large head of cauliflower, one that weighs between 1 and 1 ½ pounds. For less prep, grab a bag of cauliflower florets instead.
- Yukon gold potatoes: these waxy beauties add wonderful texture and body to the soup! You’ll need 3 medium potatoes.
- Mustard: you’ll need two types of mustard for this soup. First, Dijon mustard for savory heat. And second, you can use either whole-grain or stone ground mustard. Whole grain will be more mild while stone-ground is more potent in flavor.
- Milk: use whole milk here.It adds just enough creaminess without being over the top like cream would be.
- White pepper: this is optional, but I like the sharp, almost smokiness, it adds to the soup.
- Optional garnish: fresh chives.
Quick Step-by-Step to Get You Started
In a large pot, cook the diced bacon until crispy. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel lined plate and reserve the drippings in the pot (you should have 3 tablespoons, if not add additional butter or oil to reach 3 tablespoons).
While the bacon is cooking, clean the leeks. They can be pretty sandy, so it’s important to clean them well. I like to slice them in half lengthwise, then cut crosswise into ¼-inch slices. Add the sliced leeks to a salad spinner and fill with cold water. Shimmy the leeks around to release any dirt or sand. Drain and repeat with another round of cold water. Drain the leeks and spin dry.
To the bacon drippings, add the leaks and cook until they start to brown around the edges, this will take about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook briefly.
Stir in the broth, cauliflower, potatoes, and whole-grain mustard. Bring the soup to a boil then reduce it to a simmer and cook until the vegetables are tender, this will take about 20 minutes.
This soup is partially puréed, so it’s both creamy and has some chunks of veggies. Blend 4 cups of the soup in a blender with the milk, Dijon and white pepper.
Pour the soup back into the pot and season to taste with additional salt and white pepper.
Top Tips
- Make it vegetarian: skip the bacon and use olive oil or butter to cook the leeks.
- Make it vegan: skip the bacon, cook the leeks in olive oil or vegan butter and use soy milk instead of whole milk.
- Make it even quicker: use a bag of cauliflower florets instead of buying a head of cauliflower and cutting it down.
- Make it even more decadent: use half-and-half instead of whole milk.
How to Serve Cauliflower Leek and Potato Soup
Top each serving with the crispy bacon, fresh chives and a fresh grating of lemon zest.
Or, top it with puff pastry croutons like I do in this pot pie soup. Alternatively, you can serve the soup with Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits.
Pair the soup with Baked Chicken Meatballs and a simple butter lettuce salad.
As for a wine pairing, I like something crisp and dry like a German Riesling.
Storage and Reheating
Due to the milk, this soup doesn’t freeze very well. So I recommend storing the soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat over medium-low on the stove top until it comes to a low simmer.
More Soups to Add to Your Rotation
Cauliflower Potato Leek Soup Recipe
Description
Ingredients
- ½ pound bacon, diced
- 2 leeks, halved lengthwise and sliced ½ inch thick (white and light green parts only)
- 4 large cloves garlic, sliced
- Kosher salt
- 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 head cauliflower (1½–2 pounds), cut into florets (8–10 cups)
- 1 pound Yukon gold potatoes (about 3 medium potatoes), peeled and diced (~3 cups)
- 2 tablespoon whole-grain or stone ground mustard
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 cups whole milk
- ¼ –½ teaspoon white pepper, optional
- Chopped chives for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Cook bacon over medium heat in a large pot until crispy, about 8 minutes. Transfer bacon to a plate. Measure out 3 tablespoons drippings and add back to pot (add butter or oil to reach 3 tablespoons if you don’t have enough).
- Meanwhile, add leeks to a salad spinner or large bowl and fill with cold water. Shimmy leeks around in water using hands. Drain then repeat filling with water, shimmying and draining. Spin dry or pat dry using clean kitchen towels.
- Add washed and dried leeks and cook over medium-high heat until starting to brown around edges, about 5 minutes.
- Add garlic and 1 teaspoon salt and cook just until fragrant, 1 minute. Stir in broth, cauliflower, potatoes and whole-grain mustard. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook until vegetables are tender, 20–25 minutes.
- Transfer 4 cups of soup to a blender with milk, Dijon and ¼ teaspoon white pepper; blend until smooth
- Pour back into pot and season with additional salt to taste, about 1 teaspoon.
- Top servings with crispy bacon bits. Garnish with chives and lemon zest, if desired.
Notes
- Make it vegetarian: skip the bacon and use olive oil or butter to cook the leeks.
- Make it vegan: skip the bacon, cook the leeks in olive oil or vegan butter and use soy milk instead of whole milk.
- Make it even quicker: use a bag of cauliflower florets instead of buying a head of cauliflower and cutting it down.
- Make it even more decadent: use half-and-half instead of whole milk.
