Easy Creamy Potato, Leek, and Sauerkraut Soup Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How can I thicken my leek and potato soup? ›

Add flour or cornflour

Put a tablespoon of either into a small bowl and stir in 2-3 tbsp of the soup until you have a smooth mixture. Stir this back into the soup and bring it to a simmer. Cook for a few minutes to allow the starch granules to burst to thicken, and to cook out any flour flavour.

The reasons are usually two: you didn't season your soup at all, worrying it might be too salty because of the leeks; or you added to much water for the stock. If you follow our instructions, and taste before serving, you can easily add a little more salt and pepper to make your soup even tastier.

Sear or roast your potatoes to prevent gummy soup

While you can certainly make potato soup by just chucking potato chunks into a pot of boiling water and going from there, many recipes recommend that you cook your spuds beforehand to maximize your dish's flavor.

Why is my potato leek soup gummy? Potatoes should be diced in similar size so they cook evenly, but don't drive yourself crazy getting them teeny-tiny. If they're too small, you risk the potatoes releasing too much starch, which can make the soup gummy when pureed.

If you started the soup with broth, stock or water, I would wait until the end to add the cream. You can warm the cream, or “temper” it, which is what I do. Take about half a cup of the hot broth and slowly add your cream to that, stirring constantly.

Milk or Half-and-Half: This is the other magical ingredient that turns your homemade chicken noodle soup into the creamiest soup ever.

The main reason your potato is not thickening is that it needs a heavier dairy product. Potato soup is cooked in a milk and chicken broth soup but heavy cream may need to be added.

Perk up a Bland Soup With Simple Pantry Staples

Add a splash of vinegar (any kind!), or a squeeze of citrus. Chances are, you could use a little more salt. Go ahead—it's ok. Salt perks up flat flavors and helps balance out bitter-tasting ingredients.

Add the leeks to the pot, lowering the heat if necessary and saute for 10-15 minutes , or until soft and translucent. Be careful not to burn the leeks, as they will impart a bitter taste to the soup. The excess liquid from cleaning the leeks should help prevent any burning.

It looks as though some of your potatoes might have got a bit scorched. Did you fry them off before adding the liquid? The colour from the browned potatoes could be what is turning it brown.

What is the best thickening agent for potato soup? ›

Cornstarch. Cornstarch is a very effective thickener, and a little bit can go a long way.

It turns out, then, that contrary to internet opinion, it is possible to redeem your potato leek soup if somehow it becomes gluey. Ladle some into a freezer bag, freeze it flat, thaw it, and pour off the water.

In addition to potatoes, you can use other starchy vegetables like carrots or parsnips to absorb excess salt. Dairy products like milk, cream, yogurt, or sour cream can help balance out the saltiness of a soup or stew.

This starch will bond with the broth, causing the body of the soup to become slimy. To guard against this, it is best to mash the potatoes into the soup with a potato masher or a large fork, or to run the soup solids through a food mill to crush them.

Add Flour Or Cornstarch

You can thicken soup by adding flour, cornstarch, or another starchy substitute. For the best results, never add flour or cornstarch directly to your soup. If you do, it will clump up on top. Instead, ladle a small amount of broth into a separate bowl and let it cool.

To produce the thickest, white leek stems, most gardeners blanch the veggies. To blanch leeks, simply build up a hill around the stalks as they develop. It's best to begin this process by seeding into a trench and then gradually fill it in and continue to mound with soil as the leeks grow.