Potato Leek and Bacon Soup is a hearty and comforting dish that combines the creamy richness of potatoes, the subtle sweetness of leeks, and the savory goodness of crispy bacon. It's the perfect blend of flavors that will warm you up on a chilly day!
Ingredients Needed for Potato Leek and Bacon Soup
- Olive Oil
- Leeks
- Garlic
- Bay Leaves
- Broth
- Potatoes
- Parsley
- Kale
- Salt
- Chili Pepper
- Black Pepper
- Bacon
- Coconut Milk
Substitutions
- You can use Coconut Oil or Avocado Oil in place of the Olive Oil.
- While Leeks are certainly a huge part of this soup, if you can't find them in the grocery store you can substitute with green onions, you'll just need about 3 bundles of them!
- Try Yucca (frozen or peeled fresh) in place of the potatoes.
- Kale is another ingredient that's a main character here, but you can swap it out if necessary. You can use spinach, dandelion greens, or swiss chard.
- Feel free to omit the chili pepper if that's not your thing! Just note that as is, it's not overpowering to this soup, just adds a little tiny something.
- I use coconut milk here since it adds creaminess and a subtle sweetness. However, if needed you can use dairy milk or almond milk.
How to Make Easy Potato Leek and Bacon Soup
Turn the Instant Pot on with the Sauté Setting, and heat the oil over medium heat.
Sauté the leeks, garlic, and bay leaves for roughly 5 minutes, or until softened.
Add in the potatoes and broth, and mix thoroughly. Lock the lid and cook on the Soup Setting for 2 minutes.
In the meantime, cook the bacon until crispy. Chop into bite sized pieces.
When the soup is finished, hit the cancel button and quick release the steam.
When finished, open the lid away from you and turn on the keep warm setting. Add in the kale, parsley, and spices and stir until the greens have wilted and softened.
Shake the can of coconut milk to even out the contents, then stir in half of the can, stirring the soup as you pour it in to mix it thoroughly.
Top with the bacon and enjoy!
Instant Pot Recipe
This soup comes together fast, and it only cooks for 2 minutes!
I love that you can cook the veggies right in the Instant Pot before cooking it, by using the sauté setting, as it saves on dishes.
If you don't have an Instant Pot, it's super easy to convert to the stove top. Simply follow the directions except cook on a stove top, up to where you pressurize the Instant Pot.
Instead, put the lid on the soup pot and boil until the potatoes are easily pierced with a fork.
This is similar to the Instant Pot I love and use! My exact one is a bit older model that I don't believe is sold anymore, but it has many of these same settings and I use them quite often!
Storage and Reheating
To store any leftovers, seal the potato leek and bacon soup in an airtight container. Alternatively, you can place it in a container and seal it with saran wrap or a reusable wrap.
To reheat leftovers, place them in a saucepan on the stove over medium heat. Stir frequently to avoid it sticking to the bottom or burning! This also ensures it heats evenly. Once it reaches the desired temperature you're done.
What are Leeks?
Leeks belong to the same family as onions and garlic do!
If you're not sure what leeks are, think of chives or green onions but much larger. That is essentially what leeks are!
FAQ's for Leek and Potato Soup without Cream
The reason this soup is good for you is because all of the ingredients are clean, real foods! Buy them as minimally processed as possible, and source the cleanest bacon you can. The broth and greens are incredibly healthy!
Made as is this soup should come out perfectly, but if it does come out gluey, it could be that the potatoes were overcooked! Especially if you make this on the stovetop and boil it for too long.
To avoid this, chop the potato pieces into bite sized pieces and not too small! Keep an eye as it cooks if you cook it on the stovetop, and for the instant pot, no more than 3 minutes.
Potatoes can have a very earthy taste that can make a soup taste bitter. To avoid this, be sure to peel the potatoes before chopping and cooking them! Also be sure not to overcook the potatoes (see above).
This soup made as is has lots of flavor! If your soup comes out bland, you may have not followed the recipe as is. Be sure to use the correct measurements and exact ingredients if at all possible! The coconut milk and spices are very important to the flavor! You can use substitutions but be aware it will change the final flavor.
More Healthy Soups to Try
Potato Leek and Bacon Soup
Equipment
- 1 instant pot
- 1 wooden spoon
- 1 chef's knife
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Frying pan
- Measuring spoons
- measuring cups
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 3 leeks sliced lengthwise then chopped
- 4 cloves garlic diced
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 cups broth
- 3 med/lg potatoes chopped
- 1 cup fresh parsley lightly packed
- 4 cups kale lightly packed
- 2.5 tsp. salt more/less depending on how salty the broth is
- ½ tsp. chili pepper
- ½ tsp. black pepper
- 1 12 oz pack of bacon
- ½ can coconut milk shaken or stirred to mix the contents
Instructions
- Put the Instant Pot on medium on the saute setting, and heat the olive oil.
- Add the leeks, garlic, and bay leaves to the pot. Saute until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Turn off the saute setting, and add in the broth and potatoes. Mix thoroughly.
- Lock the lid, and cook for 2 minutes on the soup setting.
- Meanwhile, cook the bacon until crispy over medium heat in a large frying pan on the stove top (or in the oven) and set aside. Once cooled, break or chop into bite sized pieces.
- When the soup is finished, turn off the instant pot and quick release the steam. When it's finished, open the lid away from you and turn on the keep warm setting. Add the kale, parsley, and spices and simmer for 2-3 minutes and stir until the greens are wilted and softened.
- Shake or stir the can of coconut milk then mix half of the can into the soup, stirring as you pour.
- Top with the bacon and enjoy!
Did you make this Potato Leek and Bacon Soup? Share it on Instagram and tag me @thecleanhappylife please!
Feel free to leave a comment and rating with any feedback!
Amelia says
I am gonna really try this soup out.
thecleanhappylife says
Wonderful! Let me know how you like it! 🙂
Linda O Bella says
I am definitely gonna try this recipe :), I love trying new healthy food daily 🙂
thecleanhappylife says
Awesome! Let me know how you like it 💙