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{Healthier} Creamy Potato Leek Soup

Two crocks of Creamy Potato Leek Soup topped with shredded cheese, scallions and bacon

Creamy Potato Leek Soup, the ultimate comfort food soup made healthier so you eat it guilt free!

So I have a confession to make?

One of my secret guilty pleasures (although I guess its not so secret now that I’m telling you) is watching the movie Pitch Perfect!

How you ever seen it?

It’s one of those feel good movies. A good happy ending, guy gets the girl (with drama in between of course), HILARIOUS, and lots of singing and dancing! So yeah, its kinda like a musical, but with current modern day songs. It’s awesome!

Top view of Creamy Potato Leek Soup in a pot with a ladle

For a while I would have it on in the background almost everyday while little man was napping. Yeah I know … kinda ridiculous but hey when I like something … I REALLY like something! Anywho, sometimes he would wake up early from his nap and come out when the end was on. The end is the best part of the movie because of all the songs!

At times little man and I would have a dance party and rock out to the ending. Is it bad that my two year old knows parts of the songs? I mean, I think its cute and pretty funny because he tries to mimic the dance moves too! I think he might be a child prodigy. 🙂

Speaking of being extraordinary and a prodigy, I’m pretty sure this Creamy Potato Leek Soup definitely fits the bill!

Collage of two views of Creamy Potato Leek Soup in a crock

The weather down here has been ridiculous. One day it is 80 degrees the next it is 40 degrees and rainy. Well, this Potato Leek Soup is what came out of that 40 degree day.

I woke up in the morning, got little man ready for his mothers day program, stepped outside and knew it was a warm comfort soup kinda day. Do you ever have those kinda days?

I’m sure as I write this some of you are literally “grrrring” at me because you are snowed in from the winter storms that have been coming and going through. But down here in Texas we just don’t have that kind of weather. Which is why I NEEDED to make soup .. to warm me up! 🙂

Top view of two crocks of Creamy Potato Leek Soup next to a piece of crusty bread

Potato Soup is the ultimate comfort food soup – creamy, hearty, cheesy, and delicious! And anything that has bacon in it is a winner!

What more could you ask for in a soup?

To make this Creamy Potato Leek Soup healthier than most. I used 2% milk and greek yogurt to make it creamy, instead of heavy cream. I used arrowroot powder to thicken the soup instead of flour or cornstarch which means that this soup is actually gluten free as well. Lastly I added a few extra vegetables to this dish for good measure, some carrots and leeks. Leeks can be kind of a high maintenance vegetable to handle, but so worth the little extra fuss. If you’ve never worked with them before I highly recommend you check out this Creamy Leek Risotto recipe because I tell you step by step how to cut and clean the leeks before using them. (if you don’t clean them properly you will end up with a bunch of dirt in whatever you are making = yuck… no wants to eat that!)

Ok, so. Last words.

Go make this soup and be ready to receive the praise from your family as they are chowing down!

Close-up of Creamy Potato Leek Soup in a crock topped with shredded cheese, scallions and bacon
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Creamy Potato Leek Soup, the ultimate comfort food soup made healthier with 2% milk, greek yogurt, and extra vegetables. De-lish! | joyfulhealthyeats.com #recipes #glutenfree

Healthier Creamy Leek and Potato Soup

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 1 review
  • Author: Krista
  • Prep Time: 15 mins
  • Cook Time: 40 mins
  • Total Time: 55 mins
  • Yield: 1012 cups 1x
  • Category: Soup, Dinner
  • Cuisine: American

Description

A rich and comforting soup that is creamy, hearty, cheesy, and delicious!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 5 strips of bacon, diced
  • 1 1/2 cups of diced onions
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 4 cups of sliced leeks
  • 1 cup of diced carrots
  • 2 tablespoons of fresh thyme, diced
  • 3 tablespoons of arrowroot (acts like cornstarch)
  • 3 lbs. of yukon potoates, diced – the smaller you dice the faster they will cook (I left skin on)
  • 3 cups of low sodium chicken broth
  • 2 cups of 2% milk
  • 1/2 cup of plain greek yogurt
  • 1 cup of cheddar cheese
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • salt & pepper to season
  • {optional toppings: shredded cheddar cheese, sliced green onions, crispy bacon)

Instructions

  1. Heat a dutch oven to medium high heat, add diced bacon and cook until slightly cripsy. About 3-4 minutes.
  2. Remove bacon from pan and place on a plate with paper towel.
  3. Immediately add onions, garlic, and leeks to the bacon grease and start to saute until onions are translucent and leeks have wilted. About 5-7 minutes.
  4. Add in carrots, fresh thyme, and arrowroot. Stir for 2-3 minutes to incorporate flour.
  5. Next add in potatoes, crispy bacon, chicken broth, and milk.
  6. Cover and bring to a boil, turn down to a low simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Until potatoes are soft.
  7. Add in yogurt, cheddar cheese, lemon juice, and then salt and pepper to taste.
  8. Cook for an additional 5 minutes and serve.

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54 comments on “{Healthier} Creamy Potato Leek Soup”

  1. Had a taste for potatoe leek soup and looked up and saw your recipe and made it.It’s amazing,my whole family loves its definitely a keeper.I will b making it a lot.thank you.I would send a pic of it but I’m not sure how to..next time,I’ll have one of my kids show me…pitch perfect is a really good movie.

  2. This looks amazing – hoping to try it out at my son’s birthday party. Can you tell me what the yield is? I’ve been looking for that on a couple of your recipes and am not seeing it – thanks!

      1. Yes definitely! I would just add everything in up to milk and set on high for 3-4 hours. After that I’d add in the rest of the ingredients and cook an additional 30 minutes.

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    Shelby @ Go Eat and Repeat

    I love potato soup. It is so warm and comforting and creamy. Plus the leeks are a nice touch!

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    Meg @ The Housewife in Training Files

    Confession…I have never seen Pitch Perfect. But seems like I need to! And I want a big ol bowl of this soup to go right along with it!






    1. WHAT!? I am in utter shocked! Ok, so for chopped con this year we are watching this movie at least one time! šŸ™‚ With this bowl of soup! hehe

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    eat good 4 life

    This looks so hearty and comforting especially with the cold weather here in the East Coast. I think I need to whip a soup recipe sometime this week!

  6. OH MY GOSH! I think we just became BFFS because I love Pitch Perfect! I am making sure I can see Pitch Perfect 2 on opening day!

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    Joanie @ ZagLeft

    I hear ya about this crazy Texas weather, sandals one day and boots the next. This soup looks so hearty and delicious, I love how chunky it is.

  8. I love leeks! Can’t wait to try this soup, we have snow on the way in ATLANTA and this will warm everybody up at the end of the day!

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    Steph @ Steph in Thyme

    YUM! This looks fantastic, and I love how you lightened it up. I definitely want to try your Leek Risotto recipe as well. Love!

    1. Thanks Steph… kinda obsessed with leeks right now. They are sooo good! šŸ™‚ Hope you get a chance to try this!

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    Cate | Chez CateyLou

    Oooh I love Pitch Perfect – such a great movie. And I love this soup! It looks seriously comforting, but I love that you healthified it! Also, where did you get those soup crocks? They are so perfect for serving (and photographing!) soup!

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    Ashley | The Recipe Rebel

    Pitch Perfect is SO funny — and they’re coming out with a second one! Can’t wait to see that too! Potato soup is one of my all-time favorites — love this healthier version! Pinned šŸ™‚

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    Cyndi - My Kitchen Craze

    Yes I love pitch perfect!! And number 2 is coming out, yay!! I love fat amy (hate calling her that though). She cracks me up. I also will have a favorite movie playing in the back ground. Love the noise. This soup is a total warm you up soup. Looks really yummy! I need to try this asap! I just hope we can get some cold weather here in CA. šŸ˜‰ Pinned!

    1. Hurray for pitch perfect lovers. šŸ™‚ She’s my favorite too, seriously so funny!

      Thanks for the pin girl, hope you get a chance to try the soup!

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    Mandy @Mandy's Recipe Box

    I LOVE LOVE Pitch Perfect and I can’t wait until the next one comes out. Hilarious! This soup looks so comforting and delish!

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    Kacey @ The Cookie Writer

    This soup looks so inviting, and perfect with our crazy temperatures, too (today we have ANOTHER cold alert.) Cannot wait to make this for my husband!

    1. Hurray!! We are in the cold alert right now too.. boo. Spring needs to come already. But until then I’ll keep eating my soup!

  15. Avatar photo
    Heather | girlichef

    I don’t want a bowl of this, I NEED a bowl of it! And I’d love to eat it while watching Pitch Perfect again (yup, total guilty pleasure here, too).

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    Jenn @ A Toast to the Good Life

    Oh I am on such a soup kick lately! Must be this COLD Chicago weather. šŸ™‚ This recipe looks delicious – and I love that you made it a healthy swap!

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    Alice @ Hip Foodie Mom

    Krista, I’ve never seen Pitch Perfect before. . but I love musical type movies or movies where they sing a lot . . love this potato leek soup. . I make leek and potato soup like once a week here in the winter. . it’s sooo cold here in WI and this soup is my oldest daughter’s fave. love the arrowroot and 2% milk! great idea!!!

    1. Oh my goodness.. the next time we are together that is what we are watching… instead of scandal hehe. šŸ™‚

      My heart goes out to you with the cold weather, I’ve experience WI winter and its no bueno.. go make this soup. It will make you feel better. šŸ™‚

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    Stephanie Hartley

    Yes! Pitch Perfect is a really good film. This soup looks so good. It;s still pretty cold here in the UK, so I definitely need a warming meal like this

    Steph