Instant Pot Potato Leek Soup

Grab your Instant Pot for this simple and very tasty soup recipe. Potato and leek are a classic combination in soup and this recipe is made easier by cooking it entirely in the pressure cooker. The result is an Instant Pot potato leek soup that’s definitely a comfort food style dish that everyone will enjoy.

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Christopher can’t consume cream or milk so for a lot of the creamy soups I make, I’ll either omit it altogether or substitute it with coconut milk. You don’t need to add any milk to this recipe because using an immersion blender helps thicken the soup and makes it creamy, full-bodied, delicious and satisfying.

For some reason, he is not bothered by butter, so I do use some in this soup so it is not totally dairy-free.

One of the soups I make with dairy that Christopher doesn’t like is clam chowder. I don’t mind eating the whole pot myself. 🙂

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Did you know that potato leek soup in French is soupe poireaux-pommes de terre? Hubby told me this and now that’s how I’m going to say it. Of course, my French is practically non-existent but I like to say it, just to hear Christopher correct me! 😉

Helpful tips

• Even though I use an Instant pot (IP) for this recipe, I will add a stove top version in the notes section of the recipe card for those who don’t have an Instant pot.
• I mention using an immersion blender and if you don’t have one, I highly recommend getting one. But you don’t have to use one. Instead you could transfer the contents in batches to a blender or food processor and pulse until blended well enough, but leaving some chunks for texture.
• Wash the leeks well as they tend to harbor dirt between the layers. Here’s how: Cut off both the dark green portions and the ends of the leaves. Cut the leeks into thin rounds and transfer them to a bowl of cold water and swish them around with your hands allowing any dirt/sand to fall the the bottom of the bowl. Drain the leeks and place on a paper towel and blot.
• I use Yukon gold potatoes because they are so creamy, but if you can’t get them, red potatoes are a good substitute.
• I leave the skins on the potatoes to get the extra nutrients but if you prefer to peel them, go ahead.
• You can either let the Instant Pot release the pressure naturally which can take up to 30 minutes or do a quick release. Here’s how: Don an oven mitt to protect your hand from the steam and nudge the venting knob from the sealed position to the vent position. Allow the steam to escape and when the metal floating valve button drops to its resting position, you may open the IP.
• Depending on how full the IP is, you may also want to drape a paper towel over the venting knob to catch any food that may spray out of the knob. It didn’t happen to me with this soup, but it has happened before.

Ingredients and substitutions

• Butter – I prefer real butter.
• Leeks
• Garlic – I use garlic paste but you can substitute 3 garlic cloves.
• Potatoes – I use Yukon, but Russet is a good alternative.
• Chicken broth – I get mine at Trader Joes. If you want to keep it vegetarian, you can use vegetable broth but it will change the color and flavor.
• Water
• Thyme – or you can use parsley.
• Salt – I use sea salt.
• Bay leaf

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How to make instant pot potato leek soup

Pre-step

Take out your pressure cooker and an immersion blender.

Step one

Gather the vegetables – Leeks and potatoes. (A)

Step two

Slice the leeks in rings (see helpful tips on how to wash them) and cut the potatoes into small cubes. (B)

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Step three

Gather the rest of the ingredients – chicken broth, garlic, butter, salt and a bay leaf. (C)

Step four

Plug the instant pot in and press the sauté button. Let it heat up for around 3 minutes and add 1/2 stick of butter.

Once that melts, add the sliced leeks and sauté for 4 minutes. (D)

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Step five

Add garlic paste. (D)

Also add the potatoes and sauté for one minute. (E)

Step six

Add chicken broth, the herbs, salt and bay leaf. (F)

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Step seven

Stir the contents, cover the Instant Pot and seal it. Make sure the venting knob is in the sealed position and press the pressure cook button. The mode should be on normal and the pressure set to high.

Set the timer to 10 minutes.

Step eight

You can either allow the IP to release the pressure naturally (just know it can take up to 25 – 30 minutes.) Or do a quick release after 5 – 10 minutes.

Press the cancel button and unplug the IP.

Open the lid. (G)

Step nine

Don oven mitts, lift the insert containing your soup out of the Instant Pot base and place it on a trivet or wooden board.

Put your immersion blender in the soup and pulse until it gets to the consistency you prefer. I like it creamy but with some potato chunks. (H)

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Either transfer the soup to a serving bowl as I did in the photo below, or ladle it directly from the Instant Pot.

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Look how creamy it is. YUM!

I ladle the soup into two crocks and sprinkle some dried parsley on top.

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Let’s get closer.

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I hope you enjoyed this Instant Pot potato leek soup recipe as much as Christopher and I enjoyed eating it!

Other IP soups

• Lentil
• Chicken
• Tortilla

And as always, may all your dishes be delish!

If you’ve tried this recipe, I’d love to know what you thought about it in the comments below. I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM, and PINTEREST to see more of my delicious food and delightful cocktails!