Leek, Potato & Watercress Soup
Leek, Potato & Watercress Soup is a nutritious twist on the familiar leek and potato soup. Adding the peppery leaves right near the end freshens and lightens this delicious soup that cooks in around twenty-five minutes.
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When it comes to easy comfort food, leek and potato soup is up there among my favourites. With simple ingredients, I love this combination of vegetables in a lightly creamy broth. But sometimes I like to ring the changes. I think one of the best variations is my Smoky Bacon, Leek & Potato Soup. The smokiness from bacon or pancetta adds a whole extra level of flavour that, for me, makes the golden-hued soup rather special.
I think the same is true of my latest twist: Leek, Potato & Watercress Soup. The difference though is that while bacon makes leek and potato soup deeper, richer and even more suitable for a chilly day, adding watercress freshens and lightens it up with a pleasant pepperiness. I reckon that makes it perfect for Springtime eating which, happily, is when watercress is at its best in Britain.
WATERCRESS
With a peppery, mustard-like flavour, watercress can be eaten raw or cooked. Just like cabbage, broccoli and Brussels sprouts, it’s a member of the brassica family. It’s also packed with nutrients. To name just a few, watercress is rich in vitamins A and C, and is also a source of calcium, iron, and vitamin E.
As you’d expect from its name, watercress thrives in wet conditions. According to Slow Food in the UK, it’s a semi-aquatic plant whose hollow stems allow water to travel up and nourish the leaves. The best watercress is said to be that grown in clear running water, although it can be grown almost anywhere that’s moist.
The one slight drawback to watercress is that it doesn’t keep for very long. So, if you can get your hands on some, try to use watercress within a couple of days. If you don’t have watercress then you could substitute spinach, rocket or even wild garlic in this recipe.
LEEK, POTATO & WATERCRESS SOUP
I was inspired to make Leek, Potato & Watercress Soup when there was some lovely early organic watercress in my Moorland Veg Box delivery. Also in there were organic leeks and potatoes. So I decided to make them into a delicious soup for that night’s dinner.
Incredibly simple, you’ll find the complete recipe card at the end of this post. But, briefly, here’s how I make it.
SOFTEN THE VEGETABLES
I first soften two leeks and three cloves of garlic in butter and a little olive oil; the oil helps to prevent the butter burning. If you haven’t sliced the leeks too thickly, they’ll only take around ten minutes to soften.
Then I stir in diced potatoes plus a little more seasoning. With soups, stews, and casseroles I find it much better to season a little as I go along rather than adding all at once or trying to correct at the end. The potatoes only need cooking for a couple of minutes, just to take on the rest of the flavours.
STOCK & MILK
For a lightly creamy texture that isn’t too rich I next add equal amounts of stock and milk. My preference is for chicken stock, but you can use vegetable if you like. Then I gently simmer until the potatoes are soft. This takes around ten minutes.
While that’s happening, you can discard any thick stems from the bunch of watercress and roughly chop it. To preserve its flavour and all those nutrients, you only need to cook the watercress very briefly with the rest of the ingredients. A minute or two is plenty.
FINISHING THE SOUP
Finally, I go in with my stick blender and whiz the soup for just a few seconds. I don’t like a completely smooth soup as I think it’s much nicer to have some of the vegetables and watercress still visible.
Before serving, don’t forget to check the seasoning one last time.
SERVING LEEK, POTATO & WATERCRESS SOUP
As pretty as this delicately green soup is, like most others I think the appearance is greatly improved with a sprinkle of something. In this case I kept back a few whole watercress leaves to float on top. For texture, I toasted a handful of pumpkin seeds in a dry pan. I love their dark olive colour against the lighter soup. A final grind of black pepper and you’re ready to dig in.
I have to say that I was surprised at just how good this very simple soup tasted. It was warming and comforting on what was a nippy day in early Spring. But it wasn’t heavy at all. Just delicate, fresh, and with a perky pepperiness.
As a little indulgence to eat with the soup, and as a change from bread, I made a few of my popular Very Cheesy Cheese Scones. I loved their rich contrast with the clean tasting soup.
Depending on how hungry you are, the recipe should serve three people. After eating it for dinner, I enjoyed another bowlful the next day for lunch. And the day after, when my partner returned from working away and had the rest for his lunch, he thought it was great too.
If you’ve made this recipe, I love to know what you thought. Please leave a comment and rate it below.
Leek, Potato & Watercress Soup
A nutritious twist on the familiar leek and potato soup. Adding peppery leaves of watercress right near the end of cooking freshens and lightens this delicious soup.
No watercress? You could replace it with spinach, rocket or wild garlic.
Ingredients
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 25 g butter
- 500 g leeks approx. 2 medium, weight before preparation, sliced thinly
- 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
- salt and pepper
- 500 g potatoes peeled or unpeeled, cut into small dice
- 400 ml stock chicken or vegetable
- 400 ml milk
- 1 bunch watercress, tough stems discarded approx. 75 - 100 grams
To serve (optional)
- toasted pumpkin seeds
Instructions
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Put the olive oil and butter in a saucepan over low-medium heat.
When the butter's melted, stir in the sliced leeks and chopped garlic seasoning with a pinch of salt and some pepper.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until the leeks and garlic are soft but not browned (approx. 10 min.)
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Stir in the potatoes with a little more salt and pepper then cook for a couple of minutes.
Stir in the stock and milk, put on a lid and bring up to the boil. Immediately turn down the heat to a simmer. Cook until the potatoes are soft (approx. 10 min).
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Roughly chop the watercress (reserving a few leaves for a garnish if liked) and stir into the soup. Simmer for 1 - 2 minutes.
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Off the heat, take a stick blender and whizz the soup for a few seconds: it's nicest with some of the vegetables still visible rather than completely smooth.
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Check the seasoning and serve with a few reserved watercress leaves on each bowl and the toasted pumpkin seeds if using.
Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 2-3 days. Freezing not recommended.
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