I love it, but it definitely needs some help to pick up the pizzaz. I usually top it with bacon, truffle oil, and grated pecorino romano. It's hearty, rich, warm and satisfying. It's not going to set the world on fire, but it is tasty.

to decrease this blah-potential, i actually do not puree the potato-leek soup. chunky broth is the way to go. and lots of black pepper. and garlic does not count as an ingredient because it is a given.

LOVE it!

California Pizza Kitchen used to do an excellent version of Potato Leek Soup. I used to have a recipe for it (from online) and it required some thyme and even some soy sauce to give it a savory depth.

How funny, just made this yesterday! And finished up the leftovers for lunch today. It's not exciting, but it's the ultimate comfort food--hearty, satisfying, and easy to make.

In yesterday's batch, I did all the sauteeing in bacon fat instead of butter and oil, which makes it feel a bit more substantial. I also always add some minced sage when I'm sauteeing the leeks, definitely adds another dimension. And at the very end after I've pureed I throw in some frozen peas for texture and color.

Love it! But agree that it needs to be helped along in the flavour department. I use LOTS of leeks and a fair bit of garlic, and I incorporate a healthy handful or two of grated cheese -- anything from asiago to pecorino... even gruyere.

Also, it's important not to overcook the potatoes, otherwise the soup gets a starchy mouth feel. Sadly, this is why potato leek soup is one of the few soups that doesn't do well as leftovers.

I love it - delicious comfort food. And I never tasted it until I was an adult, so it doesn't have fuzzy childhood memories attached for me, either.

a nearly perfect on its own :) cold in the summer with fresh, cool tomatoes. hot in the winter with cheese and bread.

pick up the pizzaz? how about a nice shot of hot pepper instead of peppercorns? curry and potatoes are grand ole friends, too!

I love it, but to me it's not a two ingredient soup. I use a Paul Bocuse recipe that includes butter, good sea salt, crème fraiche and chervil

I planned on making this recently, but there were no leeks to be found. I subbed scallions instead and the results were delicious!

Katti said exactly what I was going to say, almost word-for-word. And my recipe also includes chicken stock, the best you can find. And I only puree half of it. And it should be finished with freshly ground black pepper. Yum!

Hahaha, I thought that picture looked familiar!

I just made some this past weekend but didn't have enough potatoes, so I threw in some roasted turnips before pureeing.

I didn't grow up with this soup, but I've always loved potatoes, so that's probably why I love this soup. Also, can't beat the simplicity factor.

Potato leek soup is more than just two ingredients. Pickiness aside, I love it. But you definitely need the toppings to go with it.

I think it's really blah. I don't particularly care for soup in the first place (I have an irrational dislike of hot liquids) and potato-leek is just so bland. Unless it tastes like something else and then, really, what's the point?

If I must have soup, I'd rather a nice tomato-cream or minestrone or, better yet, some sort of stew.

Love, love love love. I can do a pretty tasty vegan version, but a little bit of butter (rather than oil) to saute the leeks makes it oh so tasty. In the winter I'll roast a piece of salmon while cooking the soup and flake the salmon over the top - amazingly delicious and hearty.

My husband loves potato-leek soup; me, hmm, it's okay... I used Julia Child's recipe, and am sorry to say, thought it a bit dull. Definitely needs more than just potatoes and leeks...

The best soup I have made recently was leek with turnip (and shallot)... didn't I get the idea here?

This sounds like the recipe I used:

http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/recs/293/Cream_of_Turnip_Soup177.shtml

I definitely don't puree and along with the leeks getting sauteed in butter there are carrots and celery then add chicken broth and potatoes and simmer finishing with milk.

I love it too. And all the different ways it can taste. Just like how sometimes you feel like eating a boiled potato with just some butter, salt and pepper and at other times a loaded potato skin hits the spot instead.

Potato leek soup to me usually means vichyssoise, which also includes potatoes, chicken stock and Mmm heavy cream! Is there some reason why you are referrign to potato leek soup as only a two ingredient dish?

Love! And I was just looking for a good recipe. Anyone have a favorite to share?

I've never used leeks in my potato soup. Onions, garlic, butter, milk, salt and pepper. In precisely the correct proportions. Not pureed, but left with bits of potato chunks. Served with saltines, sharp! cheddar cheese, and crumbled bacon on top. In the bleak mid-winter, there is better.

My mother has passed along a great recipe.
http://nomonthis.com/2009/11/02/potato-leek-soup/
I'm not sure where it came from, but its perfect in its simplicity!

I guess I'm on the "love it" side :)

Hmm...maybe it's because I've been treating it as a 2-ingredient soup (leeks-potatoes, not counting water, pepper or salt) that it's been so boring to me!

Funny you should ask! I love MY potato-leek soup, even though it was just a leetle bit of a pain in the butt making a pot of mashed potatoes:

http://tinybiscuits.blogspot.com/2010/01/soup-soup-beautiful-soup.html

But a soup that's just potatoes and leeks? Blech.

What I'm really looking for is a good loaded-baked-potato soup recipe; any ideas?

Oooh, KatieItalia...LOVE the idea of adding artichokes!

I very rarely comment, but I have to add my 2 cents. I was a picky eater growing up (though I am generally adventurous now), and one funny thing that I never got over is that I don't really care for soup. I tend to dislike the heavy broth taste and yet, I'm still picky about stew type soups. I like potato leek soup, though! I can't explain it; it's the only one I enjoy. I have to ally myself with the other fans of it. Throw some bacon on top, and I am extra happy.

This is a bit off topic, I apologize, but does anyone reading this use "Trader Joe's Tomato Sauce starter?" It comes in a small carton and is great as a starter for soups and sauces. It contains fresh chopped tomatoes in their own juice with a touch of herbs. Well they have recently discontinued it!! Please email Trader Joe's and complain. If they hear from enough of us they will start stocking it again! It is an amazing and inexpensive time saver! Thanks.

love, but I make it with some chicken broth, shallots and parm. And Cream.

I love it as long as it has a good broth as a base. For me, simple soups are just heavenly.

Love it! So simple, so flavorful.

Love! It's summer here in New Zealand and I've been wanting to make potato and leek soup the last few days. We had a power cut last night so it was takeaways. But fingers crossed it will be on the menu tonight.

I like adding bacon as a garnish and serving with cheese rolls.

Also a fan. I also use chicken stock, garlic, butter milk and a little red wine vinegar. Using baked potatoes instead of boiled adds a little smokiness. I also opt not to puree as I really don't like it too starchy. Use a ricer instead.

I love soups. They're easy and delicious and in heavy rotation in our kitchen right now. I made a pot of soup (cauliflower) to accompany paninis for dinner tomorrow. Be sure to give this potato & leek soup recipe a try - the flavour comes from baking the potatoes ahead of time and then pureeing the skins as well. Delicious!

http://www.finecooking.com/recipes/baked_potato_soup.aspx?ac=ts&ra=fp

Gotta use enough leeks. Otherwise it's just potato-y. I also like to make mine with a white sauce instead of just milk or cream and leave the leeks and potatoes sliced, that way you get some toothsomeness, something I crave in soups. I can't stand the pureed kind. I need something to chew!

Bread makes every soup better, and adds to the extreme carb tribute that is potato and leek soup. : )

I love it, and in fact I love simple vegetable soups with one or two ingredients generally. I don't think they need much in the way of pizzazzing up except good broth & salt & pepper. The soup in the photo is a bit thicker than I like most soups myself.

We've been making this a lot recently and I'm mostly really enjoying it 'til today when I just can't face anymore :-) Ours has onion, stock, salt and pepper in with the sauted leeks and potatoes, and it's generally nice and peppery in taste. The recipe does call for milk but we don't bother and find it's fine without.

Meh to anything from the onion family for me.

This soup (or rather the vichyssoise recipe from the Joy of Cooking) has been my family's Christmas dinner staple for as long as I can remember. My dad gets requests to bring it for other holiday dinners at relatives places as well. I once even caught my cousin sneaking leftovers at about 2 am.

I'm fairly sure we haven't changed anything about the recipe and I'm fine with that. There's a reason both my dad's and my copy of Joy has a crack in the spine at that page.

I love soups - especially potato and leek. if you're not a leek fan, you can use the same basic recipe, omitting the leeks, add a a few things that you would put on a baked potato et voila! baked potato soup.

I come from an Irish family and potato leek soup is a family staple. I remember my aunt making a version with mealy brown potatoes and very little seasoning. That stuff was just awful.

I make mine with red potatoes, and leave a few skins on for texture. The red potatoes have that great starch to creamy ratio that makes them great for this potato focused soup. I let the leeks brown just slightly before I add the potatoes and homemade stock to the pot. Never do I add garlic. Just leeks, potatoes, and stock to start (never garlic in potato leek soup!! bleck!!) -- cook it down until the potatoes start to reach that soft stage, but before they become glue. I toss in some cream, use an immersion blender to puree a bit (I go for half chunk, half puree), throw in some fresh parsley and lots of fresh dill, season generously with kosher salt and black pepper. Affordable and easy!

I made this soup the other day for friends going through a hard time. My mother happened to be visiting and had never tried my version. She's not usually one to dole out compliments on my food. She had a small mug of soup, lapped it up like a puppy, and looked at me and said in all seriousness: "You could sell this soup. You could SELL this soup! Seriously, honey. You could sell this soup."

So, while I can understand how some might think the flavors bland, I think it's all about the care of these simple ingredients that really make them shine. This isn't the type of soup that is supposed to smack you over the head with flavor. It's gentle, soft, classic, slightly decadent, but comforting, like a good cashmere sweater.

Plus, anything with cream can't be all bad.

I'm in the camp of more flavor--I've made it after roasting, added half n' half, cheese, bacon, definitely garlic, sour cream at the end. Anything to give it more depth. I like my soups to have a chunky mouth feel, too, so I puree a little or smash it a bit with a masher (I have an immersion blender, which is great for this sort of thing). I'm thinking of roasting the garlic, too, when adding it. I've been using a veg stock, but wonder if chicken stock would add a different dimension.

I really like potato-leek soup, but my boyfriend hates soups that aren't chunky. So I added some roasted broccoli and potatoes along with some bacon and cheese. Tastes kind of like a loaded baked potato. Also, could add sour cream, chives, scallions.

http://inthesupermarket.blogspot.com/2010/01/riffs-and-variations-on-single-note.html

Good chicken stock and lots of leeks make it yummy.

i loooove this soup, but i've never made it with only two ingredients! i always caramelize the leeks (and use lots of them) in butter, then add in potatoes and good chicken stock, salt and pepper. in the end, i do blend it all but add some kind of thick cream (heavy, whipping, half and half, etc) and milk. delicious! maybe you've only ever had boring versions of it? i think it's incredibly flavorful.