Cheese & Leek Soup

Leeks and cream cheese make a soup that’s impossibly smooth and rich without tasting heavy. The leeks cook gently in butter with onion and celery until soft, simmer in chicken broth, then get blended into a velvety purée. Cream cheese and sour cream processed together until smooth get stirred in at the end for body and tang.

Cooking the leeks low and slow without browning is what keeps this soup’s flavor clean and mild. Browned leeks add a caramelized sweetness that would fight with the tangy cream cheese.

The cream cheese and sour cream mixture must be completely smooth before adding to the soup. Any lumps won’t dissolve in the warm broth and show up as grainy spots.

Don’t let the soup boil after adding the dairy. High heat causes cream cheese to break and the soup turns greasy and separated instead of silky.

Kitchen Tips

• Use only the white part of the leeks. The green tops are tough and fibrous, even when blended.
• Wash leeks thoroughly by splitting them and rinsing between layers. Sand and grit hide deep inside.
• Process the cream cheese and sour cream in a food processor before adding to the soup for the smoothest result.
• Thin with a splash of whipping cream if the soup is too thick. It’s rich, so a little goes a long way.

Variations

• Potato leek: Add diced potatoes to the broth for a heartier, more traditional leek soup.
• Blue cheese: Replace cream cheese with crumbled blue cheese for a sharper, more pungent version.