Leek and potato soup without cream is a classic soup you'll find on French family tables. Called Potage Parmentier, this silky smooth soup is gently sweet from the leeks and naturally creamy from gold potatoes. It's comfort food in a bowl. Traditionally finished with cream, this version is so creamy you can skip the cream - though you can certainly add it back if you prefer. Make leek and potato soup dairy-free or vegan if desired.
What makes leek and potato soup so special is its simplicity. Just leeks, potatoes, broth, and a few aromatics turn into a bowl that's deeply comforting, gently sweet from the leeks, and naturally creamy from the potatoes. If you're looking for a leek and potato soup without cream, this version gives you that classic French texture and flavor with a lighter, more everyday feel.
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Why You'll Love Leek and Potato Soup (no cream)
- Classic made lighter - A naturally creamy leek and potato soup without cream.
- Adaptable - Keep it dairy-free, or add cream or coconut milk for extra richness.
- Simple ingredients - Leeks, potatoes, broth, and aromatics - nothing fussy.
- Healthy potato leek soup - Silky, satisfying, and perfect for a lighter, cozy meal.
For another simple, rich soup, make a pot of this black bean and pumpkin soup, a reader favorite recipe (and mine too).
Ingredients You'll Need
- Leeks - Look for medium sized, firm leeks with bright green tops and plenty of usable white/light green stalk (the most tender part). You'll have to buy more to make up for the dark green tops to get enough pale green lower leek.
- Gold potatoes - Creamy texture, buttery flavor, and golden color. They blend into a naturally silky soup without cream. Potato notes below.
- Butter - Unsalted butter to cook leeks, but olive oil, avocado oil, or plant butter all work.
- Garlic - Adds depth and savoriness to balance the sweetness of the leeks.
- Broth - Chicken broth provides body, flavor and the liquidity to puree, vegetable broth works for vegans, homemade gives the best flavor.
- Coconut milk (optional) - Full-fat canned coconut milk gives richness and creaminess without dairy, but this soup is rich and creamy just with the potatoes. Heavy cream is good too, of course, if you enjoy dairy.
- Fresh thyme - Classic pairing with leeks and potatoes, gives herbal depth. Use dried thyme if needed.
- Bay leaf - For a subtle depth of flavor.
- White wine - Optional, but a splash for deglazing enhances flavors.
- Lemon - Brightens and balances the earthy-sweet soup, added right before serving.
Please see the recipe card for measurements, salt and pepper.
Chef's Tip - Best Potatoes for Leek and Potato Soup
Yellow/gold potatoes are the best choice. They have a naturally creamy, buttery flavor and just enough starch to break down smoothly without turning gluey. They also give the soup a warm golden color. Russets are higher in starch and break down completely, but can turn gluey (or grainy) if over-blended, producing a paler, less flavorful soup. Red or waxy potatoes hold their shape too well and won't puree into a silky texture, making them less ideal, unless you prefer a chunkier, rustic soup.
For a fast meal, try this easy tomato soup from canned tomatoes. You probably have the ingredients in your pantry. Add a grilled cheese sandwich for a classic lunch or dinner.
Substitutions and Variations
- Fully dairy-free version - Make it a dairy-free potato leek soup with vegetable broth and coconut milk or alternative such as unsweetened non-dairy cream alternative, such as oat cream, cashew cream, or almond cooking cream.
- Prefer dairy? - Stir in some cream or half-and-half, or swirl Greek yogurt for tang and added protein.
- Texture - Puree until silky smooth, or leave part of it chunky for a more rustic style.
For another wonderful soup recipe try this creamy leek and mushroom soup.
Chef's Tip on peeling potatoes: To peel or not to peel? It depends on your texture goal. Gold potato skins are thin, tender, and nutrient-rich-leaving them on adds fiber and a more rustic look. For a smooth, silky purée, peel them first (I do). For a chunkier, rustic soup, keep the skins; they blend down softly but give a little texture and a deeper flavor.
How to Make Leek and Potato Soup
This method creates a creamy potato leek soup without cream, thanks to the starch in the gold potatoes.
- Trim dark green tops and root ends of leeks, split and rinse under cold water to clean any grit or dirt.
- Lay leeks flat and chop crosswise into small pieces.
- Peel and chop potatoes into small pieces.
- Add leeks and cook gently over medium low heat in butter without browning, stirring, 8-10 minutes until soft and glossy.
- Stir in garlic, thyme, and bay leaf; cook 1 minute until fragrant. Add the wine and simmer 1-2 minutes to reduce (optional).
- Stir in potatoes to coat well; season with salt. Cover with lid and cook on med-low 7-8 minutes to start them softening and absorbing the aromatics.
- Pour in 3 cups broth, just to cover. Cover and simmer on med-low to low until potatoes are very tender when pierced with the tip of a paring knife, 10-15 minutes. Uncover and simmer a few minutes more to reduce and thicken.
- Remove bay leaf, puree soup in two batches (if needed) in a blender or in the pot with an immersion blender. Add coconut milk or cream if using (optional). Taste and adjust seasoning, add lemon juice.
Chef's Tip: Creaminess Without Heavy Cream. You don't need heavy cream to get a velvety texture. Full-fat canned coconut milk adds luxurious body with less heaviness and no obvious coconut flavor - just a smooth, clean finish that lets the leeks shine. Yukon Gold potatoes contribute natural creaminess, so the soup tastes rich and satisfying even without coconut milk or cream. Add either only if you prefer extra richness.
Serving Leek and Potato Soup
A simple garnish can transform this humble soup into something special:
- Fresh chives or parsley for color and brightness.
- Crisp bacon for a salty, smoky crunch.
- A drizzle of good olive oil (try lemon or herb-infused).
- A swirl of sour cream, Greek yogurt, or dairy-free yogurt for tang.
- Garlicky homemade croutons.
- Freshly grated Parmesan for a savory finish.
Serve with a nice tossed green salad with a tangy French vinaigrette and maybe some crisp garlic toast for a terrific, satisfying meal.
Storing & Freezing
Cool soup completely, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The flavor deepens overnight. It also thickens overnight, so reheat gently over medium-low heat, adding a splash of broth or water to loosen the texture as it warms if needed.
For longer storage, freeze up to 3 months in portioned containers or freezer bags. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Avoid boiling to preserve its silky texture.
Recipe FAQs
Yukon Gold potatoes give the smoothest, silkiest texture. Russets work too but can turn gluey if over-blended.
Absolutely. The flavor improves overnight. Cool and refrigerate for up to 4 days, then reheat gently to keep it silky.
Use olive oil instead of butter (or plant butter), vegetable broth, and coconut milk (or none at all-the potatoes give natural creaminess).
Use olive oil instead of butter and choose vegetable broth. Add coconut milk for richness or leave it out for the lightest version.
Yes. Yukon Gold potatoes puree into a naturally velvety texture, so the soup becomes creamy without any cream or dairy. While classic Potage Parmentier is traditionally finished with cream, this version is naturally creamy on its own.
More Creamy Easy Soup Recipes
Looking for more creamy soup recipes? Try some of these easy options. And check out the soup recipe index page for more soup recipes.
If You Make Leek and Potato Soup
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📖 Recipe
Leek and Potato Soup (No Cream)
Equipment
- 5 ½ quart Dutch oven or other large, heavy similar pot
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 pounds leeks buy extra to make up for the dark green tops that are discarded
- 2 ounces dry white wine optional
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 pounds gold potatoes
- 2-3 lrge garlic cloves
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried
- 1 large bay leaf
- 3-4 cups low sodium chicken broth sub vegetable broth
- ½-3/4 cup canned coconut milk or dairy heavy cream optional
- 1 lemon, juiced optional
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper for no black specks
Optional garnishes (per bowl)
- 1 teaspoon chopped chives
- 1 tablespoon croutons, GF or not recipe on this site
- 1 teaspoon drizzled olive oil
- 2 teaspoons crisp crumbled bacon
Instructions
Prep vegetables
- Trim off the dark green tops and a thin slice of root from the leeks. Split lengthwise and rinse under cold water to remove any grit. Pat dry, then slice crosswise into thin pieces. Peel (or not) and cut potatoes into ¾-1-inch chunks.
Saute the leeks
- Melt butter in a large heavy pot (5½-qt Dutch oven) over medium-low heat. Add leeks and cook gently, without browning, stirring as needed, 8-10 minutes until soft and glossy. Stir in garlic, thyme, and bay leaf; cook 1 minute until fragrant. (Optional) Add the wine and simmer 1-2 minutes to reduce.
Add potatoes
- Stir in potatoes to coat well; season with salt. Cover and cook on low 7-8 minutes to start them softening and absorbing the aromatics.
Add broth and simmer
- Pour in 3 cups broth-just to cover. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook on low until potatoes are very tender when pierced with the tip of a paring knife, 10-15 minutes. Uncover and simmer a few minutes more to slightly reduce and thicken. Remove the bay leaf.
Finish and puree soup
- Off heat, purée with a blender or immersion blender in the pot until velvety (or blend half the soup and return it for a rustic texture). Adjust thickness with extra warm broth if needed. Season to taste with additional salt, a little white pepper, and a small squeeze of lemon to brighten.
Enrich (optional)
- For extra silkiness, stir in ½-¾ cup full-fat canned coconut milk, plant-based cream substitute, heavy cream, or half-and-half off heat. Garnish as desired.
Notes
- Allergic to coconut milk? - Use an unsweetened non-dairy cream alternative, such as oat cream, cashew cream, or almond cooking cream.
- Prefer dairy? - Stir in some cream or half-and-half, or swirl Greek yogurt for tang and added protein.
- Texture - Puree until silky smooth, or leave part of it chunky for a more rustic style.
Nutrition
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