How do you prep leeks?

In most traditional culinary preparations, you should remove the tough, dark green leaves and just use the light green and white bulb. The dark green section tends to be much tougher and more bitter, which is why it's often not used. (However, you can use it in homemade vegetable broth !) That being said, it's not unsafe to eat the dark green section – it just needs a little extra cooking time to soften. If you decide to use it, you'll just need to sauté the leeks for longer (probably 15+ minutes).

Can you make this soup in a slow cooker?

Yes! Start by sautéing the shallots, leeks and garlic in oil as stated in the recipe below. Then, add all ingredients to the slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-5 hours. Transfer to a blender and blend until smooth.

Leek and Celery Soup (One Pot)

Description

This easy one pot Leek and Celery Soup is creamy, delicious, and packed with vegetables. It's great as an easy weeknight dinner (it's ready in about 45 minutes), and it's a great way to use up the celery in your fridge!

Ingredients

Units Scale

4 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter (regular or vegan)
2 large leeks (about 3 cups) halved and thinly sliced, wash well
1/3 cup shallots, finely minced (1-2 large shallots)
1 tablespoon fresh garlic, finely minced
3 cups celery, thinly sliced
5-6 large yellow potatoes, chopped (~3 cups)
1/3 cup chopped parsley, plus more for garnish
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, finely chopped
4 cups vegetable broth
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

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Instructions

Add olive oil to a soup pot over medium heat. Once the oil is heated, add the leeks and shallots and cook for until the leeks begin to soften, about 7 minutes. Be sure to stir frequently to prevent over browning, which will make the leeks bitter.
Add garlic and cook for an additional 2 minutes, and then stir in the butter, celery, potatoes, parsley, thyme, salt, and pepper.
Cook for an additional 7 minutes, stirring every minute or two.
Pour in the vegetable broth and lemon juice and bring the soup to a boil, then turn the heat down to medium low, cover, and let the soup simmer for 25 minutes.
Use a high speed, heat safe blender or an immersion blender to purée the soup until it's smooth and creamy.

Notes

Taste and adjust salt as needed.

Use freshly squeezed lemon juice if possible.

Only use the bulb and lower leaf portion of the leeks, and be sure to wash them well. See blog post for more notes on how to properly clean and prepare leeks.

You can use regular or vegan butter in this recipe.

Immersion blender vs. regular blender: A regular blender will result in the smoothest, creamiest soup. That said, an immersion blender tends to be an easier option – It saves you from creating an extra dirty dish to wash, and you don't have to transfer the soup to another container to blend. If using a regular blender, just make sure to be careful and let the soup cool a bit, as the steam from hot soup can create pressure in an airtight blender.

Storage: let the soup cool to room temperature, then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for 5 days. Reheat in a small saucepan over medium heat.

Freezer storage: Let the soup cool completely before transferring to an airtight, freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 6 months. To reheat, defrost in the refrigerator overnight, then heat over medium in a saucepan.

Nutrition facts are an estimate.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Category: Soups
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 small bowl
Calories: 328
Sugar: 4.4 g
Sodium: 1153.9 mg
Fat: 16 g
Carbohydrates: 43.5 g
Fiber: 5.5 g
Protein: 4.1 g