let’s talk about soup. specifically, this creamy potato and parsley soup.
also known as the winter food mascot, also known as a hug in a bowl, also know as the best dinner ever! ok I’ll stop…
but seriously. perfection.
especially on a wednesday in the middle of winter. and we don’t even have it that bad here in seattle. not compared to the -24 degree wind chill that my mama reported to me earlier this week from the midwest. that’s like I don’t even want to go outside cold! but even here it’s getting to that point of oh-my-goodness I need to be on a warm sunny beach and not in winter land. you guys feel me?
but since that vacation somehow didn’t get planned this year (ahem) I’ve decided that the least we can do is eat soup.
this soup is one of those very simple and suuuper easy recipes that uses a few humble ingredients and turns them into something magically delicious. uhhm not like lucky charms. like fragrant + a little sweet + creamy, magically delicious.
I think russet potatoes work best in this recipe since they break down nicely once cooked, although you could mix it up and do half russet and half of whatever else looks good.
and I know I’ve made this plea before, but please don’t shy away from the fennel! it give such a nice sweet quality to the flavor of the soup and there is NO licorice flavor to be found once you have caramelized the very finely diced pieces with the leeks. magically delicious, remember?
once the soup is made and the moment of blending arrives you can decide which direction you want to take the texture of your soup. you don’t have to blend it much at all, or you could puree it into silky oblivion. either way you’ll probably want to add a bit more broth to thin out the texture slightly. I used my immersion blender and went about halfway.
no matter what you decide to do you really can’t go wrong. the flavor is all there and it’s the good, good stuff. the kind of stuff that makes the middle of winter not seem so harsh after all.
did you make this recipe? I would love to know how it turned out! you can leave me a comment below, or snap a picture and post it to instagram with the hashtag #nyssaskitchen! xo
*my inspiration for this recipe is credited to a recipe for “potato and parsley soup with parsley root” from The New Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison.
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creamy potato and parsley soup
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 servings 1x
Description
a quick and simple recipe for creamy potato soup with parsley, leeks and fennel. easy to make and a perfect way to warm up on a cold winter’s night!
Ingredients
- 2 leeks
- 1 medium sized fennel bulb
- 3 tbs butter
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 5 medium sized russet potatoes (about 4 lbs)
- 3/4 cup chopped parsley, divided into 1/2 and 1/4 cups
- 6–7 cups good tasting stock
- 1 bay leaf
- 2/3 cup cream
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- cut a slit along the length of the leeks and run under cold water, fanning out the layers to clean away dirt and grit. finely dice. core and finely dice fennel bulb, reserve some of the fennel fronds for garnish.
- heat butter and olive oil over medium heat in a large soup pot and add leeks, fennel and a big pinch of salt. cook, stirring occasionally until quite soft and starting to caramelize (about 8 minutes)
- while leeks and fennel are cooking you can peel, quarter, and thinly slice russet potatoes. put potatoes on a bowl of water as you prep them to keep them from browning.
- drain potatoes and add them to the pot along with 1/2 cup parsley, bay leaf and 6 cups chicken or vegetable stock.
- bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook until potatoes are falling apart, about 15-20 minutes.
- add cream and stir to heat through. blend soup either partially or completely. thin with more chicken stock if necessary and stir in remaining 1/4 cup chopped parsley. season to taste with salt.
- serve with more black pepper and garnish with fennel fronds.
- Category: dinner, soup
- Cuisine: vegetarian, easy, quick
Jenna says
I adore the omission of onions and garlic from this recipe! Looking forward to trying this! Merry Christmas!
Nyssa Tanner says
Ohh I hope that you love it! It’s such a simple + delicious soup. Happy holidays! 馃檪
Michelle Giroux says
do you think this could be me in a crock pot and if so should you just can you double the recipe just double everything?
Nyssa Tanner says
Hi Michelle! I think you could absolutely make this recipe in a crock pot. You will still want to saute the leeks and fennel with a pinch of salt (in step 2) before adding to the crock pot with the potatoes, parsley, bay leaf, and broth. I would recommend 6-8 hours on low or 3-4 hours on high. When the potatoes are tender add the cream, and blend or even mash slightly with a potato masher to your desired consistency, and finish with more fresh parsley and salt to taste. Hope that helps!
Isaiah Wahl says
Love this recipe! It鈥檚 really good and my whole family enjoyed it very much! Thank you so much for sharing .
★★★★★
Nyssa Tanner says
Aww yes! So happy to hear it!
Lenore says
This looks awesome and healthy! I love potato soup! I will have to try this for sure!
Nyssa Tanner says
me too, Lenore! let me know how it turns out! 鈽猴笍
Lenore says
I love potato soup! I will have to try this healthy recipe.