A bowl of warm comfort with this twist on the classic Potato Leek Soup. Spicy chorizo and creamy white cheddar add so much flavor to this easy, wholesome soup!
Well, there’s a lot going on in the world right now. As I’m writing this, it’s March 2020 and we’re in the throws of the global pandemic, Corona Virus. It’s so scary and things are shifting every single day, which is really unsettling.
While many of us have been practicing social distancing for a couple of weeks now, states are beginning to mandate shutdowns in order to flatten the curve of the spread. The main concern is reducing the amount of people that have the virus so that our hospital systems can handle the number of cases at a time.
In this crazy time, I’m so glad that I enjoy spending time in the kitchen. It’s truly been the best therapy for me and so comforting in a time of so many unknowns!
I know that our world will get through this, and we will be stronger because of it. We will appreciate the little things, like being able to go out to eat and hug a friend so much more. But until then, I’ll be in my kitchen, making all the comfort food.
Potato Leek Soup with Spicy Chorizo & White Cheddar
That’s where this Potato Leek Soup with Spicy Chorizo and White Cheddar comes in. This is my version of a “meat & potatoes” meal using what we had at home while quarantined to make a delicious, comforting dinner.
This potato leek soup is minimal in ingredients and so easy to make, yet tastes amazing and feels like a restaurant-quality meal!
I started off by browning the spicy chorizo. You want it to be very well-browned, because more browning=more flavor. This can take about 10 minutes, and then you want to remove the chorizo with a slotted spoon and place it to the side on a plate. We’ll come back to it!
After removing the chorizo, add in the diced white onion and the diced leeks and sauté for a few minutes, until soft. You’ll want to stir them occasionally so ensure that nothing is burning.
Once the onion and leeks are softened, go ahead and add the potatoes, seasoning and the broth to the pot. Give it a stir, bring to a boil, turn down to medium-low and allow to simmer for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender. Once it’s reached that point, it’s time to blend the soup up into delicious creaminess.
I find that using my immersion blender works best. I really think it’s a great tool to have in the kitchen and makes creamy soups so easy! The one I have is right here and it works really well.
If you don’t have an immersion blender, you’ll have to transfer the soup back to a blender in batches, blend and then return to the pot.
Once the soup is all blended and creamy, it’s time to add the grated cheese and the chorizo back to the soup. After that, simply taste the seasonings and adjust as needed!
I like to serve mine with some extra chorizo crumbles on top and chopped parsley… so good!
I hope you’re all staying well during this time of craziness and unknown. I know for me, eating food that makes my body & soul feel good is so important, and I’m so lucky to be able to access groceries right now. We need to continue to not only take care of ourselves, but our community members around us. It’s the only way we’ll get through it.
If you’re in the mood for more soup, like I know I am, check out my fan-favorite Tuscan Style Soup or my Chicken Katsu Ramen– such a fun one to make while we’re stuck at home!
Sending you all so much love & hope! (and a hot bowl of Potato Leek Soup)
If you try this soup, I would LOVE if you could leave a comment below letting me know what you think! Or come say hi on my Instagram!
Potato Leek Soup with Spicy Chorizo & White Cheddar
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp avocado or olive oil
- 1 lb spicy (or regular) chorizo
- 1 white onion diced
- 2 leek cleaned well & diced (only the white and light green parts)
- 2 lbs baby red potatoes cubed
- 7 cups vegetable or chicken broth
- 1 tbsp Herbes de Provence or Italian Seasoning
- 2 tsp salt
- pinch of pepper
- 2 cups white cheddar cheese grated
- parsley, to garnish
Instructions
- Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add oil and allow to heat for another minute. Sauté the chorizo until well browned. Remove chorizo with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- Add the diced onion and leeks to the pot. Add a drizzle of oil if needed. Cook for a couple of minutes until soft, stirring frequently.
- Add the diced potatoes, seasoning and broth.
- Bring to a boil, turn to medium-low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender.
- Using an immersion blender, or transferring to a normal blender, blend soup until creamy.
- Return the soup to the pot and on low heat, add the cheese. Stir until melted. Add the chorizo back in, saving a small amount for garnishing.
- Adjust seasoning as needed.
- Garnish with parsley and chorizo crumbles.
