Potato Soup with Leeks & Fennel

I have recipes for Potato Leek Soup. Served either hot or cold.

And I have recipes for Potato Fennel Soup. Sometimes roasted, sometimes not.

But I didn’t have a recipe for Potato, Leek AND Fennel Soup until now.

These are three flavors that go really well together. Even though leeks and fennel are very mild in flavor, you can still distinctly taste each one in this lovely, silky soup.

The potatoes make it hearty and filling.

This is a quick and easy recipe – in and out of the pot and on the table in less than half an hour. Makes great leftovers too.

Here’s what you need:

Yukon Gold Potatoes, Leeks, Fennel Bulb, Vegetable Broth, Water (not pictured), Butter, Olive Oil, Heavy Cream, Salt & Pepper.

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Fennel is that big shaggy looking veg on the left. It has a very mild anise flavor and to say that I love it would be an understatement. Don’t let people tell you it tastes like licorice because it really doesn’t. When you smell it or eat it raw, there is just a small hint of licorice but I absolutely loathe all things licorice and I love fennel. It’s amazing roasted with parmesan cheese, but that’s another day.

Cut off the tall stalky parts that look like celery and the green fronds so that you have the round bulb. Sometimes you need to peel away just the outermost section if it is too tough but usually I try to use the whole bulb. Save some of the fringy green fronds for a garnish.

Cut the bulb into fourths or wedges and then cut the very center, hard core piece out of each one.

After you’ve removed the tough core, slice the fennel into small pieces.

Leeks are another vegetable that I love for their versatile and mild flavor. Cut off the root end and the tough dark green parts. Cut the white and light green part in half and run it under water to remove any dirt or grit. Then slice the leeks into small pieces about the same size as the fennel.

Melt 2 Tablespoons of butter and 1 Tablespoon of olive oil in a large pot. Saute the leeks and fennel for 5 minutes over medium high heat until they begin to soften but do not get brown.

Meanwhile, peel and cut 2 – 2 1/2 pounds of Yukon Gold potatoes into cubes.

Yukon Golds have a great buttery flavor and I think they are the best choice of potato for this soup. Of course, if you can’t find them you can substitute other varieties of potatoes.

Add the cubed potatoes to the pot of sauteed leeks and fennel.

Add 2 (14 oz) cans of vegetable broth and 4 cups of water to the pot. I just fill up the cans with water rather than measure it separately.

Season liberally with salt and freshly ground pepper.

Bring the soup to a boil, then turn the heat down to low, cover and simmer for 20 – 25 minutes until the potatoes are fork tender.

I always fish a little bite of potato out of the pot and try it just to be sure it is tender all the way through to the center.

At this point, you have to decide if you want chunky soup or creamy soup. To me, potato soup should be creamy with little chunks of potato so I use my stick blender to crush up the veggies.

You can also use a regular blender however be EXTREMELY careful when blending hot liquids. Remember to never fill the blender more than 1/2 full because the liquids will expand. Also, it’s a good idea to put a towel and your hand over the lid so that you don’t redecorate your kitchen with hot potato soup.

You can blend all or just half of the soup depending on how chunky you like it. As I said before, I like to still have some recognizable chunks of potato in my soup.

Once you have the texture you like, to make it extra silky smooth, I add just a bit – 1/4 cup of heavy cream.

Check the seasonings and then dish it up. You can garnish the top with some of the little fronds from the top of the fennel. Sometimes, I also like to chop up the fennel fronds and stir them into the soup for a little something green.

Add a nice piece of crusty bread and a green salad and you have dinner!

Like most soups, this is great as a leftover. It does thicken up when refrigerated so you might want to add just a splash of water when you reheat it.

Potatoes, Leeks, and Fennel make good soup friends.

Here’s the recipe:

Potato Soup with Leeks & Fennel