This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Instant Pot Potato Leek Soup is a classic, simple, delicately flavored soup. Enjoy this delicious creamy, but light, pressure cooker Potato Leek Soup with some nice crusty bread for a wonderful meal!
Potato Leek Soup in the Instant Pot
Today I’m sharing one of my Grandpa’s recipes with you. It is a very simple Potato Leek soup that I tweaked just a little so you can easily make it in your Instant Pot electric pressure cooker (because I just love making soup in my IP!). My Nana and Grandpa were great cooks. I love to make their recipes.
This is one of the recipes from Grandpa’s side of the family. He said it’s a Welsh recipe. I’m not sure, but have seen references to that. I think like many recipes, each region has their own version and claims it as their own.
Is This the Same as Vichyssoise?
This Potato Leek Soup is very good hot, though in the Summer we would often eat it chilled, then it is called vichyssoise.
Can I Make Potato Leek Soup Without Dairy?
Yes, you can make dairy-free potato leek soup by substituting non-dairy milks like almond milk or coconut milk for the half and half, and using vegan butter or more olive oil instead of butter.
This soup is easy enough to make on the stove, but I prefer making it in my pressure cooker. Instant Pot Leek and Potato Soup is easy to prepare, and doesn’t take long at all to cook and get the leeks super tender.
Instant Pot Minestrone Soup
Instant Pot Easy Tomato Soup
Instant Pot Taco Soup
Instant Pot Mulligatawny Soup
Instant Pot Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup
One thing’s for sure, it is a simple and tasty soup. I hope you like it!
My family has enjoyed my Grandpa’s Potato Leek Soup recipe for years. Now I’m sharing it with you! Often times the recipes that we remember from childhood are the simplest ones.
Our family recipes are some of my greatest treasures. Each one has a story. and brings to life all of the wonderful memories from the good old days.
Instant Pot Potato Leek Soup
Equipment
- 6 quart Electric Pressure Cooker
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 3 Tablespoons Butter
- 4-5 large Leeks, 5-6 cups sliced
- 2 cloves Garlic, pressed or minced
- 2 Tablespoons Flour
- 5-6 cups Chicken Broth (or vegetable broth)
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon White Pepper (or black)
- 1 ½ lbs Gold Potatoes, cubed
- ⅛ teaspoon Nutmeg (optional)
- ¾ cup Half and Half (or heavy cream, for lower fat use milk)
Garnish
- Chopped Chives (or parsley)
- Sour Cream
- Bacon (cooked and chopped)
Instructions
- Clean and slice leeks into half-moon shapes. Cut off the dark green part, trimming to the part where the color is a pale green. Rinse well to get the dirt out of the layers.
- Press the Sauté button on the Instant Pot. When the display reads 'Hot', add the oil and butter.
- Add the leeks and stir. Cook until soft, stirring occasionally. It's fine if they brown a little.
- Add garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, until fragrant, stirring frequently.
- Sprinkle the flour over the leeks and stir. Cook for a minute to get the raw taste out of the flour.
- Stir in the broth. Be sure to dissolve the flour and scrape the bottom of the pot so you don't get a "burn" issue.
- Add the bay leaf, salt, pepper, and the potatoes, nutmeg. Stir.
- Put the lid on the pot and set the steam release knob to the Sealing position.
- Press the Manual (or Pressure Cook) button, and the +/- button to select 7 minutes.
- When the cooking cycle has ended, let the pot sit undisturbed to naturally release the pressure for 15 minutes. Then manually release the remaining steam.
- When the pin in the lid drops, open it and stir the soup. Remove the bay leaf. Then use an immersion blender to puree it. If you don't have an immersion blender, you can use a blender, pureeing the soup in small batches very carefully.
- Stir in the half and half.
- Taste and adjust salt, if needed.Garnish with chopped chives and sour cream.
- Serve hot or chilled.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I made this tonight in my Instant Pot. Oh my goodness….so delicious!!
That’s great, Carol! Thank you for your review!
Thanks very much for your explicit instructions as well as your lovely recipe. I just got my pot and thought I would try out my favorite slow cooker recipe for potato leek soup and see how it came out in the pressure cooker, hopefully tasting great and cooked in a lot less time. I found your recipe on the internet and it had a similar number of leeks and potatoes so I decided your timing would be my model. Worked great and now I’ve got a big bowl of delicious soup on my lap while I’m writing this. Thank you again. I’ve clipped this recipe to to try as you’ve written it to taste an entirely new set of flavors, my only changes will be that I’m plant based, so will make those changes.
By the way, if you know of a reference on pressure cooker timings I would appreciate that. Thanks again.
Hi Kaye! I’m so glad this method worked for you! As for timing, they are all over the place, and I usually do my own thing. I’m sure Pinterest has some timing printables you could download. Just go there and do a search. Enjoy your soup!
This soup was absolutely delicious. So good that I couldn’t stop eating it. It was super fast using frozen sliced leeks I found at trader Joe’s. I used like 6 cloves of garlic, added an extra bay leaf and used 4 cups of broth and 1 cup of stock. Otherwise stuck to the recipe. Highly recommend!
Yay! Grandpa would be happy that you liked his recipe! Thank you for letting me know!
Thanks for this recipe. I make a similar soup called Potage Parmentier, julia Child’s recipe. Her husband liked it so much that he had it as the first course for EVERY SINGLE DINNER she cooked for him at home their ENTIRE MARRIED LIFE. I was looking for an infant pot recipe. I garnish mine with radish slices per her recipe. I sometimes serve it chilled in mini parfait cups as an appetizer (shooters) when I entertain. I’m an EatWith host in France and Washington DC.. I actually think it tastes better chilled. Leek is such a delicate flavor and it comes out more when it is chilled. This soup is a staple in France where I live part time. You can buy it in cartons at the grocery!
Hi Tess, that is so interesting! Thank you for the info!
First time making potato leek soup. Process worked well in the IP, but it needed more flavor. Added more salt, dried sage, and bay leaves.
Hi Lindsey, this soup is not one that is strong in flavor. It is supposed to be delicate. Having said that, you know what you like! I’m glad you could jazz it up to taste how you wanted. Thank you for your review!
Fabulous conversion to the Instant Pot! I made it with my homemade chicken broth. Also using chicken fat for some of the butter. Was using this recipe for a family favorite watercress soup. Chopped the stems and put them in the hot soup after opening. Wait 5 minutes use the immersion blender. Add the watercress tops , your watercress is chopped less than half inch. Add the half and half…this soup is good cold as well as hot. My boyfriend loved this. My kids always loved it too. Also used russet bakers, old fashioned Idaho gal.
Hi Tam, what a fabulous variation! Thank you for your review!
I made this today and both my husband and I loved it. I want to share the recipe with our son but he doesn’t have an IP, can you tweak it back for stove top recipe?
Hi Marie! I’m glad you liked this soup! To make it on the stove top, sauté the onion, etc., as stated in the recipe, but instead of pressure cooking it, let it simmer on low for about 20 minutes. Then use immersion blender to puree, or a potato masher if your son doesn’t have a blender. Then stir in the cream, taste, and adjust for salt
Thanks Sandy! I’m excited to try some of your other recipes!
Do you use the whole leek? Or just the top? Thank you!
Hi, Cut off the dark green part, trimming to the part where the color is a pale green. I’ll add this to the instructions, too. Thank you!
Looks really nice
If you are dairy-free what alternatives would work well ?
Hi Melody. I would say that any plant based unsweetened milk would work. I usually go for coconut milk, though it does change the flavor a bit. I haven’t tried almond milk in it, but that might be a good one for this recipe.
Sandy, I used Almond milk and it work just fine. I did add 2 cloves garlic minced, 1/2 tsp. Chili powder and 3-4 sprigs of fresh Thyme. This is really good soup, hubby loved it.
Hi Denise! Those changes sound great! I’m so glad it worked for you, and that it is Hubby Approved! 🙂
My first comment EVER on a recipe. I made this recipe on Sunday. Here it is only Tuesday and I am making it tonight. The recipe is FABULOUS! I didn’t even add the dairy. Taste-wise, you don’t need it. Thank you!!!
Hi Dalyn, I’m so thrilled that you like this recipe enough to leave your first ever comment! My grandpa would be proud! Thank you, and I’m happy you like this soup!
Long, long story, but no recipe.
The recipe is at the bottom. This is a special recipe to me as it was my dear grandfather’s. I can’t just throw it up on the Internet without honoring his memory, and what this means to me. Surely you have a special family recipe or memory around a special meal?
Hi, Haven’t tried this yet. I was going to ask for a dairy milk substitute and here it is. One question though, do you use the same amount of Almond milk as dairy milk?
Yes I do.
We actually don’t add any other liquid after doing it once accidentally and like it best without any added milk!
How many potatoes is a pound?
It depends on the size of the potatoes. Usually 3 medium Russets will be a pound.