Here in the Catskills

  • Home
  • Gardening
    • Annuals
    • Indoors
    • Perennials
    • Vegetables
    • Companion Planting
  • Nature
    • Birds
    • Insects
    • Plants
  • Recipes
    • Apples
    • Blackberries
    • Rhubarb
    • Zucchini
  • About
    • Contact Info

Wild Leek Recipe: Grandma’s Potato Leek Soup

April 30, 2021

Wild leek and potato soup in bowl with cheese and bacon crumbles on top
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Any Amazon links below are affiliate links, which means I earn a commission at no cost to you if you click and finalize an order. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Wild Leek Recipe: Grandma’s Potato Leek Soup

Since last week’s post was on harvesting wild leeks, here’s a great wild leek recipe that uses some. This delicious soup uses up fresh wild leeks, along with potatoes, milk, butter, flour, and salt and pepper. Oh, and a generous helping of bacon and cheddar cheese, too!

The Soup Story

My grandmother would make this soup almost every year. It’s a fond flavor of spring. Usually, we’d go down and gather a few leeks in the woods for her, then bring them back up so she could make the soup for dinner.

Leeks are also called ramps.

If you’ve never had wild leeks before, note that they’re very, very smelly. My grandmother remembered eating them on Friday nights so her breath would be better by school on Monday. Their potency hasn’t changed over the years, so if you work at a job with coworkers nearby, you might want to make this dish early in the weekend.

Potato Leek Soup Tips

If you try making it with commercial leeks, use more than three cups. Wild and commercial leeks are similar in many ways, but wild leeks have a much stronger flavor, so you need fewer for recipes. While not available in grocery stores, you can find wild leeks at many farmer’s markets this time of year.

As soups go, it really doesn’t take that long to make and is pretty foolproof. I tried making it and thought I screwed it up royally, but it tasted good just the same. (For example: I didn’t get the right amount of leeks, I didn’t reserve the leek water and substituted tap water, but put too much in… I won’t go on).

The cheddar and bacon really put it over the top. We recently tried adding Ritz crackers as well, which tasted amazing! You can always try your own toppings and additions to see what you like best. It goes really well with warm homemade bread or buttered biscuits on the side, too, to make a well-rounded meal. Let me know what you try; your picks might make it even better! This potato leek soup recipe is endlessly customizable, so play around with it and see what works.

Pinnable image of potato leek soup with text reading "Wild Leek and Potato Soup"

Grandma’s Potato Leek Soup

My grandmother made this tasty soup nearly every spring! The delightful mix of leek, cheddar, and bacon make a perfect dinner on a cool night.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 20 minutes mins
Total Time 35 minutes mins
Course Soup
Cuisine American

Ingredients
  

  • 3 cups chopped wild leeks (leaves and stems can be included)
  • 4 peeled and chopped potatoes
  • 3 cups milk
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1/8 tsp. pepper
  • 1/4 cup melted butter
  • 1/2 cup flour

Toppings

  • crisp, crumbled bacon
  • shredded cheddar cheese
  • Ritz crackers

Instructions
 

  • Blanch leeks in about 3 cups of boiling water and drain, reserving water in another dish.
  • Add potatoes, milk, salt, and pepper to drained leeks. Cook until tender and pour into another dish.
  • Combine about two cups of the reserved leek water, butter, and flour in the saucepan, and stir constantly until thickened.
  • Add drained leek and potato mixture back in.
  • Serve in bowls, and top with bacon, cheese, and crackers if desired. Enjoy warm!
Keyword leeks, potatos, soup

Leave a Comment LABELS ~ Recipes

SHARE >>
« Harvesting Wild Leeks
Feeding Hummingbirds: How to Attract Them »

RELATED POSTS

  • A bushel of fresh applesHomemade Apple Cider: 3 Great Methods
  • Apple crisp served in a small dishHomemade Apple Crisp Recipe
  • Jars of freshly canned strawberry rhubarb jam with jelloStrawberry Rhubarb Jam with Jello Recipe
  • Slice of baked rhubarb custard pie from recipeRhubarb Custard Pie Recipe

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




About

Welcome to Here in the Catskills, a practical blog featuring northeast gardening tips, nature posts, and fruit and vegetable recipes made for residents of the Catskills (and beyond!)
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Sign up for E-Mails!

    Built with ConvertKit

    Recent Posts

    • How Often to Water Mums
    • Where Do Hummingbirds Go in the Winter?
    • How to Overwinter Dahlias
    • Companion Planting for Beginners: Complete Guide
    • How to Overwinter Begonias

    We’re Affiliates!

    Here in the Catskills is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

    Privacy Policy    Cookie Policy    Disclaimer      Amazon Affiliates Disclosure

    THEME BY ECLAIR DESIGNS