Fennel and Leek Soup with Potatoes

leek, potato, and fennel soup in a bowl with chives and heavy cream next to a napkin

This vegetarian soup is similar to potato leek soup...but with a twist! Fennel adds another flavor to the mix, while chives and heavy cream complete the dish.

Course Side Dish, Soup

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Total Time 45

Servings

Calories 271kcal

Author Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN

Equipment

Soup pot or Dutch oven
Immersion blender or upright blender

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 leeks sliced, about 4 cups; white and light green parts only
4 cloves garlic minced
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
2 fennel bulbs sliced; about 3 cups
2 Yukon gold potatoes cubed; about 4 cups
4 cups vegetable broth
½ cup heavy cream
½ cup sliced chives

Instructions

Warm the olive oil in a soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the leeks and cook for about 5 minutes until tender. Stir in the garlic, salt, and pepper, and cook for an additional minute.
Add the fennel, potatoes, and vegetable broth to the pot. Increase the heat to bring to a boil, then reduce heat to maintain a simmer. Cover and cook for 20 to 25 minutes until the potatoes are fork-tender.
Remove the soup from heat. Use an immersion (handheld) blender to puree the soup right in the pot. See notes for instructions on using an upright blender.
Stir most of the heavy cream into the soup, reserving a few tablespoons to drizzle on each bowl of soup.
Ladle the soup into bowls, top with a drizzle of cream, and sprinkle with chopped chives. If your fennel bulbs came with their fronds, feel free to use those as a topping too. Enjoy!
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Notes

Upright blender instructions: Transfer the soup in batches to an upright blender. Do not fill all the way to the top. Leave a corner of the lid cracked to let steam escape. Blend until smooth, transfer the blended soup to a large bowl, and repeat with the rest of the soup until it's all blended.
Other toppings: chopped bacon, croutons, scallions.
Storage and freezing: Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 5 days. To freeze the soup, let it cool completely before transferring to containers. Leave about an inch of headspace to accommodate the soup expanding while freezing. You can reheat the soup directly from frozen in a saucepan with a lid, stirring frequently to prevent scorching. Or you can thaw it overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Nutrition