Hmm Hmm Good..Potato Leek and Kohlrabi Soup
While making a pot of my favorite Potato Leek and Kohlrabi Soup, I realized I had added the recipe for it to a post on Parmesan Shortbread. The soup is so delicious it deserves its own post. This soup can be made year round and served hot, warm or room temperature depending on the season. A classic potato leek soup with a twist, kohlrabi. Not familiar with kohlrabi? It’s in the cabbage family and tastes a whole lot of broccoli. In fact, you could use broccoli stems in place of the kohlrabi in this recipe. It has a bulb and leafy top and comes in really cool colors, like purple and green.. Use it raw, thinly sliced and throw it in salads. It adds a crunch and sweetness to your greens. Saute the greens in a bit of olive oil and garlic, delicious.
Back to the potato, leek and kohlrabi soup. Summertime? Puree the soup until it is silky smooth and serve at room temperature, accompanied by a light salad or sandwich.
In the winter serve it piping hot in mugs with a sprinkle of pancetta or crisp bacon bits and slices of hearty bread.
This soup lends itself well to changes. I have used different stocks, vegetable, seafood, or chicken. I have replaced the kohlrabi with broccoli stems or cauliflower or omitted it altogether for a true potato leek soup. You can also use different potatoes to change the texture of the soup, from starchy russets to waxy Yukon Golds for a lighter, velvet-like consistency. I’ve topped it with cheesy croutons, chives, pancetta, or morsels of freshly picked crab. A gazillion variations, probably some I haven’t even thought of yet.
This is my go-to soup, period. Maybe it will become yours.
Hmm Hmm Good..Potato Leek and Kohlrabi Soup
Ingredients
Potato Leek soup
- 3 leeks rinsed, white part only, thinly sliced
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 3-4 potatoes diced (russets or Yukon Gold for a smoother soup)
- 6-8 cups of stock chicken, seafood, or water
- 1/3 - 1/2 cup heavy cream or sour cream
- S&P to taste
Optional:
- 2-3 kohlrabi peeled and diced or broccoli stems from 1 bunch peeled and diced
- chives
- lump crab meat or sautéed wild mushrooms for garnish
- pancetta or bacon salute until crisp and reserved for garnish
Instructions
- Over medium heat, add 1 T oil + 1 T butter to 8 quart pot. Saute' onions until soft and transparent add garlic and saute' for additional minute. Add leeks, potatoes, kohlrabi if using, and 6-7 cups of stock. Bring to a boil and immediately reduce heat to simmer. Partially cover pot and simmer until vegetables are completely soft, about 45 minutes.
- Using a hand blender or blender, puree soup until desired consistency. Completely smooth for a classic version or leave it a little chunky for a more rustic soup.
- Add cream heat to warm through (for a lighter version omit cream.)
- If soup is too thick, add broth to desired consistency with reserved 1 cup of stock
- Salt and pepper to taste.
- Garnish with bacon, pancetta or chives and a dollop of creme fraiche' or crab meat if a seafood stock is used.