A chunky version of a potato leek soup, seasoned with wholesome flavors and herbs that compliment all the soup ingredients. This soup is a healthier meal choice. It teaches you to use soup herbs and spices.
Prepare your fresh vegetables. Slice onion, chop garlic, slice leek and peel+ cut potato into chunks.
1 Large Onion, 1-2 Piece Garlic Clove, 1 Large Leek, 1½ Pound Potato
Keep all soup ingredients ready.
Heat up a soup pot and pour in olive oil. Keep over a medium heat setting and wait for it to get a bit hot.
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
Stir in sliced onion. Sauté until soft or they have gained color.
1 Large Onion
Stir in sliced leek. Stir cook over a medium heat setting. Leave to sauté covered and control the heat, keeping it over a slower flame until the leek is turning a bit soft.
1 Large Leek
Stir in garlic and potato chunks. Sauté briefly, stirring occasionally. Keep over medium heat.
1-2 Piece Garlic Clove, 1½ Pound Potato
Pour in vegetable broth.
32 Ounces Vegetable Broth
Add your seasoning: black pepper, bay leaf, juniper berries, nutmeg, lovage, parsley or chervil, thyme and salt. Mix it all well.
⅛ Teaspoon Black Pepper Ground, 1 Piece Bay Leaf, 4-5 Pieces Juniper Berries, ⅛ Teaspoon Nutmeg, 1 Teaspoon Lovage, ½ Teaspoon Parsley or Chervil, ½ Teaspoon Thyme, ¼ Teaspoon Salt
Cover your soup pot and simmer for 35 minutes over a slow to medium heat setting or until all ingredients are cooked through. Uncover for the last 5 minutes.
Pick out whole spices and discard. Taste and see if it needs more salt.
Serve up your soup hot.
Video
Notes
You can use either purple, white or yellow onions. It's up to what you have in your pantry.
1 large leek equals about 2 small leek
You can use homemade veg broth clear soup or commercially available broth such as from a carton, can or bouillon cubes. If you use bouillon cubes or powder mix it into hot water of the same quantity.
Juniper is optional because not everyone can get it. But if you can get it, and you love soups, then keep it stocked in your pantry. It's an essential soup spice.
Lovage is quite optional too because it's not always commonly available. Yet, it's another great soup herb, aka Maggie herb. You can use dried or garden-fresh lovage, both are almost equally flavorful.
Bay leaf, nutmeg, and chervil are also common soup spices and herbs.
If you can't get chervil, use parsley as a substitute. They are related herbs.