Creamiest Potato Leek Soup, without the cream

Definitely a dinner staple in my kitchen, I've been perfecting the texture of this dairy-free Potato Leek soup for a few years now. While I love a classically rich, creamy vegetable purée style soup, sometimes they can be a bit heavy, highlighting less vegetables and more milk + cream to finish the dish. Potatoes are the perfect vehicle to guarantee a luscious consistency in a soup, and simmering them in chicken stock with melted leeks will make you a non-dairy soup convert. While you can use olive oil to cook the vegetables down, I like to sauté a few pieces of bacon to reserve the fat for added flavor, then save the bits for a crispy garnish, along with a little grated cheese on top if you do not have an intolerance. Serves 6-8

INGREDIENTS:

• 5 slices bacon, diced into cubes

• 2 leeks, cleaned and tops trimmed, thinly sliced

• salt and pepper

• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 5 yukon gold potatoes, roughly chopped

• 1.5 quarts chicken stock, 1/2 quart set aside

• 1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped

• 1 small block Parmigiano Reggiano, optional (or cheese of your choice)

• 2 Tbsp olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. In a large pot over medium high heat, add the diced bacon, cook for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently until crispy. Use a slotted spoon to remove the crispy bits, set aside.

2. Add the leeks to the bacon fat, season with salt and pepper, and stir to coat. Sauté for about 10 minutes until leeks become translucent.

3. Stir in the garlic, season with a little more salt and pepper, and cook for additional 3 minutes. Add the potatoes, stir to combine, and cook for another 5 minutes.

4. Pour 1 quart of the stock into the pot, enough to cover the potato mixture, adding a little more if necessary, and bring to a boil.

5. Allow the mixture to simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring frequently, until potatoes are fork tender and mashable.

6. Remove the pot from the heat, add half of the chopped parsley leaves, and using an immersion blender, pulse and purée the potato mixture until soup is a smooth consistency.

7. Taste for texture and flavor, if it's too thick, pour in a little more chicken stock and stir to combine. Season to your liking, pour into bowls, and garnish with toppings of your choice: a little grated Parm, crispy bacon, olive oil drizzle, and parsley leaves!