A lot of folks don’t think of turning to their air fryer for soup making, but I’m telling you you’re missing out! The air fryer does such a great job of roasting vegetables that it creates the perfect base for a great bowl. I’ll make some air fryer leek and potato soup to show you just how easy it is!
Instead of firing up the oven or standing over the stove forever, I turn to the air fryer. It will get our potatoes and leeks nice and brown with great depth of flavor. Best of all, it requires very little attention, which is always a plus in my book!
Once that’s done, it’s just a quick blend and mixing with the liquids, and you’re ready to enjoy a creamy and hearty bowl of soup! I love pairing with some nice rolls or crusty bread, but you can add a salad or sandwich for a more full meal.
If you’re interested in trying out other soups in your air fryer, check our best air fryer soup recipes for more inspiration!
What You’ll Need
3-4 potatoes (about 1 pound)
2-3 leeks (white and light green parts only)
2 shallots (or about 3 ounces)
3 cloves garlic
3 Tbsp olive oil
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup heavy cream
1 tsp salt (or to taste)
½ tsp pepper (or to taste)
Chives for garnish (optional)
Special Equipment Note: Most traditionally, potato leek soup is served blended. To do this, you’ll want a blender, food processor, or an immersion blender handy. That said, you can always just enjoy it without blending as a chunky soup if you don’t have one of those.
Ingredient Tips and Substitutions
I usually use Yukon gold potatoes for this, but you can sub in russet or red potatoes as well
The shallots may be substituted by a small white onion if preferred
Instead of olive oil, you can sub another high smoke point oil (grapeseed, avocado, etc). Butter or margarine can work, but they burn easier so I tend to avoid them
Use low sodium or salt free stock so that you can better control the amount in the soup. Chicken adds nice flavor, but vegetable stock is great if you’re keeping this vegetarian
For a thinner soup, use milk instead of heavy cream. Alternatively, half and half may be used here as well
How to Make Air Fryer Potato Leek Soup
Preheat your air fryer to 400°F
Peel potatoes (optional) and cut them into approximately 1” cubes
Toss the potatoes with 2 Tbsp olive oil and season with salt and pepper
Add potatoes to the preheated air fryer basket
Cook on the air fry setting for 10 minutes at 400°F
While potatoes are cooking, remove skin from garlic and shallots. Cut shallots and leeks in half, and then into ½” moons
Toss the shallots, leeks, and garlic cloves with the remaining 1 Tbsp olive oil and season with salt and pepper
When the 10 minutes have passed, remove the potatoes from the air fryer. Add the shallots, leeks, and garlic cloves to the basket, then stir to distribute everything
Return basket to the air fryer and cook for another 15-20 minutes at 400°F, stirring every 5 minutes, or until potatoes and soft and vegetables are browned
Add your roasted vegetables to a blender, food processor, or into a bowl for use with an immersion blender
Blend until smooth, then add cream and stock and blend until mixed
Yes, you can cook potato soup in the air fryer in that you can cook all of the vegetables in it. Liquids, however, should be added at the end once everything is removed from the air fryer.
In addition, you can heat canned or leftover potato soup in the air fryer with an oven safe bowl. Just pour the soup into the bowl, cover it with foil to prevent splatters, and air fry for about 10 minutes at 375°F. Time may vary based on the size of your bowl.
Should You Peel Potatoes For Potato Soup?
If you plan to blend your potato soup, it is recommended to peel the potatoes so you don’t have loose skin. For whole pieces of potato, peeling is entirely optional and up to personal preference.
In a dish like potato leek soup which is traditionally blended, it is customary to peel the potatoes.
What is the Best Thickener for Potato Soup?
The best thickener for potato soup is actually the potatoes themselves. Potatoes have natural starches that help to thicken dishes up. When combined with a fat such as butter or cream, they create a thick consistency.
If you need to add more thickener, then a cornstarch slurry is the next best option.
Recipe Pro Tips
If you don’t often cook with leeks: they are naturally very dirty. Make sure to wash your leeks thoroughly thoroughly, including between layers to remove dirt
When adding the liquids, it may cool the soup down too much. Reheat your soup for a minute or two in the microwave, if needed. Alternatively, you can heat it in the air fryer in an oven-safe bowl covered in foil for 5-6 minutes at 400°F
This recipe makes a nice, thick soup. If you want it thinner, add some additional stock or milk to make it soupier
Everything was perfectly done in my Ninja Dual Zone air fryer at the 15 minute (second cooking) mark. However, other air fryers may vary slightly in time needed
This creamy air fryer potato leek soup cooks up so easily and perfectly. The vegetables get all nice and brown on the edges for a great depth of flavor in this simple soup. Enjoy a warm bowl on a cold day, or pair with a side for a complete lunch or even dinner.
It’s easy to keep this recipe vegetarian as long as you use vegetable stock, making it versatile for different diets as well.
I like to make a batch and heat it up throughout the week for easy lunches because it keeps well and the flavor is still great!
Blender, food processor, or immersion (stick) blender
Ingredients
3-4Potatoes(about 1 pound)
3Largeleeks(white and light green parts only)
2Shallots(or about 3 ounces)
3Clovesgarlic
3Tbspolive oil
2Cupschicken or vegetable stock
1Cupheavy cream
1Tspsalt(or more to taste)
½Tsppepper(or more to taste)
Chives for garnish(optional)
Instructions
Preheat your air fryer to 400°F
Peel potatoes and cut them into approximately 1” cubes
3-4 Potatoes
Toss the potatoes with 2 Tbsp olive oil and season with salt and pepper
3 Tbsp olive oil, 1 Tsp salt, ½ Tsp pepper
Add potatoes to the preheated air fryer basket
Cook on the air fry setting for 10 minutes at 400°F
While potatoes are cooking, remove skin from garlic and shallots. Cut shallots and leeks in half, and then into ½” moons
2 Shallots, 3 Cloves garlic, 3 Large leeks
Toss the shallots, leeks, and garlic cloves with the remaining 1 Tbsp olive oil and season with salt and pepper
When the 10 minutes have passed, remove the potatoes from the air fryer. Add the shallots, leeks, and garlic cloves to the basket, then stir to distribute everything
Return basket to the air fryer and cook for another 15-20 minutes at 400°F, stirring every 5 minutes, or until potatoes and soft and vegetables are browned
Add your roasted vegetables to a blender, food processor, or into a bowl for use with an immersion blender
Blend until smooth, then add cream and stock and blend until mixed
2 Cups chicken or vegetable stock, 1 Cup heavy cream
Top with chives to garnish
Chives for garnish
Notes
I usually use Yukon gold potatoes for this, but you can sub in russet or red potatoes as well
The shallots may be substituted by a small white onion (use quarters instead of halves) if preferred
Instead of olive oil, you can sub another high smoke point oil (grapeseed, avocado, etc). Butter or margarine can work, but they burn easier so I tend to avoid them
Use low sodium or salt free stock so that you can better control the amount in the soup. Chicken adds nice flavor, but vegetable stock is great if you’re keeping this vegetarian
For a thinner soup, use milk instead of heavy cream. Alternatively, half and half may be used here as well
Leeks are naturally very dirty. Make sure to wash your leeks thoroughly thoroughly, including between layers to remove dirt
When adding the liquids, it may cool the soup down too much. Reheat your soup for a minute or two in the microwave, if needed. Alternatively, you can heat it in the air fryer in an oven-safe bowl covered in foil for 5-6 minutes at 400°F
This recipe makes a nice, thick, creamy soup. If you want it thinner, add some additional stock or milk to make it soupier
Everything was perfectly done in my Ninja Dual Zone air fryer at the 15 minute (second cooking) mark. However, other air fryers may vary slightly in time needed
Exact nutritional values will vary based on brand of ingredients, any substitutions, and quantity consumed, so please consider this a guideline only
I enjoy trying new recipes, creating my own, and dabbling with new techniques all the time. My husband loves to protest when I make him my guinea pig, but it’s all for the love of food!
My cooking philosophy is that great tasting food doesn't have to be complicated or time consuming to make. I'm a home cook with over 20 years of experience feeding myself and others. I've learned from a variety of different people, things I've learned online, and some trial and error as well.
I enjoy cooking a variety of foods, from convenience to comfort foods, as well as international cuisine. You can rest assured that all of my recipes have been actually made, thoroughly tested, and most importantly: tasted! I want you to enjoy my food as much as I do!
