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. My air fryer leek and potato soup recipe will show you just how easy it is!
Why Make Potato Leek Soup in the Air Fryer
Instead of firing up the oven or standing over the stove forever to make my soup, I turn to the air fryer. It gets your 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 potato leek soup 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 other soups in your air fryer, check out my best air fryer soup recipes for more inspiration!
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Ingredients For Leek and Potato Soup
- 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 basket from the air fryer. Add the shallots, leeks, and garlic cloves to the basket along with the potatoes, 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 are 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
- Top with chives to garnish
What to Serve With Potato Leek Soup
- Ham sandwich
- Beef sandwich
- Grilled cheese
- Roasted chicken
- Garlic bread
- Dinner rolls
- Biscuits
- Soft pretzels
- Green salad
- Brussels sprouts
- Fried potato cakes
- Potato skins
Try your air fryer potato soup with these easy Air Fryer Ham and Cheese Sliders, a tasty Air Fryer Reuben Sandwich, a quick Microwave Grilled Cheese, yummy Air Fryer Frozen Soft Pretzel Bites, golden brown Trader Joe’s Air Fryer Latkes, or alongside these homemade Air Fryer Potato Skins.
Recipe FAQs
Can You Cook Potato Soup in the Air Fryer?
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.
Does Roasting Vegetables In An Air Fryer Improve The Flavor Of The Soup?
Roasting vegetables like potatoes and leeks in an air fryer caramelizes their natural sugars, enhancing the depth of flavor in the soup.
It delivers a similar flavor to roasting the vegetables in the oven, but in less overall time.
What Are The Benefits Of Using An Air Fryer For Potato Leek Soup?
Using an air fryer for potato leek soup can speed up the cooking process, reduce the amount of oil needed, and add a richer, roasted flavor to the ingredients.
It’s also convenient in that it requires less constant attention when compared to the stovetop.
Can You Make A Creamy Potato Leek Soup With An Air Fryer?
Yes, after roasting the potatoes and leeks in the air fryer, you can blend them with broth and cream to make a smooth, creamy potato leek soup.
You may want to reheat your soup slightly after adding the liquids, depending on your preferred serving temperature. This can be done in the microwave for a quick option.
Recipe Pro Tips For the Best Air Fryer Leek and Potato Soup
- 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
Storage and Reheating of Potato Leek Soup
- Store any leftover potato leek soup in an airtight container in your refrigerator for 3-4 days
- To reheat leek and potato soup, I actually recommend the microwave, for about 1 minute on high (or as needed based on portion size and microwave wattage). You can also heat on the stovetop over medium heat, but that takes longer (though it’s fine if you don’t have a microwave). The air fryer doesn’t do a great job with liquids (or semi-liquids) so it would take 15-20 minutes to use that, which just isn’t worth it unless you have no other options
- Air Fryer Mashed Potato Balls
Final Thoughts
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. The roasted vegetables add such great flavor to the soup, you’ll wonder why you never tried cooking them in the air fryer sooner!
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!
Katie’s tip
If you’re craving another bowl of warm comfort, then check out my Air Fryer Chicken Soup Recipe or Air Fryer Pumpkin Soup!
Air Fryer Potato Leek Soup Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3-4 Potatoes (about 1 pound)
- 3 Large 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 more to taste)
- ½ Tsp pepper (or more to taste)
- Chives for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 400°F
- Peel potatoes and cut them into approximately 1” cubes3-4 Potatoes
- Toss the potatoes with 2 Tbsp olive oil and season with salt and pepper3 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” moons2 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 basket from the air fryer. Add the shallots, leeks, and garlic cloves to the basket along with the potatoes, 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 are 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 mixed2 Cups chicken or vegetable stock, 1 Cup heavy cream
- Top with chives to garnishChives 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
Nutrition
