Potato and Leek Chowder
Updated Jan 23, 2026
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Potato Leek Chowder is a savory and seasonally fresh soup entree that delivers all things comfort.
Potato Leek Chowder | Recipe Details
- What it is: A creamy chowder built on leeks, baby red potatoes, and chicken stock, finished with bacon, sweet corn, white wine, heavy cream, and cheddar.
- Taste and texture: Smoky and savory, creamy, with sweet bites of corn and tender potatoes.
- Total time: 45 minutes
- Servings: 8
- Key ingredients: Leeks, baby red potatoes, white onion, carrots, sweet corn, garlic, bacon, chicken stock, white wine, heavy whipping cream, shredded cheddar, sage, rosemary, thyme, nutmeg, salt and pepper.
- How it comes together: Crisp the bacon, sauté onion and garlic, cook the leeks, then simmer potatoes in stock with herbs and seasonings. Brown the corn, cut it off the cob, and add it in. Mash some of the potatoes to thicken, then stir in carrots, cream, optional hot sauce, and cheddar. Garnish with bacon, corn, and more cheese.
- Optional: A dash or two of hot sauce.
- Nutrition (approx): 618 calories per serving
Summarize & Save this Potato and Leek Chowder Recipe On
Platter Talk Kitchen Insight
Potato leek chowder is one of those soups that always makes you feel good and special without being too fancy. Leeks add a mild, savory flavor, baby red potatoes make it filling, and mashing some of the potatoes thickens the pot naturally.
After that, it’s all about the finishing touches that make it taste better and feel better, like crispy bacon, sweet corn, a splash of white wine, and a handful of cheddar stirred in at the end.
If you want a few more comforting bowls to rotate through, try Lipton Noodle Soup with Rotisserie Chicken, Slow Cooker Italian Hamburger Soup, or Black Bean and Roasted Corn Chowder.
👨🍳 Why This Version Works
- Leeks make a soft, savory base that tastes better than plain onion but isn’t too sharp.
- Crispy bacon does two things: it adds a smoky flavor and gives you some rendered fat to cook the vegetables in.
- When you mash some of the potatoes, they thicken the chowder on their own, so it doesn’t need any flour.
- Corn adds a sweet pop that balances out the salty bacon and cheddar.
- Adding cream and cheddar at the end gives the silky broth the right texture for a true chowder.
🍝 Good to Know
- Cut the leeks first, then rinse them well to get rid of any dirt.
- Do not over-blend; mashing keeps the chowder thick but still chunky and rustic.
- Add the dairy at the end. Once the cream and cheddar are in, keep the heat low so it stays smooth.
- If you don’t have wine, you can add a little extra stock and a squeeze of lemon to make the flavor brighter.
- Make it ahead of time; it reheats well, but you might need to add a little stock to loosen it up as it sits.
- Storage: Put leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and reheat them slowly on the stove for the best texture.
Explore Substitutions and Dietary Options with AI
👨🍳 Tried this Recipe? Please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. We love hearing from our readers!
⏩ Stay in touch with us on social media by following us on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube!
📬Get our Recipes delivered to your inbox for FREE!
Potato Leek Chowder
Want to Save This Recipe, Friend?
We’ll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Ingredients
- 2 leeks , chopped
- 1/2 lb baby red potatoes , diced
- 1/2 white onion, chopped
- 3/4 cup carrots, grated
- 2 ears sweet corn, fresh
- 5 cloves garlic , finally chopped
- 1/2 pound bacon , chopped
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 1 1/2 cup white wine
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 8 oz cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 tsp Ground Sage
- 1 tsp Rosemary
- 1 tsp Thyme
- 1/4 tsp Ground Nutmeg
- dash or two hot sauce, optional
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Chop bacon and place in stock pot. Cook until bacon is crisp.
- Remove bacon and drain bacon grease, reserving a small amount in stock pot and placing bacon on paper towel to cool.
- Add white onion and garlic to stock pot and cook until onion softens and becomes translucent.
- Next, add the leeks and cook for approximately 2-3 minutes.
- Add white wine and continue to cook leeks until the leeks soften.
- Add chicken stock, potatoes, sage, rosemary, thyme, nutmeg, salt and pepper.
- Bring mixture to a boil.
- Cover stock pot and reduce heat to a simmer.
- In a sauté pan, or on the grill, grill sweet corn until the ears of corn have browned and caramelized. If you are using a sauté pan, then turn heat on stove to high and rotate all sides of the corn until they have browned.
- Using a knife, remove the corn from the cob.
- Add corn to the stock pot, reserving some to garnish on top of the soup when served.
- Once the potatoes are cooked, take a potato masher and mash the potatoes to the desired consistency.
- Add grated carrots and allow to cook for 2-3 minutes to allow them to soften slightly.
- Stir in the heavy cream and hot sauce.
- Place 6 ounces of cheese into the soup and stir. The remaining cheese will be used to garnish the soup.
- Serve soup in bowl and garnish with bacon, corn and cheese.
- Enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Our Best Soup Recipes
Want to Save This Recipe, Friend?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Could this recipe be converted to a crockpot? If so, let me know how that would be done. This looks like an amazing recipe!
Lovely chowder and that plate sets it off so well. Cheers
Thanks so much for the lovely comments!
This is the best soup I’ve ever had in my life – and my boyfriend and mother both said the same thing!
A light yet hearty chowder, it’s sweet, salty, and comforting.
I did add more than two splashes of Tapatio and it’s diluted enough that it wasn’t spicy but rounded out the flavor.
I skipped the carrots this time but will definitely be making it again and may try to add them back in. Also, I didn’t have thyme but I’m sure it’ll be even better with it!
I spend summers in Maine and can’t wait to try adding a bit of lobster tail to this recipe. Thank you for the great soup!
Emilie, thanks so much for the great feed back. I think both carrots and a little fresh thyme definitely add to the flavor (and visual appeal) of this chowder but your idea of adding lobster tail to the recipe will take it right over the top!!! Holy cow, that’s a great idea! I’m envious of anyone who can spend summers in Maine but it sounds like you sure know how to make the most of them. We would love to hear how your idea turns out even though my lips are already smacking and my mouth is watering. Thanks so much for reading Platter Talk, we hope you will visit often and always appreciate any shares/referrals to your friends and family on social media.
A good bowl of chowder is so comforting. Could you add seafood to it?
Looks so warm and comforting and perfect for the winter. Yum 🙂
Mmm this sounds so delicious! I love that you just rustled this up from what you had left in the fridge, the best meals are never planned!
Love it! That’s exactly what you need on a cold winter day!
Such a classic! Would love to curl up with this and a book
Congrats on being featured on The Wednesday Roundup Link Party this past week! Not only are you featured but also pinned to our features pinterest board {http://www.pinterest.com/anglemoine/the-wednesday-roundup-features/}… we’d love to have you stop by again this coming Wednesday! ~Angela @ LeMoine Family Kitchen
Thanks, Angela! We will be back for sure.
Hi, saw this beautiful bowl of soup featured at Showcase Your Talent Thursdays and had to come on over to get the recipe! Looks delicious, pinning!