Creamy Potato Leek Soup

• Set a Dutch Oven pot or soup pot over medium hot heat. Add olive oil, butter, and salt to heat.
  1 tablespoon olive oil

  1 tablespoon butter

  1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• Trim, thoroughly rinse and thinly slice two large leeks. Set aside a slice or 2 for garnish. Add to hot oil and cook until tender, adjusting temperature as needed to avoid burning. Stir often.
  2 large leeks
• Peel and dice two russet potatoes. Add stock to pot and stir to lift any leek stuck to bottom of pot. Add potatoes and cover. Reduce heat to simmer and cook 30 minutes.
  1 large russet potato

  2 cups low sodium vegetable broth
• In pot, use immersion blender to puree soup. Move blender up and down and then round and round. It is quite achievable to have a nice creamy puree with a hand blender. Add half and half and stir in.
  1/4 cup half and half cream
• Add salt and pepper to taste and top individual portions with grated cheddar cheese.
  salt and pepper

  cheddar cheese to top

Instant Pot Instructions

• Set Instant Pot to normal sauté and heat oil/butter. When oil is hot, add leeks and cook 3-5 minutes. Hit cancel.
  1 tablespoon olive oil

  1 tablespoon butter

  2 large leeks

  1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• Add a bit of the broth and make sure bottom is scraped of any cooked on leek with Instant Pot spatula to avoid "BURN" alarm.
• Add rest of broth and potatoes and set Instant Pot to manual HIGH pressure cook for 5 minutes. Allow to slow release 10 minutes or until depressurization is complete, if not in a hurry.
  1 large russet potato

  2 cups low sodium vegetable broth
• Use immersion blender to puree, add half and half cream and stir. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add grated cheddar cheese for individual servings, if desired. Garnish with sliced leek or fresh chives.
  1/4 cup half and half cream

  salt and pepper

  cheddar cheese to top