Spring is in the air, and so is the flavor of this vibrant carrot and leek soup! Sunshine-colored carrots burst with their natural sweetness, while tender leeks add a touch of earthy elegance. This smooth and satisfying soup captures the season’s essence, offering a delightful taste of springtime in every spoonful.

This soup is easy to make. Just cook all the ingredients into a pot, and 30 minutes later, you end up with a creamy, tasty soup. Maybe it takes a few more steps than that, but you get the idea: This soup is hassle-free. The recipe is also a great way to use up the top of the leeks. I like saving the green parts and keeping them in the freezer. When I want to make vegetable stock, braises, or this soup, I pull them out of the freezer and turn them into delicious meals.

How do you store the green part of the leek?

Most recipes call for the white part of the leek. But what about the leafy green part? That’s basically 75% of the vegetable. It would be such a waste to toss them, wouldn’t it? Here is what you can do to save the top of the leek.

1. Trim off any woody or wilted parts. All the leaves should look nice and green.
2.  Give them a good wash.
3.  Dry them with paper towels and cut them into slices.
4.  Place the clean and dry leeks in a freezer-safe container and freeze.

The raw leaves can be frozen for up to two months before they start to lose their flavor. Blanching before freezing is recommended if you want to keep the leeks for longer.

Print Recipe

Carrot and Leek Soup

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time40 minutes mins

Total Time50 minutes mins

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Keyword: carrot and leek soup, carrot soup, creamy soup, leek soup

Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• ½ medium onion roughly cut
• 1 leek green and white parts, roughly cut
• 1 lb carrots peel and cut into ¾-inch chunks
• 5 cups water
• 2 dried bay leaves
• 2 ginger slices
• Lemon peel of half a lemon
• ½ tsp sea salt plus some extra
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 to 1 ½ cup whole milk
• 2 tbsp lemon juice

Instructions

• Sauté the onions and leeks with olive oil over medium for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the onions become translucent.
• Add the carrots, water, bay leaves, ginger, lemon peels, and sea salt. Bring the soup to a simmer and continue cooking with the lid on for 30 to 35 minutes over medium-low heat.
• Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes. Discard the bay leaves, ginger, and lemon peels.
• Use an immersion blender to blend the soup until smooth. Stir in the butter and milk, and return the pot to the stove. Heat through over medium-low heat. Season with sea salt to taste. Stir in the lemon juice while the soup is still hot before serving.

Notes

• You can use only the green part of the leeks. The amount you use should equal the amount of one leek.
• Be sure there is enough water to cover all the ingredients while simmering. If necessary, add water or vegetable stock to maintain the liquid level. However, if too much liquid is still in the pot after 30 minutes of cooking, simmer the soup without the lid to allow more evaporation.
• The amount of milk added to the soup can be adjusted according to taste. 

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