It's common for me to have too much leeks at the beginning of winter, so I use them in soup, especially when I have some smoked bacon in the fridge. It's not the kind of recipe that involves many complications. If the vegetables are already cleaned and chopped, the rest goes quickly; you can have everything on the table in about an hour. I usually make it when I need a hearty meal with flavor, but without spending too much time in the kitchen.
Quick Info
Total time: 70 minutes
Servings: 8-10
Difficulty: easy
Ingredients
5 leeks (choose thinner leeks, the white and light green parts)
4 medium onions (ideally white or water onions)
2 medium carrots
1 yellow bell pepper
1 red capia pepper
1 small piece of root celery (50-70 g)
1 small parsnip
3-4 potatoes (about 500 g)
300 g smoked bacon (with or without bone, depending on what you have)
500 ml borscht (or cabbage juice)
70 ml oil
6 liters of water
salt, to taste
Preparation Method
1. Clean all the vegetables before you start. Wash the leeks well and cut them into rounds of 1.5-2 cm (not thinner, or they will disintegrate). Chop the carrot, parsnip, celery, bell pepper, and onion according to your preference – I prefer larger cubes or slices so they have a presence in the soup. Peel the potatoes and cut them into larger cubes.
2. In a large pot (at least 7-8 liters), heat the oil over medium heat. Add the leeks, onion, bell pepper, capia pepper, carrot, parsnip, and celery. Stir gently and sauté for 7-8 minutes, until the vegetables start to soften slightly and take on a bit of color. Don’t let them burn.
3. Add the bacon cut into suitable pieces (about 3-4 cm). Stir together with the vegetables for another 3-4 minutes, allowing it to release some of its fat and flavor.
4. Pour the 6 liters of hot water over the vegetables and bacon. Turn the heat up until it starts to boil, then reduce to medium and let it simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.
5. Add the diced potatoes and continue boiling for another 15-20 minutes, until all the vegetables are cooked but not mushy. During this time, you can skim off any foam that appears.
6. In a separate small pot, boil the borscht for 2-3 minutes, then pour it over the soup. Stir, let it boil together for another 2-3 minutes, then adjust the salt to taste. If you're using cabbage juice, be careful with how much salt you add.
7. Turn off the heat. If you like, you can add chopped fresh herbs (lovage or parsley), but I usually keep it simple in this version.
Why I make this recipe often
This soup is practical if you want to use simple vegetables and have smoked bacon on hand. It keeps well in the fridge, and the flavor intensifies after a day. There are no complicated steps, and it can be adapted based on what you have.
Tips and Variations
Tips
Sauté the vegetables at the beginning for more flavor; don’t put them directly into boiling water.
The leeks shouldn’t be cut too thinly, or they will completely disintegrate when boiled.
The borscht or cabbage juice should be boiled separately to avoid clouding the soup and creating an unpleasant sour taste.
Substitutions
You can replace the smoked bacon with scraps of smoked meat (ham, hock, or even boneless smoked meat). It also works with some poultry smoked meat for a leaner version.
If you don’t have borscht, use cabbage juice or even a little diluted vinegar, although the taste will be different.
Variations
If you want a vegan version, you can skip the bacon and add cooked beans towards the end.
For a different flavor, add a few sprigs of lovage or dill at the end.
You can also add a little tomato juice along with the water for a slightly reddish soup.
Serving Ideas
A slice of rustic bread is enough on the side. If desired, you can add pickled hot peppers. When served cold, it goes well with red or green onion.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should leeks be boiled?
Overcooked leeks completely melt away. If you cut them to 2 cm and don’t let them cook more than 30-35 minutes in total, they will remain visible and won’t turn to mush.
Can I use raw bacon instead of smoked?
You can, but the soup will have a completely different, blander taste. The smoked bacon provides the main flavor; without it, it’s not the same recipe.
Is it necessary to boil the borscht separately?
Yes, otherwise it can cloud the soup and give it an unpleasant sour taste or even make it too sour too quickly.
How can I make the soup more sour or sweeter?
To make it more sour, add more borscht or cabbage juice, tasting gradually. For sweetness, the carrots and bell pepper add sweetness, or you can reduce the borscht.
Can I freeze the soup with leeks and bacon?
You can, but the vegetables will lose their texture. For freezing, I recommend removing the potatoes and adding them fresh when reheating.
Nutritional Values (per serving, estimated for 10 servings)
Calories: 180 kcal
Protein: 6-7 g
Fat: 10 g (more if the bacon is fattier)
Carbohydrates: 16 g
Fiber: 3-4 g
The soup has enough protein from the bacon and vegetables, and it’s not very high in fat if you choose bacon with meat, while the carbohydrates mainly come from the vegetables and potatoes.
Storage and Reheating
It keeps well in the fridge for 3-4 days in a covered pot or in containers with lids. It can be reheated either over low heat in a pot or in the microwave. The flavor becomes more intense after a day, and if it thickens too much, you can add a little water when reheating. If you have fresh herbs, you can sprinkle them on when serving, not directly into the pot.
Quick Info
Total time: 70 minutes
Servings: 8-10
Difficulty: easy
Ingredients
5 leeks (choose thinner leeks, the white and light green parts)
4 medium onions (ideally white or water onions)
2 medium carrots
1 yellow bell pepper
1 red capia pepper
1 small piece of root celery (50-70 g)
1 small parsnip
3-4 potatoes (about 500 g)
300 g smoked bacon (with or without bone, depending on what you have)
500 ml borscht (or cabbage juice)
70 ml oil
6 liters of water
salt, to taste
Preparation Method
1. Clean all the vegetables before you start. Wash the leeks well and cut them into rounds of 1.5-2 cm (not thinner, or they will disintegrate). Chop the carrot, parsnip, celery, bell pepper, and onion according to your preference – I prefer larger cubes or slices so they have a presence in the soup. Peel the potatoes and cut them into larger cubes.
2. In a large pot (at least 7-8 liters), heat the oil over medium heat. Add the leeks, onion, bell pepper, capia pepper, carrot, parsnip, and celery. Stir gently and sauté for 7-8 minutes, until the vegetables start to soften slightly and take on a bit of color. Don’t let them burn.
3. Add the bacon cut into suitable pieces (about 3-4 cm). Stir together with the vegetables for another 3-4 minutes, allowing it to release some of its fat and flavor.
4. Pour the 6 liters of hot water over the vegetables and bacon. Turn the heat up until it starts to boil, then reduce to medium and let it simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.
5. Add the diced potatoes and continue boiling for another 15-20 minutes, until all the vegetables are cooked but not mushy. During this time, you can skim off any foam that appears.
6. In a separate small pot, boil the borscht for 2-3 minutes, then pour it over the soup. Stir, let it boil together for another 2-3 minutes, then adjust the salt to taste. If you're using cabbage juice, be careful with how much salt you add.
7. Turn off the heat. If you like, you can add chopped fresh herbs (lovage or parsley), but I usually keep it simple in this version.
Why I make this recipe often
This soup is practical if you want to use simple vegetables and have smoked bacon on hand. It keeps well in the fridge, and the flavor intensifies after a day. There are no complicated steps, and it can be adapted based on what you have.
Tips and Variations
Tips
Sauté the vegetables at the beginning for more flavor; don’t put them directly into boiling water.
The leeks shouldn’t be cut too thinly, or they will completely disintegrate when boiled.
The borscht or cabbage juice should be boiled separately to avoid clouding the soup and creating an unpleasant sour taste.
Substitutions
You can replace the smoked bacon with scraps of smoked meat (ham, hock, or even boneless smoked meat). It also works with some poultry smoked meat for a leaner version.
If you don’t have borscht, use cabbage juice or even a little diluted vinegar, although the taste will be different.
Variations
If you want a vegan version, you can skip the bacon and add cooked beans towards the end.
For a different flavor, add a few sprigs of lovage or dill at the end.
You can also add a little tomato juice along with the water for a slightly reddish soup.
Serving Ideas
A slice of rustic bread is enough on the side. If desired, you can add pickled hot peppers. When served cold, it goes well with red or green onion.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should leeks be boiled?
Overcooked leeks completely melt away. If you cut them to 2 cm and don’t let them cook more than 30-35 minutes in total, they will remain visible and won’t turn to mush.
Can I use raw bacon instead of smoked?
You can, but the soup will have a completely different, blander taste. The smoked bacon provides the main flavor; without it, it’s not the same recipe.
Is it necessary to boil the borscht separately?
Yes, otherwise it can cloud the soup and give it an unpleasant sour taste or even make it too sour too quickly.
How can I make the soup more sour or sweeter?
To make it more sour, add more borscht or cabbage juice, tasting gradually. For sweetness, the carrots and bell pepper add sweetness, or you can reduce the borscht.
Can I freeze the soup with leeks and bacon?
You can, but the vegetables will lose their texture. For freezing, I recommend removing the potatoes and adding them fresh when reheating.
Nutritional Values (per serving, estimated for 10 servings)
Calories: 180 kcal
Protein: 6-7 g
Fat: 10 g (more if the bacon is fattier)
Carbohydrates: 16 g
Fiber: 3-4 g
The soup has enough protein from the bacon and vegetables, and it’s not very high in fat if you choose bacon with meat, while the carbohydrates mainly come from the vegetables and potatoes.
Storage and Reheating
It keeps well in the fridge for 3-4 days in a covered pot or in containers with lids. It can be reheated either over low heat in a pot or in the microwave. The flavor becomes more intense after a day, and if it thickens too much, you can add a little water when reheating. If you have fresh herbs, you can sprinkle them on when serving, not directly into the pot.