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Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Beth Pakradooni
  • Total Time

    50 minutes

Just because spring is on the way doesn’t mean you should put your Dutch oven into hibernation. Lean into the warm(er) weather with this one-pot potato chowder recipe that walks the line between creamy and bright.

While winter calls for bowls of fully loaded baked potato soup (with plenty of sharp cheddar cheese, bacon bits, and sour cream), this cozy, lightly creamy soup was designed for spring. It starts with leeks, garlic, and diced potatoes (use baby gold or red potatoes) that get cooked with white wine and vegetable broth until tender. No need to fiddle with a roux; mashing some of the potatoes in the pot thickens the broth nicely. A swirl of Worcestershire sauce grounds the broth with deep umami flavor, while spring peas add pops of sweetness and color to every bite. For an even lighter soup, you can swap out the cream for half-and-half, but we urge you not to use milk, which will make the chowder too watery. If dill isn’t your flavor, you can garnish with green onions, chives, or even crispy shallots.

Looking for something a little different? Try our recipe for Perfectly Creamy Potato Soup for a silky purée, or try a rich potato-corn chowder with bacon and fresh thyme. Looking for more spring soup recipes? Right this way →

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What you’ll need

Ingredients

4 servings

2

Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1

medium leek, white and pale green parts only, thinly sliced, rinsed, patted dry

3

garlic cloves, thinly sliced

¼

cup dry white wine

1

lb. baby potatoes, unpeeled, cut into thick wedges

6

cups low-sodium vegetable broth

2

tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1 tsp. Morton kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1

cup heavy cream

1

cup shelled fresh or frozen peas

2

tsp. Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce

¼

cup coarsely chopped dill, plus sprigs for serving

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high. Cook 1 medium leek, white and pale green parts only, thinly sliced, rinsed, patted dry, and 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and slightly softened, about 3 minutes.

    Step 2

    Add ¼ cup dry white wine and cook, stirring often, until almost completely evaporated, about 2 minutes. Add 1 lb. baby potatoes, unpeeled, cut into thick wedges, 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, 2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1 tsp. Morton kosher salt, and a few grinds of freshly ground pepper. Bring to a boil and cook, uncovered, until potatoes are very tender, 20–25 minutes.

    Step 3

    Reduce heat to medium. Using a potato masher, coarsely mash some of the potatoes a few times to break up into smaller pieces. Add 1 cup heavy cream and 1 cup shelled fresh or frozen peas; cook until peas are tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce and ¼ cup coarsely chopped dill.

    Step 4

    Ladle chowder into bowls; top with dill sprigs and season with pepper.

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How would you rate Potato and Pea Chowder?

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  • This was delicious! I made the soup up to the mashing in step 3 in the afternoon. I then rewarmed it and proceeded with the rest of the recipe. Easy, quick, and very tasty. It would be easy to add a protein such as chicken, other veggies such as spinach. Definitely a keeper.

    • Anonymous

    • Daly City, CA

    • 2/1/2024

  • Delicious – I've made this recipe twice, and it is a keeper. The recipe is quick and easy to make and doesn't require many ingredients. The soup has a gorgeous balance between creaminess from the potatoes and cream and brightness from the peas and dill. The second time I made it, I substituted less red wine vinegar for the wine and a mix of celery and onion for the leek, which worked fine. Cozy and delicious.

    • Allie

    • New Haven, CT

    • 1/16/2024

  • Made it with the ingredients from the recipe as written. It was great. Easy to prepare and with pre prep it was ready in no time at all. The taste was both savory and balanced. We both enjoyed the taste and texture of the soup with a side of cornbread that just topped off our meal. This will be our go to for us when we are in the mood for a savory soup for an evening meal.

    • James

    • Lewisville, Tx

    • 1/6/2024

  • Delicious and easy family meal for my part-vegetarian family. My husband is Norwegian and 'fiskesuppe' is a staple in his household, and this tasted very much like it, but without the fish. A winner all around (although it lacked the lovely yellow tint shown in the magazine photo-- I wonder if a touch of saffron next time would work?

    • AngelenoExpat

    • London

    • 5/5/2023

  • Really great recipe, not a ton of prep time. I added extra dill and I think the cream is too much. I'd probably add 3/4 or half as much next time. But it was delicious and we really enjoyed it!

    • Dilly girl

    • Chicago, IL

    • 4/20/2023

  • This soup is everything it promised: bright and springy from the peas and dill, and creamy and comforting from the potatoes and cream. This is the best soup I've ever had, I've made it exactly as written 4-5 times now and it's incredible every time. A perfect dish.

    • Andrea

    • Redondo Beach, CA.

    • 4/17/2023

  • Keeping with the vegetarian category of the recipe, I added shiitake chips instead of bacon or sausage. Loved it! Dill is such a wonderful herb!

    • Cecile

    • Northern California

    • 4/17/2023

  • I made this last night for my parents and it was a crowd pleaser. Added some celery because I had it and a sprinkle of cheese on top of the bowls. I also used 2% milk instead of heavy cream and beefed up the spices a bit but it was delicious and filling. A few suggested bacon bits or BLT’s on the side, so we had mini blt crostinis as an app and it went great with the meal. Overall, this is going on the list for the future!

    • Gaby

    • Portland, OR

    • 4/8/2023

  • I made this tonight and really loved the balance of flavors. I added a pinch of cayenne and a splash of red wine vinegar at the end to brighten it up a bit. Will definitely make again.

    • Kim

    • Detroit, MI

    • 4/5/2023

  • This was so good!!! Without any modifications, except I always throw in a little extra wine. ;-) And I couldn't choose between soy or Worcestershire, so I just used a little of each. It was a hit. It's a great way to use up the extra potatoes and leeks and dill that I always have around (I live in Greece, so these are staples).

    • Diane Boulanger

    • Athens, Greece

    • 4/4/2023

  • Really enjoyed this recipe. It packs a lot of bright spring flavor and a satisfying depth for a dish without a protein. If you are really looking to incorporate protein, maybe consider some scallops or a similar light seafood component.

    • Clive

    • Pennsylvania

    • 3/30/2023

  • This recipe is legit. Only mod is watch your dish. I i did the full 25 and went low for an extra five post dill. A bacon crumble might be in order.

    • Ollman

    • Boston, MA

    • 3/29/2023

  • Absolutely delicious despite the fact that I accidentally used hoisin sauce instead of Worcestershire or soy sauce (I did eventually add an extra lil splash of soy sauce). Really surprisingly good flavor combo.

    • Anonymous

    • New York, NY

    • 3/25/2023

  • Made this last night and it was excellent! Paired with BLT sandwiches. Only issue I had was mashing the potatoes didn't thicken it up, so I ended up whisking in a few tablespoons of potato starch at the end which did the trick.

    • Chris

    • Delaware

    • 3/17/2023

  • We saw this and made it on a whim for a quick dinner on a night when both me and my smoochiepoo were sick. WOW! This chowder was pretty easy to make and did not have many ingredients nor steps! The flavor is really interesting and excellent. My partner said that adding sausage to it would be an option and I think she's a genius for that one. Next time! Thanks, Kendra!

    • Sarah

    • Denver

    • 3/16/2023