I think you could can a potato-leek soup following the general instructions for soups posted on the NCHFP website. Generally that means no more than 1/2 the mixture would be solids (1/2" or smaller potato cubes and diced or thinly sliced leeks) and 1/2 broth, though I'd be inclined to go 1/3 solids and 2/3 broth because the potatoes will absorb some of the liquid. This may be a thinner soup than you desire, but that's the limit for a safely canned mixture. You can't mash or puree the potatoes or the soup. Obviously this soup would need to be pressure-canned. I've posted before a formula for a freezable vichyssoise base, which I've found preferable. Carol Here is a link that might be useful: NCHFP Soup Instructions

Hi Amanda - the shortest and simplest answer to your question is no, it cannot be safely canned for several reasons. The many reasons why are discussed in the many previous discussions here about this particular soup and I linked one of them below. The primary reason for the no is that the #1 guideline in the standard safe canning guidelines is that you cannot safely can personal/family recipes as they have never been tested for either pH or density or shelf-storage safety. Of course you always have the option of not following the guidelines and doing it at your own risk. Some do and assume that it will be sufficiently well cooked AFTER opening the jars to reduce the risk further. It all depends on your comfort level. There is no question that it would have to be pressure canned. BWB canning would never be an option as it is low-acid vegetables. The question is for how long it would need to be processed for and what the results, the quality, would be. There is also no debate over the pureeing - not done. Also the bacon would have to be left out and the jars would have to follow the soup rule - 1/2 solids and 1/2 liquids. Potato leek soup freezes very well and that is the recommended way to preserve it. Sorry as I know it isn't what you want to hear. Dave Here is a link that might be useful: Potato-Leek soup

Imhappy, If your mother made it in the Midwest, I'd bet there was a lot of unseen cured pork (bacon, ham, salt pork, etc., cooked down). Which brings along with it the fat (carries flavor), the salt (people rarely put sufficient salt in soup because it seems like so much so they use salt pork or bullion cubes or whatnot), and the umami. I read somewhere that bacon has five kinds of umami. If that's not the answer, some things to try are: bullion cubes or soup base (start gently or you may over salt), roasting the heck out of the potatoes -- cut in half, oil lightly, turn halfway through. 350-375° F. The roasting brings out some natural umami along with everything else; white pepper -- just be careful not to scorch it or it'll turn bitter; lots of celery, or even better a celery root broken down with the potatoes; leeks or onions -- more than you'd think.

According to my family and guest, the best soup I ever made was for Thanksgiving one year. I started out to make pumpkin soup (chicken stock, fresh pumpkin sauteed garlic and onion, maybe some seasoning that I don't remember offhand) but then decided to add some greens (chard, or turnip, maybe kale - I don't really remember that detail either) and a jar of Kroger's thyme, roasted onion, and gruyere "mac & cheese sauce". Blended it all which turned it into a green instead of orange soup, which raised some doubtful eyebrows, but it really was delicious. I jotted the recipe down and stuck it away somewhere. The sauce isn't made anymore but probably wouldn't be hard to mimic with fresh ingredients.