French chefs use only the white part of leeks because the green contains bitter compounds that survive even 2-hour simmering.
Potato Leek Soup
Indulge in a velvety potato leek soup that warms your soul on chilly evenings! With tender potatoes and sweet leeks simmered to perfection, this dish is a cozy hug in a bowl. A splash of cream adds a rich finish, making it the ultimate comfort food for winter nights!
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
The Story
This humble French peasant soup became America's country club darling in the 1960s when Julia Child convinced Yankee socialites that vichyssoise was sophisticated—take the same leeks and potatoes, serve it cold instead of hot, and suddenly Connecticut housewives were pronouncing it 'vee-she-SWAHZ' like proper Parisian aristocrats at their bridge tournaments.
Regional Twist
In Brittany's Finistère region, they swap regular potatoes for waxy Charlotte varieties and finish with Breton seaweed butter instead of olive oil, creating an oceanic twist that tastes like coastal fog.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- for garnish chives
- 1 cup (237 ml) cream
- 1 cup (118 ml) creme fraiche
- 3 pieces leeks
- 2 lbs (907 g) potatoes
- 2 cubes vegetable bouillon cubes
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- black pepper (to taste)
- 4 tbsp (56 g) butter
- fresh thyme (to taste)
- garlic (to taste)
- lemon juice (to taste)
- olive oil (to taste)
- salt (to taste)
- 4 cups (946 ml) water
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Chop the leeks, using only the white and light green parts, and rinse well.
- 2
Chop the potatoes and mince the garlic.
- 3
In a pot, melt the butter and sauté the garlic.
- 4
Add the leeks and cook until soft, seasoning with salt and black pepper.
- 5
Add the potatoes, water, vegetable bouillon cubes, and fresh thyme.
- 6
Once the potatoes are softened, blend the mixture until smooth.
- 7
Stir in the cream, additional salt and pepper, lemon juice, and creme fraiche.
- 8
For a smoother texture, strain the soup if desired.
- 9
Serve in bowls, drizzling with olive oil and garnishing with chopped chives.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Soak chopped leeks in cold water for 10 minutes and agitate to remove sand trapped between layers, as leeks grow in sandy soil and grit will ruin the soup's smooth texture.technique10 minutes
- ✓Cook leeks at medium-low heat (275-300°F pan temperature) for 8-10 minutes until translucent but not browned, as high heat breaks down their delicate cellular structure and creates bitter compounds.timing275-300°F, 8-10 minutes
- ✓Use starchy potatoes like Russets (20-22% starch content) rather than waxy varieties because their high starch content creates natural thickening when blended, eliminating need for flour or other thickeners.ingredient20-22% starch content
- ✓Temper the cream by whisking it with 1/4 cup of hot soup before adding to the pot, preventing curdling that occurs when dairy proteins denature at temperatures above 180°F.technique180°F threshold
- ✓Blend the soup in batches filling blender only 1/3 full with hot liquid, as steam expansion can cause the lid to blow off and create dangerous hot splatter.equipment1/3 capacity maximum
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
French chefs use only the white part of leeks because the green contains bitter compounds that survive even 2-hour simmering.
Potato Leek Soup
Indulge in a velvety potato leek soup that warms your soul on chilly evenings! With tender potatoes and sweet leeks simmered to perfection, this dish is a cozy hug in a bowl. A splash of cream adds a rich finish, making it the ultimate comfort food for winter nights!
The Story
This humble French peasant soup became America's country club darling in the 1960s when Julia Child convinced Yankee socialites that vichyssoise was sophisticated—take the same leeks and potatoes, serve it cold instead of hot, and suddenly Connecticut housewives were pronouncing it 'vee-she-SWAHZ' like proper Parisian aristocrats at their bridge tournaments.
Regional Twist
In Brittany's Finistère region, they swap regular potatoes for waxy Charlotte varieties and finish with Breton seaweed butter instead of olive oil, creating an oceanic twist that tastes like coastal fog.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- for garnish chives
- 1 cup (237 ml) cream
- 1 cup (118 ml) creme fraiche
- 3 pieces leeks
- 2 lbs (907 g) potatoes
- 2 cubes vegetable bouillon cubes
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- black pepper (to taste)
- 4 tbsp (56 g) butter
- fresh thyme (to taste)
- garlic (to taste)
- lemon juice (to taste)
- olive oil (to taste)
- salt (to taste)
- 4 cups (946 ml) water
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Chop the leeks, using only the white and light green parts, and rinse well.
- 2
Chop the potatoes and mince the garlic.
- 3
In a pot, melt the butter and sauté the garlic.
- 4
Add the leeks and cook until soft, seasoning with salt and black pepper.
- 5
Add the potatoes, water, vegetable bouillon cubes, and fresh thyme.
- 6
Once the potatoes are softened, blend the mixture until smooth.
- 7
Stir in the cream, additional salt and pepper, lemon juice, and creme fraiche.
- 8
For a smoother texture, strain the soup if desired.
- 9
Serve in bowls, drizzling with olive oil and garnishing with chopped chives.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Soak chopped leeks in cold water for 10 minutes and agitate to remove sand trapped between layers, as leeks grow in sandy soil and grit will ruin the soup's smooth texture.technique10 minutes
- ✓Cook leeks at medium-low heat (275-300°F pan temperature) for 8-10 minutes until translucent but not browned, as high heat breaks down their delicate cellular structure and creates bitter compounds.timing275-300°F, 8-10 minutes
- ✓Use starchy potatoes like Russets (20-22% starch content) rather than waxy varieties because their high starch content creates natural thickening when blended, eliminating need for flour or other thickeners.ingredient20-22% starch content
- ✓Temper the cream by whisking it with 1/4 cup of hot soup before adding to the pot, preventing curdling that occurs when dairy proteins denature at temperatures above 180°F.technique180°F threshold
- ✓Blend the soup in batches filling blender only 1/3 full with hot liquid, as steam expansion can cause the lid to blow off and create dangerous hot splatter.equipment1/3 capacity maximum