Leek & potato soup (Vichyssoise)
- Darina Allen
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Serves 6 - 8
Easy
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 25 mins
A star rating of 4.8 out of 5.525 ratingsRate
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Of the winter soups, leek and potato is one of the most comforting and familiar. This easy Vichyssoise recipe by Darina Allen makes the most of seasonal, local veg
Freezable
Egg-free
Nut-free
Vegetarian
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Test Kitchen tips for making leek & potato soup
- Leeks can hide grit between their layers, so make sure you clean them well before cooking. After slicing them, swish them in a bowl of cold water and lift them out, leaving any grit behind
- Potatoes can become sticky if they’re worked too hard, so stop blending as soon as the soup is smooth. This helps keep the texture silky rather than gluey
- Cream and milk can make salt taste less pronounced, so give the soup a final taste after they’re stirred in and it’s reheated – adjust lightly, if needed
Fancy making a vegan version? Try our easy recipe for vegan leek & potato soup.
Ingredients
Nutrition
Units:
MetricUS
-
50g butter
-
450g potatoes
peeled and cut into 1cm pieces (try Golden Wonders or Kerr Pinks)
-
1 small onion
cut the same size as the potatoes
-
450g white parts of leeks
sliced (save the green tops for another soup or stock)
-
850ml-1.2litres/1.5-2pts light chicken
or vegetable stock
-
142ml carton whipping cream
-
125ml full-fat milk
To finish
- the white part of 1 leek
- a small knob of butter
- finely chopped chives
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Nutrition: per serving for six
-
kcal234
-
fat14.07g
-
saturates9g
-
carbs19.03g
-
sugars4g
low
-
fibre3g
-
protein5.94g
-
salt0.7g
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Method
-
step 1
Melt 50g butter in a heavy saucepan. When it foams, add 450g potatoes, cut into 1cm cubes, 1 small onion, cut the same as the potatoes, and 450g white parts of leeks, sliced and toss them in the butter until they are well coated.
-
step 2
Season well with salt and freshly ground pepper and toss again. Put a disc of greaseproof paper (called a cartouche by chefs) on top of the vegetables to keep in the steam), then cover the pan with its lid.
-
step 3
Cook over a gentle heat for 10 mins, or until the vegetables are soft but not coloured.
-
step 4
Uncover the pan and discard the paper. Pour in 850ml of the light chicken or vegetable stock, bring to the boil and simmer until the vegetables are just cooked – about 5 minutes. Do not overcook or the soup will lose its fresh flavour.
-
step 5
Purée in a blender until silky smooth, in batches if necessary, then taste and adjust the seasoning. Return the soup to a clean pan and stir in three quarters of a 142ml carton of whipping cream and 125ml full-fat milk.
-
step 6
To finish the soup, finely shred the white part of 1 leek and gently cook it in a small knob of hot butter for a few mins until it is softened but not coloured.
-
step 7
Reheat the soup to a gentle simmer (add some extra stock at this point if the soup is too thick for your liking), then pour into warmed bowls.
-
step 8
Drizzle the remaining cream over each serving, top with a little pile of buttered leeks and a scattering of chives and black pepper. Serve chilled or hot, if you prefer.
Darina Allen is one of Ireland’s best-known cooks, best-selling author and presenter of nine series of Simply Delicious. A passionate teacher, she founded Ballymaloe Cookery School with her brother Rory O’Connell in 1983, and has won multiple industry awards.
Recipe from Good Food magazine, March 2003
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A star rating of 4.8 out of 5.525 ratings
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