Description
Julia Child’s Creamy Potato Leek Soup is a comforting and velvety classic French soup made with tender Yukon gold potatoes, sautéed leeks, vegetable stock, and finished with heavy cream. Perfect for a cozy meal, this soup is smooth, flavorful, and elegantly simple.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil + more for garnish
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 pound Yukon gold potatoes peeled and chopped into ½ inch cubes
- 2-3 medium leeks cut in half, sliced and cleaned well (use only the light green and white parts)
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt to taste
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper + more for garnish
- 5 cups vegetable stock (enough to cover the vegetables)
- ½ cup heavy cream
- Fresh thyme leaves removed from stem, for garnish
Instructions
- Heat Butter and Olive Oil: Bring a medium pot to medium heat and add butter and olive oil. Once melted, add the leeks and sauté for 5-7 minutes until softened but not caramelized.
- Add Potatoes and Seasoning: Add the cubed potatoes and season with salt and pepper.
- Add Stock and Simmer: Add enough vegetable stock to completely cover the vegetables. Cover with the lid, leaving a small opening, and bring to a strong simmer.
- Cook Until Tender: Cook the potato leek soup until the potatoes are incredibly tender, about 35 minutes.
- Blend the Soup: Turn off the heat and use an immersion blender or high-powered blender to blend the soup until incredibly smooth.
- Add Heavy Cream: Pour in the heavy cream and stir to mix evenly.
- Serve and Garnish: Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with fresh thyme, a drizzle of olive oil, and additional grating of black pepper and salt.
Notes
- Use only the light green and white parts of the leek; the dark green parts are too fibrous and best saved for homemade stock.
- Make sure to add enough stock to completely cover the vegetables to avoid a gummy texture.
- Sautéing the leeks before adding other ingredients helps to sweeten their flavor.
- Blend the soup while it’s still warm for the easiest and creamiest texture.
- Leeks freeze very well; slice thin, wash, dry thoroughly, and store in a resealable plastic bag for future use.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 200 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
