Description
Julia Child’s Creamy Potato Leek Soup is a smooth and velvety classic French soup made with tender Yukon gold potatoes and sautéed leeks, simmered in vegetable stock and finished with a touch of heavy cream. This comforting soup is easy to prepare and perfect for a hearty appetizer or light meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus 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
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt, to taste
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, plus more for garnish
- 5 cups vegetable stock
- ½ cup heavy cream
- Fresh thyme leaves, removed from stem, for garnish
Instructions
- Sauté Leeks: Bring a medium pot to medium heat and add the butter and olive oil. Once melted, add the leeks and sauté for 5-7 minutes until softened but not caramelized.
- Add Potatoes and Season: Add the cubed potatoes to the pot and season with salt and pepper.
- Add Stock and Simmer: Pour in enough vegetable stock to completely cover the vegetables. Cover with a lid, leaving a small opening, and bring to a strong simmer.
- Cook Until Tender: Let the soup cook until the potatoes are incredibly tender, about 35 minutes.
- Blend Soup: Turn off the heat and use an immersion blender or high-powered blender to blend the soup until it is incredibly smooth and creamy.
- Add Cream: Pour in the heavy cream and stir to combine evenly.
- Serve and Garnish: Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with fresh thyme leaves, a drizzle of olive oil, and additional grating of black pepper and salt to taste.
Notes
- Use only the light green and white parts of the leek; the dark green parts are too fibrous and won’t blend well—save those to make homemade stock.
- Add enough stock to completely cover the vegetables to prevent the soup from becoming gummy.
- Sauté the leeks before adding other ingredients to enhance their sweetness and flavor.
- Blend the soup while it’s still warm for an easier and creamier consistency.
- Leeks freeze well; slice thinly, wash and dry thoroughly, then store in a resealable plastic bag for future use.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 200 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
