Description
Julia Child’s Creamy Potato Leek Soup is a comforting, smooth, and flavorful soup that combines tender Yukon gold potatoes and softened leeks, enriched with a touch of heavy cream and garnished with fresh thyme and olive oil, perfect for a cozy meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup
- 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 light green and white parts)
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt to taste
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper + more for garnish
- 5 cups vegetable stock
- ½ cup heavy cream
- Fresh thyme leaves removed from stem, for garnish
Instructions
- Saute Leeks: Bring a medium pot to medium heat and add butter and olive oil. Once melted, add the leeks and sauté for 7 minutes until softened but not caramelized.
- Add Potatoes and Seasonings: Add the cubed potatoes to the pot and season with salt and black pepper.
- Add Stock and Simmer: Pour in enough vegetable stock to completely cover the vegetables. Cover the pot 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 a high-powered blender to blend the soup until smooth and creamy.
- Add Cream: Pour in the heavy cream and stir to combine thoroughly.
- Serve and Garnish: Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with fresh thyme leaves, a drizzle of olive oil, and additional ground black pepper and salt to taste.
Notes
- Use only the light green and white parts of the leek as the dark green parts are too fibrous; save those for homemade stock.
- Make sure to add enough stock to completely cover the vegetables to prevent the soup from becoming gummy.
- Sautéing the leeks helps to sweeten their flavor before simmering.
- Blend the soup while still warm for a creamy, smooth texture.
- Leeks freeze well: slice thinly, wash, dry thoroughly, and store in a resealable plastic bag.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 480 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg
