Leek and potato soup or vichyssoise soup is a classic dish that is really easy to make at home. This comforting soup is great for using up leftovers, has an amazing full on flavour and as a bonus its super healthy as its packed full of nutrients. Made with everyday ingredients, its affordable, tasty and a great recipe for batch cooking and stocking up the freezer.
- Healthy leek and potato soup
- How can I get more potatoes into my diet?
- French name for leek and potato soup
- What part of the leek do you use to make soup?
- Ingredients
- How to make leek and potato soup
- Leek and potato soup without milk or cream
- Frequently asked questions
- What goes with leek and potato soup?
- PIN FOR LATER
Healthy leek and potato soup
Not only is leek and potato soup tasty and comforting but its also a really nutritious recipe and perfect for refuelling on a cold day. Potatoes are a starchy carbohydrate and a great source of calcium, Iron and B vitamins. With the skins on, potatoes also provide a good source of fibre. So to boost the fibre and the texture of this recipe, give your tatties a good wash and leave the skins on!
This warming, full flavoured, healthy potato soup also contains 1 portion of your 5 a day, from the onions, celery and leeks. Plus, each serving of soup comes in at under 300kcal, meaning that theres plenty of room left for a nice chunk of crusty bread on the side. For a soup without potatoes that still contains plenty of nutrients try my rustic, traditional Tuscan ribollita soup.
How can I get more potatoes into my diet?
Potatoes are so versatile and they are great served up with most things. Like roast potatoes or mashed potatoes with your roast chicken or roast beef dinner on a Sunday, – always a winner. Or if you just want an easy side to go with your mid week meals try these garlic, herb foil pack potatoes. Other potato soups that are just as satisfying as leek and potato on a cold day are celeriac and potato soup or creamy clam chowder. Or for a meal thats a little more substantial why not try my super affordable Frozen Salmon and potato traybake? Or salmon and mackerel fishcakes.
If you want something a little more indulgent, when it comes to potatoes that definitely means pie, my favourites being fish pie, minted lamb pie, cottage pie and shepherds pie.
French name for leek and potato soup
The french name for leek and potato soup is Vichyssoise soup. However, I prefer to use the bog standard leek and potato term as firstly, vichyssoise is difficulty to spell, but secondly vichyssoise is normally a fully blended soup and usually served cold. When I make leek and potato soup I always, always serve it hot and like to have the option to either make it a chunky or smooth soup. But, if you’re throwing a dinner party and want a bit of sophistication, definitely announce this soup as vichyssoise! 🙂
What part of the leek do you use to make soup?
The best part of the leek to use for soup is the white and light green parts. The darker green parts toward the top of the plant tend to be a bit tough and fibrous – not great if your wanting to make a soup!
To prepare the leeks, for leek and potato soup, slice off the roots at the bottom end and cut off the dark green, wider parts of the leek at the top end. Next slice the leek in half length ways to reveal all the layers inside. Then carefully run each half under the cold water tap to wash aways any bits of dirt on the outside and caught between the layers. Nothing worse than gritty soup!! (Apart from maybe sand in your sandwiches at the beach!)
Ingredients
To make a pot of this delicious leek and potato soup, to serve 4 people, you will need:
- 30g Butter
- 1 Onion finely chopped (125g)
- 2 celery sticks chopped (100g)
- 2 medium leeks chopped (200)
- 3 large potatoes peeled and cubed (600g)
- 500ml vegetable stock (Plus extra water if required)
- Pinch of salt
- 2 tbsp double cream (Optional)
- Chopped chives and extra cream to serve (Optional)
How to make leek and potato soup
Time needed: 30 minutes.
How to make leek and potato soup
- Prepare veg and potatoes
Start by preparing the vegetables and the potatoes. Peel and finely chop the onion and wash and finely chop the celery. Prepare the leeks by topping and tailing (take off the top dark green leaves to just leave the middle white and green part), then slice in half length ways and wash to remove any grit from in between the layers. Then roughly chop the leeks.
Peel the potatoes and dice. Or if you want to add extra fibre and texture to your soup leave the skins on. - Fry onions and celery
Place a large pan on a medium heat and melt 30g of butter. Add the chopped onions and celery and gently fry until the onions are soft.
- Leeks and potatoes
Add the chopped leeks and potatoes to the pan and stir in well.
- Add vegetable stock
Next pour in the vegetable stock and bring to a gentle simmer
- Simmer for 20 minutes
Place on a lid and simmer for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are soft.
- Blend until smooth
When the potatoes are fully cooked, thoroughly blend the soup until smooth. Do this by either transferring the soup to a blender or use a hand blender directly in the pan. If you would prefer a chunky soup then only blend half and then mix with the unblended half.
- Consistency of the soup
Have extra water ready to add if you want to thin the consistency of your soup. I usually thin mine down to the point where it lightly coats the back of a spoon. When you’re happy with the consistency, taste the soup and add salt if needed.
- Add cream (Optional)
For extra creamy soup stir in 2 tbsp of double cream.
- Serve up
Serve the soup in bowls and if you like top with extra cream and chopped chives.
Leek and potato soup without milk or cream
Leek and potato soup is a full on creamy recipe without the need for milk or cream. The blended, starchy potatoes provide a velvety and creamy thickness which is greatly enhanced by the delicate onion flavour from the leeks. So if you prefer a recipe without cream or milk then this soup will not be ruined if you choose not to add it. However, my personal preference is to add a little cream at the end of making this soup – just to add to the creaminess and lighten up the colour of the soup.
Frequently asked questions
To make a chunky soup instead of smooth, only blend half of the soup and then mix back into the unblended half.
As potatoes are starchy its usual for this type of soup to be too thick rather than too thin. The addition of extra stock or water will help to thin it out. However, if you add too much water you may end up with soup that is too thin. To avoid this add any extra water or stock a bit at a time and stir in well before adding more.
If your soup is too thin you can thicken it back up by gently heating and gradually reducing down. Or by adding a couple of tablespoons of full fat yogurt or by adding flour. To avoid flour lumps forming I usually mix 1 tbsp of flour with a bit of water to form a paste. Then add the flour paste to the soup and mix well. For best results add the flour paste with the soup off the heat, then slowly heat back up whilst stirring continually until the soup thickens and the flour is ‘cooked out’.
Leek and potato soup will keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days. If you are adding cream, check that this has a good date on it and will keep for the 3 days. Alternatively only add the cream when you are ready to eat the soup.
Yes you can freeze leek and potato soup. Its a great option for cooking in a big batch then dividing up into containers and freezing. Leek and potato soup will keep well in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost thoroughly before reheating. As potatoes are super starchy make sure you stir the soup continually during reheating or the potato may stick to the bottom of the pan and burn.
What goes with leek and potato soup?
Leek and potato soup is best served up with a crunchy piece of buttered bread or soft, white homemade bread rolls.
Leek and potato soup
Ingredients
- 30 g Butter
- 1 Onion finely chopped 125g
- 2 celery sticks chopped 100g
- 2 medium leeks chopped 200
- 3 large potatoes peeled and cubed 600g
- 500 ml vegetable stock Plus extra water if required
- Pinch of salt
- 2 tbsp double cream Optional
- Chopped chives and extra cream to serve Optional
Equipment
- large pan
- Blender or hand blender
Instructions
- Start by preparing the vegetables and the potatoes. Peel and finely chop the onion and wash and finely chop the celery. Prepare the leek by topping and tailing (take off the top dark green leaves to just leave the middle white and green part), then slice in half length ways and wash to remove any grit from in between the layers. Then roughly chop the leek.
- Peel the potatoes and dice. Or if you want to add extra fibre and texture to your soup leave the skins on.
- Place a large pan on a medium heat and melt 30g of butter. Add the chopped onions and celery and gently fry until the onions are soft.
- Add the chopped leeks and potatoes to the pan and stir in well.
- Next pour in the vegetable stock and bring to a gentle simmer
- Place on a lid and simmer for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are soft.
- When the potatoes are fully cooked, thoroughly blend the soup until smooth. Do this by either transferring the soup to a blender or use a hand blender directly in the pan. If you would prefer a chunky soup then only blend half and then mix with the unblended half.
- Have extra water ready to add if you want to thin the consistency of your soup. I usually thin mine down to the point where it lightly coats the back of a spoon. When you're happy with the consistency, taste the soup and add salt if needed.
- For extra creamy soup stir in 2 tbsp of double cream.
- Serve the soup in bowls and if you like top with extra cream and chopped chives.
Video
Nutrition
How do you make a chunky leek and potato soup?
To make a chunky soup instead of smooth, only blend half of the soup and then mix back into the unblended half.How do you make potato soup thicker?
As potatoes are starchy its usual for this type of soup to be too thick rather than too thin. The addition of extra stock or water will help to thin it out. However, if you add too much water you may end up with soup that is too thin. To avoid this add any extra water or stock a bit at a time and stir in well before adding more.If your soup is too thin you can thicken it back up by gently heating and gradually reducing down. Or by adding a couple of tablespoons of full fat yogurt or by adding flour. To avoid flour lumps forming I usually mix 1 tbsp of flour with a bit of water to form a paste. Then add the flour paste to the soup and mix well. For best results add the flour paste with the soup off the heat, then slowly heat back up whilst stirring continually until the soup thickens and the flour is ‘cooked out’.
How long does leek and potato soup last in the fridge?
Leek and potato soup will keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days. If you are adding cream, check that this has a good date on it and will keep for the 3 days. Alternatively only add the cream when you are ready to eat the soup.Can you freeze leek and potato soup?
Yes you can freeze leek and potato soup. Its a great option for cooking in a big batch then dividing up into containers and freezing. Leek and potato soup will keep well in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost thoroughly before reheating. As potatoes are super starchy make sure you stir the soup continually during reheating or the potato may stick to the bottom of the pan and burn.PIN FOR LATER
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