Ina Garten Potato Leek Soup

For a hearty yet elegant meal, try this Ina Garten potato leek soup. She turns this classic recipe into a scrumptious dish.

Potato leek soup is a popular winter meal because it’s filling and made with simple ingredients. It’s especially popular in France, Wales, and Romania, though each version is a little different.

In her recipe, Ina Garten roasts the potatoes and leeks in the oven, which amplifies the flavor of the soup. I follow the same procedure in this copycat recipe, and it makes my kitchen smell amazing!

As well, she adds unique ingredients like parmesan cheese, creme fraiche, white wine, and fried shallots. Though not traditional, these extra ingredients make the soup even more delicious.

When you blend the soup, you get a velvety texture that’s almost like a smooth sauce. But, don’t worry — potatoes are made of starchy fiber, carbohydrates, and protein, so the soup will still fill you up.

Customizing Ina Garten’s Potato Leek Soup Recipe

Ina Garten’s roasted potato leek soup recipe is incredible already, so I’ve only made a few small changes.

In her recipe, Ina Garten only seasons the soup with salt and pepper. But I absolutely love herbs, so I’ve added bay leaves and dried thyme.

These herbs add a subtle fragrance, and they don’t overwhelm the flavor of the leeks.

All About Ina Garten’s Potato Leek Soup Ingredients

Potatoes

Since potatoes are the basis of this recipe, you want to use the ones with the best flavor and texture. And while you can use any type of potato for this recipe, I prefer Yukon gold potatoes.

These potatoes taste buttery and rich. And their texture is very smooth when cooked and blended.

As well, Yukon gold potatoes contain more sugar than other types of potatoes. Therefore, they brown and caramelize better when you roast them.

To pick the perfect spuds for this potato soup, select firm ones with smooth skin. Don’t use ones with wrinkles, soft patches, eye sprouts, green spots, or other blemishes.

White Wine

Ina Garten loves to use wine in her cooking, and this recipe is no exception!

For this dish, you want to use a dry white wine so that it doesn’t make the soup sweet. In general, dry wines are good for preparing savory dishes.

For an extra-flavorful creamy potato leek soup, choose a wine that matches the flavor profile of the other ingredients. For instance, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, or Semillon all go well with flavorful dairy products like parmesan cheese, butter, or cream.

Also, this recipe only uses a little bit of wine, so you’ll have lots left over to serve with the soup!

Chicken Stock

While it’s easy to buy a carton of chicken stock at the grocery store, I recommend making your own. It’s not hard, and it tastes far better than canned broth.

When you make your own stock, you get a richer chicken flavor, and it’s more nutritious. Plus, it’s cheaper than buying packaged stock if you’re using bones you’d otherwise throw out.

If you do choose to buy chicken stock, make sure to get a high-quality one with little added salt. Also, some brands have a dull flavor or taste metallic.

Heavy Cream

Heavy cream is what gives this soup the perfect body. It doesn’t have a strong flavor on its own, but it will make the soup taste rich and silky.
Creme Fraiche
Creme fraiche is a cultured dairy product similar to American sour cream. However, it’s not as sour and the texture is thicker.

Because it has 28% butterfat, it makes this roasted potato and leek soup very creamy. It also makes the soup a little sour, which adds more dimension to the flavor profile.

If you can’t find creme fraiche in stores, you can make your own with heavy cream. Simply add a little sour cream or cultured buttermilk and let the mixture sit at room temperature for a few hours.

The cultures in the sour cream or buttermilk will transform the heavy cream into something like the true version.

Also, use full-fat creme fraiche in this recipe. I’ve found that the low-fat versions may curdle if they get too hot.

Regardless of the variety you use, I recommend stirring it in at the last moment so it won’t cook too much.

Parmesan Cheese

I love fresh parmesan cheese because it adds saltiness and umami to recipes. Also, it blends into this soup without changing the texture.

Freshly-grated parmesan cheese has the best flavor, but you can use store-bought in a pinch.

Leek

Leeks are a plant in the onion family, but they taste sweeter and less intense than regular onions.

In general, people only use the white and light green parts of the plant, throwing away the dark green tops. This is because the tops are more fibrous and can be tough to eat, but they still have lots of flavor and can be used for making vegetable stock.

Shallots

You don’t have to make the crispy shallot topping, but I love it! It balances the smooth texture of the soup with a bit of crunch.

All you have to do is heat some oil and fry the shallots until they get crispy. Then, sprinkle them on each bowl of soup.

Tips and Tricks for Making Flavorful Potato Leek Soup

Wash Carefully

Leeks tend to have lots of dirt hidden between each layer of the leaves. So, you need to wash every piece carefully.

To do this, slice each leek lengthwise to get at each layer.

Use Yukon Golds

As I mentioned before, these are my favorite potatoes for this soup (and lots of other recipes!) They’re very starchy, so they make the soup even creamier.

You can use whatever potatoes you like, but I find that these produce the best potato soup.

Grate the Parmesan

If you can, grate your parmesan cheese on the side of a box grater with large holes. This is good for presentation because these large pieces will maintain their shape instead of melting into the soup.

While the flavor of grated parmesan from a food processor will still be good, you’ll lose the texture as it disappears before you serve the soup.

Keep the Arugula

Don’t forget the arugula! While it might seem strange to put a leafy veggie in this soup, it adds a spicy, fresh flavor that keeps the soup from tasting too heavy.

Method

1. Prepare the Vegetables
   

   First, set your oven temperature to 400 degrees F and allow the oven to preheat.

   Then, spread out the leeks and potatoes on the sheet pan. Pour olive oil over the veggies, and sprinkle ½ tsp. pepper, 1 tsp. salt, and the thyme over them.

   Finally, mix everything to evenly season the vegetables.
   

2. Roast the Vegetables
   

   Place the pan in the oven and bake for about 40 to 45 minutes. Make sure you stir the roasted vegetables several times during baking so that they cook evenly.

   When they’re soft, add the bay leaves and arugula, and mix everything together again. Then, put the pan back in the oven for 4 to 5 minutes so the arugula wilts.
   

3. Deglaze the Pan
   

   Next, take the sheet pan out and put it on low heat on the stove. (You’ll probably need to use 2 burners at once.)

   Pour a cup of chicken broth and ½ cup of the wine into the pan, and use the spatula to scrape the bottom. Try to remove as much of the crispy roasted bits that have stuck to the pan – they add a lot of flavor to the soup!
   

4. Puree
   

   Add some of the vegetables to the bowl of your food processor, along with some of the pan juice and a bit of chicken stock. Then, puree the veggies until they’re smooth.

   Continue with the rest of the veggies, pan juice, and up to 5 cups of broth. When you’ve finished each batch, transfer the pureed mix into your Dutch oven or large pot.
   

5. Finish the Soup
   

   When all of the puree is in the big pot, add more of the broth. You may not need to use all of it – just add enough so that the soup has a thick but spoonable consistency.

   Next, add the creme fraiche, heavy cream, and remaining salt and pepper. Stir everything together, and adjust the seasonings if necessary.
   

6. Prep the Shallots
   

   For the garnish, add the oil and butter to the saucepan, and turn the heat to medium-low. Then warm the oil until it’s 220 degrees F.
   

7. Fry the Shallots
   

   Next, turn the heat down to low, and carefully drop the shallots into the oil. Fry them until they’re dark golden brown, which takes about 30-40 minutes.

   As the shallots cook, stir them every so often so they cook evenly. Also, make sure to keep the temperature under 260 degrees F to keep them from burning.

   When the shallots are done, use the slotted spoon to take them out of the oil, and drain them on the paper towels. They’ll get crispier when they cool down and dry off.
   

8. Serve the Soup
   

   When you’re ready to eat, heat up the soup and stir in the extra 2 tablespoons of wine and the ¼ cup of parmesan. Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle each with the crispy shallots and extra parmesan.
   

More Soup Recipes You’ll Love

• Ina Garten Cauliflower Soup
• Ina Garten Mexican Chicken Soup Recipe
• Easy Crockpot Taco Soup Recipe
• Trader Joe’s French Onion Soup

How to Store and Reheat Ina Garten Potato Leek Soup

Keep this soup 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator and 2 to 3 months in the freezer.

Reheat On the Stovetop

If your soup is thawed, add it to a large pot and set the stove to medium heat. (If your soup is very thin, you can use high heat, but be careful not to burn the bottom of the pan.)

On the other hand, if your soup is frozen, place it in the pot with a little water so the bottom is covered. Only turn the stove to low heat until the soup has thawed entirely – then you can turn it up to medium.

As the soup heats, make sure to stir it frequently so it doesn’t stick to the pot.

Let it come to a boil and cook for one minute. Then, lower the heat to medium-low and let it simmer for a couple of minutes.

To test that it’s done, use a thermometer to check the temperature. Make sure the thermometer only touches soup – not the sides or bottom of the pan.

According to the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, the soup should be at least 165 degrees F to be safe for consumption.

Reheat In a Microwave

To prevent burning, only microwave thawed soup. Pour the soup into a large microwave-safe bowl.

Then, put plastic wrap or a lid on top, leaving a small hole for air to escape. Cook the soup for 20-30 seconds on high, and then stir it.

Continue cooking in short bursts and stirring in between until the soup is at least 165 degrees F. Also, always keep an eye on the soup as it’s cooking because it can boil over very easily.

According to the Wisconsin Food Code, you should let the soup cool for 2 minutes before eating. Enjoy!