Ina Garten Potato Leek Soup

This Ina Garten potato leek soup is a rich, warm, and comforting winter meal.

Made with tender potatoes and leeks, roasted in the oven and then blended in a creamy chicken broth, this classic French soup is the epitome of comfort food.

Don’t be fooled by its rich flavors, this recipe is incredibly easy to make too! The roasting part makes the cooking process a bit longer, but trust me, it really worth it.

While this recipe is delicious on its own, you can serve it with a nice fresh salad, crusty bread, grilled cheese sandwich or a (French) charcuterie board!

My version

• I skipped the crispy shallots garnish and used croutons instead. If you want to strictly follow the original recipe, add 1 ½ cups vegetable oil and 3 tablespoons butter, unsalted, to a saucepan, warm the oil/butter, turn the heat down to low, and fry 5-6 shallots, peeled and cut into thin rings until they’re dark golden brown (30 – 40 minutes). Add them in the recipe just like I did with the croutons.


• I reduced the quantity of the chicken stock because I had too many leftovers.

Level: Easy

Ingredients

Equipment

How To Make It

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spread out the leeks and potatoes on a sheet pan. Pour olive oil over the veggies, and sprinkle ½ tsp. pepper, 1 tsp. salt.

Mix everything to evenly season the vegetables.

Bake for about 40 to 45 minutes. Stir the roasted vegetables several times during baking so that they cook evenly.

When they’re soft, add the arugula, and mix everything together again.

Then, put the pan back in the oven for 4 to 5 minutes so the arugula wilts.

Take the sheet pan out. Pour a cup of chicken broth and ½ cup of the wine into the pan. Use a spatula to scrape the bottom to remove the crispy roasted bits sticking to the pan.

Add the vegetables to the bowl of a food processor or the large pot, along with the pan juice and a bit of chicken stock.

Puree the veggies until they’re smooth with the food processor or the immersion blender.

Continue with the rest of the chicken broth.

Add the creme fraiche and heavy cream. Stir everything together, and adjust the seasonings if necessary.

Heat up the soup and stir in the ¼ cup of parmesan. Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle each with the croutons and extra parmesan.

Serve hot.

Cutting and Cleaning The Leek Properly

1. Cut the dark green leaves first, then the root, and discard them. For a good leek soup, you want to keep the leek’s white and light green parts.
2. Then cut the leek leaves lengthwise.
3. Rinse the leaves several times to remove all the hidden dirt
4. Place the leek leaves on a cutting board and cut them into thin slices of ¼ inch
5. Rinse again and pat dry with a paper towel

Tips and Tricks

• You can use whatever potatoes you like, but starchy potatoes such as Yukon golds or russet produce the best potato soup. Because they break down easily, they create a nice creamy texture.


• Add butter for more richness to the dish. Butter will add more depth and a delicious buttery taste to the soup.


• Skip the wine for a non-alcoholic version. If you have children like me (and if they eat soup!), simply omit the wine from the soup. You don’t need to add any additional broth or water to replace it, as the recipe already includes enough.

Have You Tried My Recipe?

Let me know in the comments section how it went! And don’t forget to leave a rating. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

More Ina Garten French Recipes

• Ina Garten Beef Bourguignon


• Ina Garten Quiche Lorraine


• Ina Garten Scalloped Potatoes


• Ina Garten Tartar Sauce


• Ina Garten Cauliflower Soup