Vichyssoise: Chilled Leek and Potato Soup
Inspired by techniques from America's Test Kitchen and NYT Cooking.
A silky, ice-cold leek and potato soup, gently sweated in butter, simmered in milk and broth, then blended, strained and chilled. A swirl of cream and a scattering of chives finish it beautifully.
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Method
- 1
Sweat the leeks. Melt the butter in the casserole over medium-low heat, then add the leeks, onion and salt. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring now and then, until they are completely soft and floppy but not browned. Covering traps the steam so the vegetables soften in their own juices, keeping the soup pale and sweet.
- 2
Simmer with potatoes. Pour in the milk and broth, add the potatoes and white pepper, then turn the heat to medium-high and bring to the boil. Lower to medium-low, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes, until a potato cube breaks easily against the side of the pan. Fully cooked potato releases its starch, which is what gives the finished soup its body.
- 3
Cool, then blend. Leave the soup to stand for 10 minutes, then blend it in batches for 1-2 minutes each until perfectly smooth. Fill the jug no more than half full and hold the lid down with a cloth. Letting it cool a little makes blending safer, as very hot liquid can push the lid off.
- 4
Strain for silkiness. Pour the soup through the sieve into the large bowl, pressing it through with a ladle. Any stringy leek fibres stay behind. This step is what gives vichyssoise its famously velvety texture.
- 5
Chill thoroughly. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, until the soup is cold right through. As it chills it thickens slightly and the leek flavour becomes rounder and softer.
- 6
Season and serve. Stir in the cream, then taste: cold soups need a little more seasoning, so add extra salt or white pepper as needed. Ladle into chilled bowls and scatter with the chives. The cream is added at the end so its fresh, clean richness is not dulled by cooking.
Storage
Keep covered in the fridge for up to 2 days, before or after adding the cream. Stir well before serving. Do not freeze, as the potato turns grainy when thawed. Cool leftovers in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours (within 1 hour on a day above 32°C).
Equipment
- large casserole or heavy saucepan (about 4 litres) with a lid
- wooden spoon
- blender
- fine sieve
- large bowl
- ladle
- airtight container
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 221 kcal |
| Protein | 6.2 g |
| Carbohydrate | 25 g |
| of which sugars | 10 g |
| of which free sugars | 0 g |
| Fat | 11.4 g |
| of which saturates | 6.8 g |
| Fibre | 2.6 g |
| Salt | 2.11 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
2.8 g High Protein needs ≥ 10 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
