The Ultimate Ina Garten Roasted Potato Leek Soup Recipe

Roasted potato leek soup embodies comfort and sophistication in every spoonful, transforming humble ingredients into a culinary masterpiece.

Rich, velvety textures blend seamlessly with earthy undertones that warm your soul during chilly evenings.

Silky smooth and deeply satisfying, this classic soup represents pure kitchen alchemy.

Creamy potatoes mingle with delicate leeks, creating a harmonious flavor profile that speaks to traditional cooking techniques.

Each ingredient contributes its unique character, building depth and complexity in remarkable ways.

Aromatic herbs and a splash of white wine elevate the simple ingredients into something truly extraordinary.

The magic happens when these components unite, promising a dining experience that delights and nourishes: prepare to fall in love with this soul-warming recipe.

What Makes Potato Leek Soup So Comforting

• Roast to Enhance Flavor: Oven-roasting potatoes and leeks caramelizes their natural sugars, creating deep, rich flavors that transform ordinary vegetables into a luxurious soup base with complex, nutty undertones.
• Silky Smooth Texture Delight: Carefully pureeing the roasted vegetables and adding cream produces an incredibly velvety, luxurious soup that glides effortlessly across your palate, offering a comforting and elegant dining experience.
• Gourmet Finishing Touches: Whisking in white wine and Parmesan cheese at the end elevates the soup's sophistication, while crispy shallots provide a delightful crunch and golden-brown contrast to the creamy base, making each spoonful an exciting culinary adventure.
• Simple Yet Impressive Technique: The method of roasting vegetables, deglazing the pan, and pureeing creates a professional-level soup that seems complex but can be easily mastered by home cooks, making it perfect for impressing dinner guests or enjoying a gourmet meal at home.

Ingredients for a Creamy Potato Leek Blend

• Potatoes: Hearty base for the soup, choose starchy varieties like Russet or Yukon Gold for creamy texture.
• Leeks: Mild onion-like flavor, clean thoroughly to remove sand and use white and light green parts.
• Arugula: Peppery green that adds depth and brightness to the roasted vegetable mixture.

• Chicken Stock: Provides rich base flavor, homemade or high-quality store-bought works best.
• White Wine: Adds complexity and helps deglaze roasting pan, use dry white wine like Sauvignon Blanc.

• Heavy Cream, Crème Fraîche: Creates luxurious, smooth texture and adds richness to the soup.
• Parmesan Cheese: Provides nutty, salty finish, freshly grated offers best flavor.

• Olive Oil: Helps roast vegetables and adds subtle fruity notes.
• Salt, Pepper: Essential for seasoning and balancing flavors throughout cooking process.

• Shallots: Sweet, delicate onion flavor when slowly fried to golden brown.
• Vegetable Oil, Butter: Creates perfect medium for frying shallots to crispy perfection.

How to Make Roasted Potato Leek Soup

Step 1: Prepare Oven

Crank up your oven to a toasty 400 degrees Fahrenheit and get ready for some delicious roasting magic.

Step 2: Roast Vegetable Magic

• Olive oil
• Salt
• Black pepper

Roll the veggies around until they’re perfectly coated. Slide the pan into the oven and roast for 40-45 minutes, giving them a gentle turn a few times. When they’re super tender, sprinkle in the arugula and roast for another 4-5 minutes until it wilts.

Step 3: Create Flavor Base

Pull the pan from the oven and set it across two burners. Pour in wine and chicken stock, scraping up all those delicious crispy bits stuck to the pan.

Step 4: Blend Smooth Soup

Transfer roasted vegetables to a food processor in batches. Add pan liquid and chicken stock to create a silky smooth puree. Pour each batch into a large pot, continuing until all vegetables are transformed. Adjust the stock to reach your desired soup thickness.

Step 5: Enhance With Creamy Goodness

• Heavy cream
• Crème fraîche
• Salt
• Black pepper

Taste and adjust seasonings to perfection.

Step 6: Final Soup Touches

Gently reheat the soup. Whisk in white wine and Parmesan cheese. Serve piping hot topped with extra cheese.

Step 7: Create Crispy Shallots

Heat oil and butter in a saucepan until it reaches 220 degrees Fahrenheit.

Step 8: Caramelize Shallots

Lower heat, add shallots, and cook 30-40 minutes. Keep temperature below 260 degrees Fahrenheit. Stir occasionally for even browning.

Step 9: Finish Shallot Topping

Scoop out shallots with a slotted spoon, drain on paper towels. Let them dry and crisp up. Store at room temperature in a covered container for several days.

Tips for Smooth and Velvety Texture

• Wash Leeks Meticulously: Slice leeks carefully and rinse thoroughly under running water, separating layers to eliminate hidden sand and grit completely.
• Maximize Roasting Technique: Arrange potatoes and leeks in a single, even layer on the sheet pan to guarantee perfect caramelization and consistent roasting.
• Extract Maximum Flavor: Scrape every single browned bit from the roasting pan when deglazing, as these concentrated flavor nuggets transform the soup's depth.
• Control Soup Texture: Add chicken stock incrementally after pureeing, allowing you to customize the soup's consistency to your exact preference.
• Protect Creamy Integrity: Reheat the soup gently and slowly over low heat to prevent cream separation and maintain a silky, luxurious texture.

Keeping Soup Fresh for Days

• Freeze Wisely: Divide soup into individual portions using freezer-safe glass containers or heavy-duty freezer bags. Press out excess air before sealing to prevent freezer burn and maintain optimal flavor. Label each container with the date and contents for easy tracking.
• Refrigeration Strategy: Keep soup in a tightly sealed glass or ceramic container to preserve its creamy texture and prevent absorption of other refrigerator odors. Place the container in the coldest part of the refrigerator, typically the back section, to maintain consistent temperature and extend freshness.
• Reheating Technique: Thaw frozen soup gradually in the refrigerator overnight for best results. When reheating, use a medium-low stovetop setting and stir frequently to restore the original smooth consistency. Add a splash of broth or water if the soup appears too thick, ensuring it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot.

Variations of Potato Leek You Should Try

• Herbal Infusion Potato Soup: Add fresh rosemary and thyme during roasting for enhanced aromatic flavors that complement the leeks and potatoes.
• Spicy Mediterranean Rendition: Incorporate roasted red peppers and sprinkle smoked paprika to give the soup a warm, slightly spicy Mediterranean character.
• Smoky Bacon Comfort Version: Crisp bacon pieces and render their fat into the soup for a rich, smoky undertone that adds depth and complexity to the original recipe.
• Vegetarian Green Protein Adaptation: Replace chicken stock with vegetable broth and stir in cooked quinoa or white beans to boost protein content while maintaining the soup's creamy texture.

Recap for Roasted Potato Leek Soup

Roasted potato leek soup embodies culinary comfort with Ina Garten’s signature elegance.

Complex flavors meld harmoniously through strategic roasting techniques.

Arugula adds unexpected peppery nuance to this sophisticated recipe.

Crispy shallots crown this luxurious soup with delightful textural contrast.

Each spoonful whispers gourmet sophistication without pretension.

Passionate cooks and curious palates: dive into this recipe, share its delicious story, spark conversation, and spread culinary joy with friends and family.

Ina Garten Roasted Potato Leek Soup Recipe

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4.6 from 39 reviews

• Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
• Yield: 6 1x

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Description

Ina Garten’s roasted potato leek soup brings French countryside comfort to your kitchen. Rich, creamy flavors meld together with perfectly roasted vegetables, creating a silky smooth experience you’ll savor from first spoonful to last.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Main Ingredients:

• 2 pounds (907 grams) Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into ¾-inch chunks
• 4 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts, cleaned of all sand (4 leeks)
• 6 to 7 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
• 3 cups baby arugula, lightly packed

Dairy and Cream Ingredients:

• ¾ cup (180 milliliters) heavy cream
• 8 ounces (226 grams) crème fraîche
• ¼ cup (25 grams) freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for garnish
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

Seasoning and Oil Ingredients:

• ¼ cup (60 milliliters) good olive oil
• ½ cup (120 milliliters) dry white wine, plus extra for serving
• 1 ½ cups (360 milliliters) olive oil or vegetable oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 5 to 6 shallots, peeled and sliced into thin rings
• Crispy Shallots (recipe follows), optional

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Instructions

1. Prepare the roasting pan and preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (204 degrees Celsius) with a rack positioned in the center.
2. Arrange the potatoes and leeks on a large sheet pan, ensuring a single layer for even roasting. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and black pepper, tossing thoroughly to coat each vegetable piece uniformly.
3. Roast the vegetables for 40 to 45 minutes, using a spatula to turn them every 15 minutes to promote consistent caramelization and prevent burning.
4. During the final 4 to 5 minutes of roasting, add the arugula and gently mix into the vegetables to allow slight wilting.
5. Transfer the sheet pan to the stovetop across two burners, and deglaze with white wine and of chicken stock, scraping up the flavorful roasted bits from the pan’s surface.
6. Process the roasted vegetables in batches using a food processor, gradually incorporating pan liquid and approximately of chicken stock to create a smooth puree.
7. Transfer each batch of pureed vegetables into a large pot or Dutch oven, adding remaining stock to achieve desired soup consistency.
8. Stir in heavy cream, crème fraîche, salt, and black pepper, tasting and adjusting seasonings as needed.
9. Before serving, gently reheat the soup and whisk in white wine and grated Parmesan cheese.
10. For crispy shallots, heat oil and butter in a saucepan to 220 degrees Fahrenheit (104 degrees Celsius) using a candy thermometer.
11. Reduce heat to low, add sliced shallots, and cook 30 to 40 minutes, maintaining temperature below 260 degrees Fahrenheit (127 degrees Celsius) and stirring occasionally for even browning.
12. Remove shallots with a slotted spoon, drain thoroughly on paper towels, and allow to cool and crisp before serving as a garnish.

Notes

• Dive deep into leek cleaning by slicing them horizontally and rinsing each layer carefully under cold running water, ensuring no sandy grit remains trapped.
• Maximize roasting potential by creating a single, spacious layer of potatoes and leeks on the baking sheet, allowing each piece to caramelize and develop rich golden edges.
• Transform pan drippings into flavor gold by vigorously scraping every delicious browned bit when deglazing with white wine and rich chicken stock.
• Control soup consistency like a pro by introducing remaining stock incrementally, watching texture closely to prevent accidentally creating a watery mixture.
• Protect delicate cream elements during reheating by using gentle, low heat methods that preserve silky smoothness and prevent unwanted separation.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 45 minutes
• Category: Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
• Method: Roasting
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 6
• Calories: 405 kcal
• Sugar: 3 g
• Sodium: 800 mg
• Fat: 30 g
• Saturated Fat: 10 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 20 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 34 g
• Fiber: 4 g
• Protein: 6 g
• Cholesterol: 60 mg