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.
Ingredients
Scale
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
Instructions
- Prepare the roasting pan and preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (204 degrees Celsius) with a rack positioned in the center.
- 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.
- Roast the vegetables for 40 to 45 minutes, using a spatula to turn them every 15 minutes to promote consistent caramelization and prevent burning.
- During the final 4 to 5 minutes of roasting, add the arugula and gently mix into the vegetables to allow slight wilting.
- 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.
- Process the roasted vegetables in batches using a food processor, gradually incorporating pan liquid and approximately of chicken stock to create a smooth puree.
- Transfer each batch of pureed vegetables into a large pot or Dutch oven, adding remaining stock to achieve desired soup consistency.
- Stir in heavy cream, crème fraîche, salt, and black pepper, tasting and adjusting seasonings as needed.
- Before serving, gently reheat the soup and whisk in white wine and grated Parmesan cheese.
- For crispy shallots, heat oil and butter in a saucepan to 220 degrees Fahrenheit (104 degrees Celsius) using a candy thermometer.
- 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.
- 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