I'm a huge fan of the way Ina Garten takes classic recipes — for food and beverages — and turns up the volume. Her soup dishes are especially delicious, so of course I had to try out Garten's potato leek soup recipe. What makes it so special? Instead of simply sautéing and simmering the vegetables, she roasts them in the oven until they're soft, crisp, and caramelized. The resulting soup is full of deep flavor with a rich, velvety texture.
When you eat this cozy soup, it's hard not to imagine yourself instantly transported to the Hamptons, where you'd enjoy it curled up on a huge couch in Garten's country-chic home. It's a perfect creamy soup for the colder months, but light enough that you can enjoy it in the summer, too.
Although the fried-shallot garnish is listed as optional, in my opinion, it's a must-make. The addition of crunchy-sweet shallot bits takes this potato leek soup to a whole new level — you won't regret putting in the extra effort (and it's not too hard anyway — promise!). Get Ina Garten's potato leek soup recipe ahead.
Watch This!
Pop Quiz
The Cast of I Know What You Did Last Summer Play a Scary Game of Would You Rather
Roasted Potato Leek Soup
From Ina Garten
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch chunks
4 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts, cleaned of all sand (4 leeks)
1/4 cup good olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 cups baby arugula, lightly packed
1/2 cup dry white wine, plus extra for serving
6 to 7 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
3/4 cup heavy cream
8 ounces creme fraiche
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for garnish
Crispy Shallots, recipe follows, optional
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Combine the potatoes and leeks on a sheet pan in a single layer. Add the olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss to coat the vegetables evenly. Roast for 40 to 45 minutes, turning them with a spatula a few times during cooking, until very tender.
- Add the arugula and toss to combine. Roast for 4 to 5 more minutes, until the arugula is wilted. Remove the pan from the oven and place over 2 burners. Stir in the wine and 1 cup of the chicken stock and cook over low heat, scraping up any crispy roasted bits sticking to the pan.
- In batches, transfer the roasted vegetables to a food processor fitted with the steel blade, adding the pan liquid and about 5 cups of the chicken stock to make a puree. Pour the puree into a large pot or Dutch oven. Continue to puree the vegetables in batches until they're all done and combined in the large pot.
- Add enough of the remaining 1 to 2 cups of stock to make a thick soup. Add the cream, creme fraiche, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper and check the seasonings.
- When ready to serve, reheat the soup gently and whisk in 2 tablespoons white wine and 1/4 cup of Parmesan. Serve hot with an extra grating of Parmesan and crispy shallots, if using.
Serves 6-8.
Crispy Shallots:
1 1/2 cups olive oil or vegetable oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 to 6 shallots, peeled and sliced into thin rings
- Heat the oil and butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat until it reaches 220 degrees F on a candy thermometer.
- Reduce the heat to low, add the shallots, and cook for 30 to 40 minutes, until they are a rich golden brown. The temperature should stay below 260 degrees F. Stir the shallots occasionally to make sure they brown evenly. Remove them from the oil with a slotted spoon, drain well, and spread out to cool on paper towels. Once they have dried and crisped, they can be stored at room temperature, covered, for several days.
Makes about 1/2 cup.
Information
- Category
- Soups/Stews, Cream
- Cuisine
- North American
Image Source: Getty / Brad Barket / Stringer