Vegetarian Leek and Potato Soup

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Many of you know the classic French recipe of onion soup. The one which is traditionally served with croutons and cheese. It has a sweet, rich flavor that you definitely can’t associate with an onion. Caramelization unbelievably changes the taste and makes it completely different from the typical and boring onion taste everyone is used to. This recipe is about an onion soup too, but a different one.

We’ll cook it with a leek and potatoes. The recipe is pretty different from a French onion soup, actually it’s a completely different dish with a few similarities.

Firstly, the foundation of both soup is onions but different kinds. Secondly, while preparing, taste significantly changes, sharpness and bitterness replaces with sweetness and cream flavor.

The soup is very light however filled with interesting taste combinations. And despite almost 100% vegetable foundation, it is very hearty. You can exclude milk and cream, if you want or depending on your personal views.

Ingredients 🍲

— 200 g (7 oz) potatoes

— 200 g (7 oz) onions

— 750 g (1,7 lb) leek

— 120 g (4 oz) butter

— 1l vegetable broth (Heston’s vegetable broth or basic vegetable broth)

— 100 ml (7 tbsp.) cream 30%+ fat

— 50 ml (3,5 tbsp.) milk 1-2% fat

— A few stalks of thyme, parsley, celery;

— salt, pepper

How to Make Veggie Leek and Potato Soup: step-by-step instruction 🍽️

Step 1. Prepare the ingredients

Wash the onion (cut in half lengthwise and hold it under the running water for a while. Remember, the dirt often hides among the green leaves).

Wash and peel 200 g (7 oz) of potatoes.

Cut potatoes into thin slices, put into a strainer and wash under the running water for a couple of minutes. And now some routine work with a knife: cut into thin slices all 750 g (1,7 lb) of leeks. Use a food processor if you have one ( and why did it occur to me only now?).

Measure a 200 g (7 oz) of onion, peel it and slice into thin half-rings.

Measure 1l of vegetable broth into a small pot and put it to warm up on a small fire.

STEP 2. PREPARE THE FOUNDATION OF THE SOUP (POTATO, ONION, LEEK)

Melt 120 g (4 oz) of butter in a large stew pot or a saucepan.

Add sliced potato and onion. Cook it for 10 minutes stirring from time to time.

Add all sliced leek and cook stirring for another 5-7 minutes. When the leek becomes mild, shrinks, and there would be no smell of fresh leek – move on to the next step.

Meanwhile, find a minute to make a bouquet garni. Take a few stalks of parsel, thyme, one stalk of rosemary and tie them up.

STEP 3. ADD A BROTH, LET IT BREW WITH A GARNI AND MASH IT.

To the pot with simmering ingredients pour warm broth, put a garni bouquet, boil and then turn down the fire.

After that pour 100 ml (7 tbsp.) of cream and 50 ml (3,5 tbsp.) of milk. Cover the pot and cook for another 10 minutes.

Take out a garni bouquet and mash the soup. I recommend doing it with a high-power stationary blender in order to get a perfectly smooth creamy texture. You can also use a hand blender, but it’ll take a bit more time.