French Cold Leek & Potato Soup
Discover the authentic French Vichyssoise soup recipe, which is a creamy, chilled French classic made with leeks, potatoes, and chicken stock. Perfect for summer entertaining, this elegant cold soup is easy to prepare, customizable with substitutions, and pairs beautifully with wine.
Vichyssoise soup recipe is a very simple and creamy soup which is served cold with a little sour cream or crème fraîche and just a sprinkling of fresh herbs such as chopped chives.
With very few ingredients, this has to be one of the easiest soups to make, and we have an excuse to spoil our family and friends with so little cost, yet give them something extra special.
It is dressed with a dollop of sour cream or crème fraîche stirred in, and it is wonderful! Did you know you can make crème fraîche at home? Make my easy, quick, homemade crème fraîche!
You will find many more delicious cream soups here, like Pea Soup, Pumpkin Soup, fresh Celery Soup, or Watercress Soup, all of which are suited to the same garnishes.
For a special occasion, your vichyssoise will look fantastic served in chilled glass dishes or large goblets.
It is a wonderfully creamy summer soup and especially good for entertaining, as it can be prepared well in advance, and you have no work to do but to serve it!
Cold potato soup may not sound appetizing, but it is truly delicious!
If you love this vichyssoise soup recipe, then you will probably like hot Leek and Potato Soup, which has very few ingredients like this one and is easy to make.
Are you a real potato and cheese lover? Then you will enjoy this hot soup, Potato Soup Recipe With Cheese.
There is some controversy as to whether it actually originated in France or whether it was an American recipe. Julia Childs, in her book 'Mastering The Art of French Cooking', page 39, calls it an American invention. But, so you are not fooled, learn more about terms used in French cooking.
Others say that it was a French Chef, Louis Diat, working at the Ritz-Carlton in New York City, who invented the recipe and named it after the town where he came from - near Vichy, in France.
Who knows the real origin, but I think the French Chef working in America means perhaps both are right.
📖 Recipe
Vichyssoise Soup Recipe
Equipment
- Large heavy-bottomed pot
- Sharp knife
- Cutting board
- Blender or
- Food processor or
- Immersion blender
- Fine sieve (for extra silky texture)
- Chilled serving bowls or goblets
Ingredients
- 4 large potatoes
- 2½ pints chicken stock 1.5 litres - or you can use vegetable stock if you prefer.
- 4 leeks trimmed
- Crème fraiche or soured cream to garnish, optional
- Chopped herbs such as chives optional
Instructions
- Put the chicken or vegetable stock into a large heavy bottomed pan and bring to the boil.
- Peel and cut the potatoes into small pieces.
- Add to the pan of chicken stock.
- Lower the heat and cook until just tender.
- In the meantime, clean and cut the leeks into small pieces.
- Add the leeks to the pan of potatoes.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Cook for about 20 minutes on a low heat until the vegetables are soft.
- Puree the soup in a blender or food processor or if you prefer it can be pressed through a sieve.
- At this stage, if you are using cream or crème fraiche, stir this in and cool.
- To serve, pour into chilled bowls and garnish with a swirl of cream and chopped herbs.
Notes
Tips For Cold Soup
- Serving hack: Freeze bowls briefly for extra chill factor.
- Texture tip: Double strain for Michelin-star silkiness. Make my easy, quick, homemade crème fraîche!
Substitutions
- Swap crème fraîche for Greek yogurt if you want tang.
- Try parsnips instead of potatoes for a sweeter twist.
- Use coconut cream for a dairy-free version.
Secrets From My Kitchen To Yours
- A splash of white wine in the stock adds depth.
- Garnish with edible flowers for flair.
- Serve in martini glasses for a playful twist.
Nutrition
Judith Coates says
If you have never enjoyed a refreshing cold soup in summer on a hot day, then you are in for a cozy French Mediterranean soup treat when starting with a bowl of vichyssoise. It can certainly be heated too in the cold weather to add to your lineup of warm-up soups. Many French soup recipes can be enjoyed cold in the summer and hot in the winter! °❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･🍛