| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 2 hr 10 min |
| Prep: | 35 min |
| Cook: | 1 hr 35 min |
| Yield: | 6 to 8 servings |
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
- 1 1/2 cups olive oil or vegetable oil
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 5 to 6 shallots, peeled and sliced into thin rings
Instructions
- 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.
- 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.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 8 servings |
| Calories | 842 |
| Total Fat | 69 g |
| Saturated Fat | 19 g |
| Carbohydrates | 45 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 5 g |
| Sugar | 11 g |
| Protein | 12 g |
| Cholesterol | 62 mg |
| Sodium | 1234 mg |
Reviews
Amazing! I added bacon to it as well. The scallions were a game changer.
Love the flavors created by roasting the leeks and potatoes. I’ve made this recipe at least 4-5 times but the one thing I have an issue with is getting the 2 lbs of potatoes and the 4 cups of leeks on a single large baking tray. Mine is very large but can’t do it. In the video I’m convinced Ina’s not making a full recipe – I’m convinced she halved it in the video.
This is hands down the best potato leek soup – I browned the shallots in left over bacon fat. WOW
So delicious! I let the veg get a little burnt in the oven, which added a little smoky flavor. Watch the shallots like a hawk. They go from golden brown and delicious to burnt and bitter in seconds!
An instant ina classic! One of the best versions of potato soup I’ve ever had. I made exactly as described….why mess with perfection. Oh…I made more onions because they are addictive and add so much to this soup. Could not reccomend this more. Perfection
We love this soup, but I’ll save you some time: unless it’s your only option, do NOT puree this in batches. After you deglaze the pan with the wine and broth, just dump it all straight into the Dutch oven. Add the rest of the broth and puree it with a stick blender. A lot more efficient!
Must say, I’m disappointed. The leeks were charred and overdone before the potatoes were tender. I followed the recipe thru the blending stage, tasted it and decided not to waste the cream and crème fraiche to finish it. The strong char flavor was too much. I can always count on Ina’s recipes to be spot on – not this time 🙁
This is the second time I made this and I’m still loving it delissimo! The roasting of the leeks and potatos with the arugula gives it such a great taste. Only differences, I used my immersion blender and a non-dairy heavy cream. I think it’s a simple, but elegant soup to make.
This is one of my favorite soups. A bit pricy to make for a potato soup but so worth the extra cost. The favors work so well together and as Ina says, the crème fresh gives it a bit of a tang.
Fantastic recipe, I substituted the crispy shallots with bacon and it was glorious 🙂