Potato Leek Soup in a Paris Kitchen (GF)

Potato Leek Soup is a delicately flavored soup that will warm you to your toes when the weather is cold and blustery. Cool weather is coming soon and I hope you make this soup and enjoy every bite. I puree it with my immersion blender for a smooth, creamy soup but you can leave if chunky if you prefer.

Leeks look like very large green onions and are in the same family. They are milder than onions and make a lovely addition to many dishes. You will find them in the produce section of your grocery store. Look for ones with the most white and light green portions. You will get the best leeks in the fall and winter, just in time to make this glorious soup!

Being able to cook an adaptation of Julia Child’s infamous Potato Leek Soup while in Paris was a dream come true. When we decided to take an extended trip to Europe in hopes that my husband’s health might improve, I knew it would involve shopping in the local markets for ingredients and cooking meals for us. I wondered what challenges I would run into?

 

My biggest hurdle is not speaking more than a few words of the language, but everyone is kind and helpful, often they speak a few words of English and with pointing and gestures we can figure out what we are each saying and I can buy the items I want fairly easily. 

The second challenge is the infamously small kitchens in Paris apartments. Most are smaller than the kitchens in my tiny studio apartments when I was young and single. Often a narrow galley shape, ours is a bit more expansive, but designed for only one person to be in there working at a time. With two it is definitely a pas de deux!

Bonus – we had a gas range!! I was so thrilled to be able to cook on gas again, but it does take some getting used to. I’m accustomed to the slow speed of our electric stove at home and had almost forgotten how instantaneous pans and food come up to temperature. I loved it!

In most rentals, the kitchen has fairly rudimentary equipment to work with because most people are on vacation and go out to eat. Ours was well stocked with quite a few pieces of equipment to work with, but my favorite is a Le Creuset oval Dutch oven!! That definitely got a work out and up first was my favorite potato leek soup!

Have you seen the leeks in France? Instead of being 90% dark green with just an inch or two of white and light green on the root end, they are at least half pure white and positively drool-worthy! They literally take my breath away when I see them! There is so much usable stalk that I only need a couple of the slender leeks to make the soup instead of 4 to 6 of the regular American leeks!

We loved shopping in the neighborhood markets, picking up our items for dinner each day. In addition to the potato leek soup, we also had a rotisserie chicken with homemade gravy (in the small pan on the back of the stove) and fresh carrots. Simple and oh so good!

These photos were taken with my iPhone in our Paris kitchen. No filters, no fancy lighting, just how we lived and ate while there.

I hope you make this beautiful potato leek soup when the temperatures dip and you need something to warm you up. When making it in Paris I could imagine Julia standing beside me, guiding my hands as I made my version of her soup. Even picky eaters will love it – it is definitely one of my favorite ways to feed my friends and family especially during the holidays. There is nothing easier than having a pot of soup available whenever anyone gets hungry – they can serve themselves and give you more time to enjoy your guests. 

 

If you try this recipe, let me know! Please leave a star rating in the recipe card, comment below, and don’t forget to snap a pic and tag it @theheritagecook on Instagram! Seeing your creations makes my day and I love hearing from you!

 

Ingredients needed for Potato Leek Soup:

• Leeks, butter or oil, gluten-free flour, water, salt, thyme, bay leaf, Russet potatoes, heavy cream, pepper, chives

 

PRO Tip:

If you can’t find leeks in your grocery store, you can use mild onions instead. Try to find the mildest onions available (not “sweet” varieties). I often use onions to supplement if I can’t find enough leeks for the recipe. Shallots are terrific, but it would take a whole bowl of them! A blend of leeks, onions, and shallots is also delicious!

 

How to make Potato Leek Soup:

1. Clean the sliced leeks in water until all the grit is gone. Set bowl aside to rest for about 10 minutes to let the impurities sink to the bottom. Gently lift the leeks out of the water.
2. In a large Dutch oven or stockpot, melt the butter and add the cleaned leeks. Sprinkle with the flour* and stir until everything is coated; cook 3 to 5 minutes stirring occasionally until leeks are lightly softened but not brown.
3. Stir in the water, add the salt, herbs, bay leaf, and potatoes. Bring to a boil and cook about 20 minutes until the potatoes are fork tender.
4. Add the cream (if using) and pepper to taste. Discard the bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasonings. Using a potato masher or flat whisk, smash a portion of the potatoes to thicken the soup. If you want a pureed soup, use an immersion blender, regular blender (in batches), or food mill.
5. Ladle into large soup bowls, garnish with chives or other herbs, and serve immediately.

 

PRO Tip: How to Prepare Leeks (giant green onions)

Leeks are usually grown in sandy soil and collect sediment and grit in the dark green portions as they grow. To clean them, trim off all the dark green leaves – you can use these to flavor stocks but they are too tough to eat.

Split the leek lengthwise in half, cutting through the light green portion only. The white portion grows tightly together and rarely traps any sediment. Rinse leeks well under running water, separating the leaves to remove as much grit and dirt as possible. Even though you may think you have gotten all the dirt, still follow the recipe’s direction to soak in a bowl of water after slicing to remove the rest.

 

Recommended Tools (affiliate links; no extra cost to you):

• Chef’s knife
• Dutch oven or stock pot
• Immersion blender or regular blender
• Food mill
• Serving bowls

 

Gluten-Free Tips:

This soup is naturally gluten-free!

* You can adjust any baking recipe to gluten-free by using 120 grams per cup of my favorite gluten-free flour blend. If you are using another brand of flour or regular flour, whisk it, spoon it lightly into a measuring cup until mounded, level off the top with a knife, and weigh the flour left in the cup. Use that weight as your standard per cup of that specific flour. Do this for each flour blend you use. Commercial gluten-free blends such as Pamela’s All-Purpose Artisan Blend, Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1, or King Arthur Measure for Measure are all good choices.

You will get the best and most consistent results by using a digital kitchen scale and weighing your ingredients, especially when you are baking.

All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.

 

 

 

 

 

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Welcome! The suggestions here are not intended as dietary advice or as a substitute for consulting a dietician, physician, or other medical professional. Please see the Disclaimers/Privacy Policy page for additional details. Unauthorized use, distribution, and/or duplication of proprietary material from The Heritage Cook without prior approval is prohibited. If you have any questions or would like permission, please contact me. We participate in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small amount from qualifying purchases without any additional cost to you. This page may contain affiliate links. The author makes no claims regarding the presence of food allergens and disclaims all liability in connection with the use of this site. This post was first shared in Nov 2017. The article was updated in 2024.