Classic French Vichyssoise Recipe

I turned classic French vichyssoise into a simple vegan Cold Potato Soup that blends pureed leeks, potatoes, and plant-based cream with savory vegetable stock for a modern, pantry-friendly recipe.

I always think of vichyssoise as a little mystery in a bowl. Smooth and delicately flavoured, it looks fancy but it’s stupidly simple.

I first made it with soft leeks and starchy potatoes and couldnt believe how something so plain could feel so polished. It’s a Cold Potato Soup that makes people pause, tilt their heads and ask what the secret is.

I find Vichyssoise Soup Recipes rarely say the part I love most, the hush of flavor that arrives cold. I want you to taste that little surprise and then tell me what you think.

Ingredients

• Delicate onion flavor, good fiber vitamin K, adds sweet subtle aromatics to the soup
• Starchy base, creamy mouthfeel, lots of carbs and potassium fills you up
• Savory liquid backbone brings umami salts, controls soup thickness and depth
• Heavy cream gives silkiness and calories, coconut or cashew adds vegan richness
• Fat for flavor and mouthfeel olive oil a lighter, plant friendly choice
• Fresh mild onion punch, tiny vitamin boost, great garnish for contrast
• Optional bright acid cuts richness, makes soup taste lighter and fresher
• Pungent kick if used, adds depth and a subtle savory heat when minced
• Quiet herbal aroma not eaten, lifts the broth with warm notes

Ingredient Quantities

• 2 large leeks, white and pale green parts only, well cleaned (about 225 g)
• 1 medium yellow onion (about 150 g)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter or 2 tablespoons olive oil for vegan
• 1 1/2 to 2 pounds potatoes (Yukon Gold or russet), about 700 to 900 g, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
• 4 cups chicken stock or 4 cups vegetable stock for vegan (about 1 L)
• 1 cup heavy cream or 1 cup full fat coconut milk or 1 cup cashew cream for vegan (240 ml)
• 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt, more to taste
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper, or black pepper if you dont have white
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives plus extra for garnish
• 1 bay leaf (optional)
• 1 small garlic clove, minced (optional)
• Juice of 1/2 lemon (optional)

How to Make this

1. Prep the veg: trim roots and dark green tops from 2 large leeks, slice the white and pale green parts thinly and rinse well to remove grit; chop 1 medium yellow onion and peel and cube 1 1/2 to 2 pounds potatoes into 1 inch pieces.

2. Sweat the aromatics: melt 2 tablespoons butter or heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot over medium heat, add the leeks and onion (and 1 small minced garlic clove if using) and cook gently until soft and translucent, about 8 to 10 minutes; dont let them brown.

3. Add potatoes and stock: add the potato pieces, 4 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock, and 1 bay leaf if using; bring to a simmer, cover and cook until potatoes are very tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.

4. Remove bay leaf and blend: discard the bay leaf, then purée the soup until silky using an immersion blender or in batches in a blender; be careful with hot liquid.

5. Finish with cream: return the puréed soup to low heat, stir in 1 cup heavy cream or full fat coconut milk or cashew cream for vegan, heat gently just to combine, do not boil.

6. Season and brighten: add 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt and 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper (or black), taste and adjust; stir in 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives and the juice of 1/2 lemon if you want a little brightness.

7. Strain for extra silkiness if desired: push the soup through a fine mesh sieve with the back of a ladle for a truly smooth texture, its optional but makes it restaurant-level.

8. Chill: cool the soup to room temperature, then cover and chill in the fridge at least 2 hours or overnight; vichyssoise is best cold.

9. Serve: ladle into bowls, garnish with extra chopped chives and a little crack of white or black pepper; if too thick, thin with a splash of stock or water, if too thin, whisk in a little more cream or gently simmer to reduce.

Equipment Needed

1. Large heavy-bottomed pot (about 6 quart) for sweating leeks and simmering the potatoes
2. Chef’s knife and cutting board for trimming, slicing and cubing the veg
3. Vegetable peeler for peeling the potatoes
4. Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula for stirring while you sweat the aromatics
5. Immersion blender (best) or a high-speed blender for puréeing, towel or oven mitt handy when blending hot liquid
6. Fine mesh sieve plus a ladle or rubber spatula if you want an extra silky texture
7. Measuring cups and spoons for stock, cream and seasonings
8. Large bowl or airtight container for cooling and chilling the vichyssoise in the fridge

FAQ

Classic French Vichyssoise Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Leeks: swap with 2 medium shallots or 1 large sweet onion (Vidalia). If you use onion, slice thinner and sweat on low so it softens without browning, you’ll keep the mellow flavor.
• Potatoes: for a lower carb version use about 1 lb cauliflower florets, cooked very soft and blended extra smooth; for a different root note try 1 to 1 1/2 lb parsnips or rutabaga, but they add a sweeter, earthier taste — you might need a splash more cream or stock to get the same silkiness.
• Stock: use 4 cups water plus 2-3 teaspoons good quality bouillon or paste, or swap for mushroom stock for deeper umami if you want a vegan twist; if the substitute is concentrated, cut back on added salt.
• Cream: swap heavy cream with 1 cup blended silken tofu for a vegan creamy finish, or use 3/4 cup Greek yogurt thinned with a little milk and stirred in off the heat so it doesn’t split. Coconut milk or cashew cream also work but will give a hint of coconut flavor.

Pro Tips

– Clean the leeks like you mean it. Slice them, fan the layers apart and soak in cold water, rinse until the grit sinks, then check again. Save the dark green tops for homemade stock instead of throwing them away.

– Pick your potato on purpose. Yukon Gold gives a naturally creamy mouthfeel, russets make it fluffier and might need a splash more cream or a tiny pat of butter to get silky. If your soup feels grainy after blending, simmer a few extra minutes with the lid off then blend again.

– Be careful when blending hot liquid. Let the soup cool a bit and vent the blender lid with a towel, or use an immersion blender and hold it low in the pot to avoid scary splashes. Straining through a fine sieve after blending makes a huge difference if you want restaurant-smooth texture.

– If you’re making it vegan or plan to chill it, full fat coconut milk can separate and get a bit grainy when cold, so use cashew cream or whisk coconut milk well into warm soup before chilling. Also taste again after it’s cold; meats of flavor change when chilled so you might need a pinch more salt or a squeeze of lemon right before serving.