Fennel and Leek Soup with Gruyère Croutons Recipe | Sur La Table (2024)

By Tested and perfected in the Sur La Table kitchen

Images

Serves

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 6 medium leeks, white parts only, cut in half lengthwise, washed and thinly sliced
  • 4 medium fennel bulbs, fronds removed (and reserved) and thinly sliced
  • 2 medium garlic cloves, chopped
  • 2 medium potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth, low-sodium
  • ¾ cup whipping cream
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice, to taste
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 12 baguette slices
  • ½ cup grated Gruyère cheese
  • 1 teaspoon minced thyme
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons minced fennel fronds, to garnish

Procedure

This simple yet hearty soup gains texture and flavor with the addition of potatoes. Creamy, rich and flavorful, this soup is accentuated with the addition of savory gruyère croutons.

Place a large saucepan on the stove over a moderate-high heat, add oil and when shimmering, add leeks and fennel and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the potatoes and broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer the soup until the vegetables are fork tender, about 25 minutes.

Using an immersion blender, or working in batches using a food processor, puree the mixture until smooth. Add the cream and return to the stove and bring back to a boil. Add the lemon juice and taste and season with salt and pepper.

To prepare croutons: Preheat a broiler. Using an offset spatula spread the butter on 1 side of each slice of baguette. Arrange the bread, buttered side up, on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with cheese, thyme and salt and pepper. Transfer the baking sheet under the broiler until the cheese melts, about 1 minute. Do not leave broiler unattended. Once cool, cut bread into bite-size croutons.

To serve: Ladle the soup into warmed soup bowls and garnish with minced fennel fronds. Serve immediately with Gruyère croutons.

By Tested and perfected in the Sur La Table kitchen

Serves

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 6 medium leeks, white parts only, cut in half lengthwise, washed and thinly sliced
  • 4 medium fennel bulbs, fronds removed (and reserved) and thinly sliced
  • 2 medium garlic cloves, chopped
  • 2 medium potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth, low-sodium
  • ¾ cup whipping cream
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice, to taste
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 12 baguette slices
  • ½ cup grated Gruyère cheese
  • 1 teaspoon minced thyme
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons minced fennel fronds, to garnish

Procedure

This simple yet hearty soup gains texture and flavor with the addition of potatoes. Creamy, rich and flavorful, this soup is accentuated with the addition of savory gruyère croutons.

Place a large saucepan on the stove over a moderate-high heat, add oil and when shimmering, add leeks and fennel and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the potatoes and broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer the soup until the vegetables are fork tender, about 25 minutes.

Using an immersion blender, or working in batches using a food processor, puree the mixture until smooth. Add the cream and return to the stove and bring back to a boil. Add the lemon juice and taste and season with salt and pepper.

To prepare croutons: Preheat a broiler. Using an offset spatula spread the butter on 1 side of each slice of baguette. Arrange the bread, buttered side up, on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with cheese, thyme and salt and pepper. Transfer the baking sheet under the broiler until the cheese melts, about 1 minute. Do not leave broiler unattended. Once cool, cut bread into bite-size croutons.

To serve: Ladle the soup into warmed soup bowls and garnish with minced fennel fronds. Serve immediately with Gruyère croutons.

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Fennel and Leek Soup with Gruyère Croutons Recipe | Sur La Table (2024)

FAQs

Why is my leek and potato soup bland? ›

The reasons are usually two: you didn't season your soup at all, worrying it might be too salty because of the leeks; or you added to much water for the stock.

Why is my potato leek soup gummy? ›

Why is my potato leek soup gummy? Potatoes should be diced in similar size so they cook evenly, but don't drive yourself crazy getting them teeny-tiny. If they're too small, you risk the potatoes releasing too much starch, which can make the soup gummy when pureed.

Is Vichyssoise a French soup made from potatoes and what? ›

Vichyssoise, a chilled creamy potato and leek soup, was introduced to Americans by French chef Louis Diat at the Ritz-Carlton in New York in the summer of 1917, to help keep patrons cool. Chilled soups used to be a lot more popular than they are these days, especially before WWII and modern air conditioning.

How do you add depth of flavor to vegetable soup? ›

The first is to caramelize the vegetables, either in your soup pot or in the oven, to sweeten them and condense their juices. Next, add plenty of aromatics to the pot — herbs, spices, garlic, onions and the like — and let everything simmer for a long time to blend the flavors.

How do you thicken leek and potato soup? ›

Add flour or cornflour

Put a tablespoon of either into a small bowl and stir in 2-3 tbsp of the soup until you have a smooth mixture. Stir this back into the soup and bring it to a simmer. Cook for a few minutes to allow the starch granules to burst to thicken, and to cook out any flour flavour.

How to stop leek and potato soup from going gloopy? ›

Potato-Leek Soup v2.

For an extra-smooth soup, press it through a chinois or a fine mesh strainer using the bottom of a ladle. Sure, it's the gluier than its pressed brother, but as I said, sometimes that really doesn't bother me. Is it something I'd serve in a fancy-pants restaurant?

What is the best thickening agent for potato soup? ›

Cornstarch is a very effective thickener, and a little bit can go a long way. Add cornstarch to a small amount of cold water or other liquid (wine or stock) and whisk into a thick slurry.

How can I make bland potato soup taste better? ›

Adding an acid like vinegar or lemon juice and incorporating fresh herbs can also help add flavor to a potato soup. While you may not need to implement all of these strategies, it's good to keep them in the back of your mind for when you realize your next pot of soup needs a flavor boost.

What was Julia Child's favorite soup? ›

Let's test her vichyssoise recipe to find out! Soup was one of Julia Child's favorite things to eat, and reportedly, her absolute favorite was vichyssoise.

Which potatoes hold up best in soup? ›

Potatoes that are low-starch and high-moisture hold together better. Yukon Gold potatoes are on the medium-starch side and will hold their shape in soups. Red potatoes fall into the low-starch category, as do smaller, newer potatoes. Fingerling potatoes will do well in soups, as will long white potatoes.

What is the national soup of Paris? ›

Paris has soupe à l'oignon, a rich beef stock with lots of slow-cooked onions, topped with a croûton covered in grated gruyère which is then melted in the oven. It's bistro food, not something often cooked at home.

How do I add flavor to bland potato soup? ›

Once the potatoes are nice and soft, stir in the cheddar cheese and Greek yogurt (or sour cream), salt, pepper and cooked bacon bits. Taste and season with extra salt and pepper, if needed.

How do I fix bland tasting soup? ›

Perk up a Bland Soup With Simple Pantry Staples

Add a splash of vinegar (any kind!), or a squeeze of citrus. Chances are, you could use a little more salt. Go ahead—it's ok. Salt perks up flat flavors and helps balance out bitter-tasting ingredients.

How do you fix bland onion soup? ›

To improve the blandness of your French onion soup: add more seasoning, caramelize onions longer than usual, use high-quality beef broth, simmer for extended time and include melted cheese with crouton as toppings for added richness.

Why does my potato soup taste gritty? ›

Boiling at too high of a temperature will break down your potatoes and make your soup grainy. You want your potatoes to be fork-tender but still have a little “bite” to them.

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