A French starter dish built on whole ingredients.

Servings: 4
Active time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h

Organic sourcing

Leeks are part of the EWG's Dirty Dozen, so sourcing them organic is worthwhile. Potatoes also benefit from an organic choice due to pesticide residue.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 leeks (white and light green parts only), sliced
• 3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
• 4 cups vegetable stock (ideally homemade)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• to taste sea salt
• to taste black pepper
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh chives

Method

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
2. Add the sliced leeks and sauté until they are tender but not browned, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the diced potatoes to the pot and stir for another minute.
4. Pour in the vegetable stock and add the bay leaf.
5. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are very tender, about 25 minutes.
6. Remove the bay leaf and use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth.
7. Stir in the nutmeg and season with sea salt and black pepper to taste.
8. Serve the soup warm, garnished with fresh chives.

Notes

• For a smoother texture, strain the soup after blending.
• Refrigerate and serve cold for a traditional vichyssoise experience.

Source

Paraphrased from the culinary canon by Organic.is editors, 2026. Classic French recipe. If you'd like a specific source for further reading, ask Tinni (bottom-right) for a book recommendation.