Health Information Library

Cold potato-leek soup (vichyssoise)

June 12, 2025
Recipe

With their mild, sweet, onion flavor, leeks are great added to this soup.

Serves 6

With their mild, sweet, onion flavor, leeks are great to add to this cold soup. Wash leeks well before cooking to remove the grit that gets trapped in their leaves from the sandy soil they grow in.


In a blender or food processor, process the leeks and onion until finely chopped.

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped leeks and onion. Saute until tender and see-through (do not brown), about 5-7 minutes. Add the potatoes, chicken broth and mace. Cook over medium heat until the potatoes are tender.

Pour the mixture into the blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Pour into a large bowl and refrigerate.

Before serving, stir in the evaporated milk. Ladle into bowls. Top each with 1 tablespoon chives and pepper to taste. Serve cold.


  • 4 leeks (white bottoms with a bit of green)
  • 1 medium onion
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 4 medium potatoes, peeled and finely sliced
  • 4 cups unsalted chicken broth
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground mace
  • 2 cups evaporated skim milk, chilled
  • 6 tablespoons chopped chives
  • Ground black pepper, to taste

DASH Eating Plan Servings

1/2 Dairy foods (low-fat or fat-free) 1/2 Fats and oils Fruits Grains and grain products Meats, poultry and fish Nuts, seeds and dry beans Sweets 3 Vegetables

Diabetes Meal Plan Choices

Fats Dairy foods (low-fat or fat-free) Fruits Meat and meat substitutes Milk and milk products Nonstarchy vegetables Starches Sweets, desserts and other carbohydrates

Mayo Clinic Healthy Weight Pyramid Servings

1 Carbohydrates 1/2 Fats Fruits 1/2 Protein and dairy Sweets 2 Vegetables

Nutritional analysis per serving

Calcium 233 Calories 42 g Total carbohydrate 5 mg Cholesterol 3 g Dietary fiber 2 g Monounsaturated fat Potassium 10 g Protein 1 g Saturated fat About 1 cup Serving size 155 mg Sodium 3 g Total fat