Leek Soup with Shoestring Potatoes and Fried Herbs

A luxurious creamy leek soup topped with crispy shoestring potatoes and flash-fried herbs. This elegant dish combines the smooth, rich texture of puréed leeks with the crunch of golden potato matchsticks and delicate fried herbs.

6 servings

1 hr 6 min

Published October 4, 2025

Ingredients

•½ cup unsalted butter
•6 whole leeks
•1 whole onion
•5 cloves garlic
•to taste kosher salt
•2 cups whole milk
•1 cup heavy cream
•to taste black pepper
•1 whole russet potato
•¼ cup parsley
•1 sprig rosemary
•to taste kosher salt
•to taste sea salt
•1 piece deep-fry thermometer

Cooking Instructions

1.
Melt butter in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add leeks, onion, and garlic and season with salt. Cook, stirring often, until vegetables begin to soften, 5-7 minutes. Add 1 cup water and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are very soft, 25-30 minutes. Let cool slightly, then transfer half of leek mixture to a blender and add half of milk, cream, and yogurt. Purée until very smooth; pour into a large bowl. Repeat with remaining leek mixture, milk, cream, and yogurt.
35 min
2.
Return soup to pot and heat over medium, adding water by 1/4-cupfuls, until soup is thick enough to hold potatoes without sinking but thin enough that a spoon dragged across the top doesn't leave a trail.
10 min
3.
Season with salt and pepper.
1 min
4.
Rinse potato in a colander under cold water until water runs clear; pat completely dry.
5 min
5.
Fit a medium saucepan with thermometer; pour in oil to measure 2". Heat over medium-high until thermometer registers 350°F. Working in batches and returning oil to 350°F between batches, add potato by the handful and fry, turning occasionally, until golden and crisp, about 2 minutes. Using a spider or slotted spoon, transfer potato to paper towels to drain. Fry parsley and rosemary until parsley is translucent, about 15 seconds. Add to potato and let cool; season with kosher salt. Serve soup topped with a nest of potatoes and herbs and seasoned with sea salt.
15 min

Cooking Instructions

Melt butter in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add leeks, onion, and garlic and season with salt. Cook, stirring often, until vegetables begin to soften, 5-7 minutes. Add 1 cup water and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are very soft, 25-30 minutes. Let cool slightly, then transfer half of leek mixture to a blender and add half of milk, cream, and yogurt. Purée until very smooth; pour into a large bowl. Repeat with remaining leek mixture, milk, cream, and yogurt.

35 min

Return soup to pot and heat over medium, adding water by 1/4-cupfuls, until soup is thick enough to hold potatoes without sinking but thin enough that a spoon dragged across the top doesn't leave a trail.

10 min

Season with salt and pepper.

1 min

Rinse potato in a colander under cold water until water runs clear; pat completely dry.

5 min

Fit a medium saucepan with thermometer; pour in oil to measure 2". Heat over medium-high until thermometer registers 350°F. Working in batches and returning oil to 350°F between batches, add potato by the handful and fry, turning occasionally, until golden and crisp, about 2 minutes. Using a spider or slotted spoon, transfer potato to paper towels to drain. Fry parsley and rosemary until parsley is translucent, about 15 seconds. Add to potato and let cool; season with kosher salt. Serve soup topped with a nest of potatoes and herbs and seasoned with sea salt.

15 min