Description

This comforting Leek, Kale & Potato Soup is a hearty and wholesome dish perfect for chilly days. Creamy and flavorful, the soup combines tender potatoes, leeks, and nutrient-packed kale, finished with a dollop of half-fat crème fraîche. Crispy homemade shoestring fries made from julienned whole potato add a delightful crunch on top, offering a beautiful contrast of textures and an elevated twist on a classic vegetable soup.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Soup

4 large potatoes (around 500g), 3 peeled and cubed, 1 left whole with skin on
1 tbsp cold pressed rapeseed oil
15g butter
5 leeks (around 500g), washed and sliced into half moons
2 garlic cloves, sliced
1½ l vegetable stock (we used Bouillon)
200g kale
2 tbsp half-fat crème fraîche

For the Shoestring Fries

1 whole potato (from above), julienned
1 tbsp cold pressed rapeseed oil (for tossing the fries)
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Prepare the Shoestring Fries: Preheat your oven to 220°C (200°C fan)/ Gas mark 7 and line a baking tray with parchment paper. Take the whole potato with skin on and cut into matchsticks using a julienne peeler or by shaving thin slices with a vegetable peeler and then slicing into matchsticks. Pat the potato sticks dry with kitchen paper to remove excess moisture. Toss them with cold pressed rapeseed oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread evenly on the baking tray and roast for 15-18 minutes until crispy and golden brown.
Cook the Soup Base: In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the sliced leeks, cubed peeled potatoes, and a pinch of salt. Gently cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the leeks have softened and become translucent without browning.
Add Garlic and Stock: Stir in the sliced garlic and cook for an additional one minute until fragrant. Pour in the vegetable stock and bring to a simmer. Continue to simmer for 10-12 minutes or until the potatoes are tender and cooked through.
Add Kale and Finish Cooking: Add the chopped kale to the soup and cook for 2-3 minutes until wilted but still vibrant green.
Blend and Season: Remove the soup from heat and stir in the half-fat crème fraîche. Use a hand blender to blitz the soup until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
Serve: Ladle the hot soup into bowls and top each serving with a generous handful of the crispy shoestring fries for texture and flavor contrast.

Notes

The shoestring fries add a delightful crunch and visually appealing topping; ensure they are pat-dried well for maximum crispiness when roasting.
Using half-fat crème fraîche keeps the soup creamy yet lighter in fat content.
If kale is unavailable, substitute with spinach or collard greens for a similar flavor and texture.
This soup is gluten-free and vegetarian, but check your vegetable stock ingredients for full compliance if necessary.
For a vegan option, replace butter with olive oil and crème fraîche with coconut cream or a plant-based alternative.
Leftover soup can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to a month.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Category: Soup
Method: Roasting
Cuisine: British

Keywords: leek soup, kale soup, potato soup, shoestring fries, healthy soup, vegetable soup, homemade soup, roasted fries topping, easy soup recipe