Mary Berry’s Vichyssoise Recipe

This Mary Berry vichyssoise is a creamy and classic recipe, which is made with leeks and potatoes. It’s the perfect summer soup, ready in about 45 minutes, plus chilling time.

Mary Berry Vichyssoise Ingredients

• 60 g (2 oz) butter
• 3 large leeks, trimmed and sliced
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 250 g (8 oz) potatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 1.25 litres (2 pints) chicken stock
• salt and black pepper

To serve:

• 150 ml (1/4 pint) single cream
• milk (optional)
• 2 tbsp fresh snipped chives

How To Make Mary Berry Vichyssoise

1. Sauté the aromatics: Melt the butter in a large saucepan over a gentle heat. Add the sliced leeks and chopped onion. Cook very gently, stirring occasionally, for 10–15 minutes until the vegetables are soft but not coloured.
2. Simmer the soup: Add the potatoes, stock, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring the mixture to a boil, then cover the pan and simmer gently for 15–20 minutes until the potatoes are completely tender.
3. Blend and chill: Purée the soup in a food processor or blender until smooth. For an even smoother finish, pour the soup through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours.
4. Finish and serve: Just before serving, stir in the single cream. If the soup seems too thick, add a little milk to reach your desired consistency. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve chilled, garnished with snipped chives.

Recipe Tips

• How to get a perfectly smooth soup? For the silkiest, most professional texture, it’s essential to pass the blended soup through a fine-mesh sieve. This removes any fibrous parts of the leeks.
• Can Vichyssoise be served hot? Yes. When this soup is served hot, it is known by its classic French name, Potage Parmentier.
• Why is it important not to brown the leeks? The elegance of Vichyssoise comes from its pale, creamy white colour. If the leeks or onions brown during the sautéing stage, it will give the final soup a darker, less appealing colour.
• Can I make this dairy-free? To make it dairy-free or vegan, use olive oil instead of butter, a good quality vegetable stock, and substitute the single cream with a plant-based alternative like oat cream or cashew cream.

What To Serve With Vichyssoise

This elegant chilled soup is perfect on its own or with simple accompaniments.

• A slice of crusty bread
• A swirl of good quality olive oil
• A sprinkle of homemade croutons

How To Store Vichyssoise

• Refrigerate: Vichyssoise must be kept chilled. Store it in a covered bowl or jug in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• Freeze: It’s best to freeze the soup before adding the cream. Let the puréed soup base cool completely, then freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator, then stir in the cream before serving.

FAQs

• What is Vichyssoise? Vichyssoise is a classic French-style soup made of puréed leeks, onions, potatoes, and cream. It is traditionally served cold.
• Can I use regular onions instead of leeks? Leeks are the key ingredient and provide the signature delicate, sweet flavour. Using only onions would result in a simple potato and onion soup, not a classic Vichyssoise.
• Why did my soup turn a greyish colour? This is usually because the leeks and onions were allowed to brown during the initial cooking stage. Cooking them very gently in butter without colour is key to the final appearance.

Mary Berry’s Vichyssoise Recipe

Course: SoupsCuisine: British

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

35

minutes

Calories

251

kcal

A classic, creamy, and elegant chilled soup made from leeks and potatoes, perfect for a summer starter.

Ingredients

• 60 g (2 oz) butter
  

• 3 large leeks, sliced
  

• 1 small onion, chopped
  

• 250 g (8 oz) potatoes, chopped
  

• 1.25 litres (2 pints) chicken stock
  

• salt and black pepper
  

• 150 ml (1/4 pint) single cream
  

• milk (optional)
  

• 2 tbsp snipped chives, to garnish

Directions

• Melt butter in a large pan. Add leeks and onion and cook gently for 10-15 minutes until soft but not coloured.
  
• Add potatoes, stock, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes until potatoes are tender.
  
• Purée the soup in a blender until smooth. For an even finer texture, pass through a sieve.
  Cover and chill for at least 3 hours.
  
• To serve, stir in the cream and a little milk if needed to thin. Adjust seasoning.
  Serve cold, garnished with snipped chives.