Easy Vichyssoise (Cold Leek & Potato Soup) Recipe

Vichyssoise is a cold potato and leek soup of French origin. This simple soup shouldn't be underestimated as it’s packed with flavor and can be made by almost anyone. In this version, we replace the traditional cream with our BamNut Milk Airy.

If I told you that this was the perfect summer dish, you’d probably think I was crazy. Vichyssoise is as simple as it is elegant. You don’t have to go to a fancy restaurant to try this French-inspired soup. Being a cold soup, it’s refreshing, and while it only has three main ingredients, it still manages to be packed with flavor.

What Is A Vichyssoise?

If you’ve never heard of it before, to put it simply, vichyssoise is a cold soup made of leeks, potatoes, chicken stock and milk or cream. It is traditionally served cold, but can be eaten hot as well.

The History Of Vichyssoise

Vichyssoise originated in France in the early 19th century. While vichyssoise is hailed as coming from France, it was actually invented in America by Chef Louis Diat. Diat, who was French, told The New Yorker that he had created it in 1917 at the Ritz-Carlton in New York.

However the soup does have French influence other than the heritage of its creator. Diat said that his vichyssoise was inspired by Potage Parmentier, a popular French soup created in the 18th Century. Potatoes had been first brought to and popularized in France by doctor Antoine Parmentier and thus the soup was created thereafter.

Health Benefits Of Vichyssoise

One of the defining ingredients of a vichyssoise are leeks. This humble vegetable is actually a super food which is rich in vitamins, calcium, potassium and more. Other than being versatile and used throughout multiple cuisines, they are also loaded with health benefits.

Boosts heart health: Leeks are a particularly healthy vegetable for your heart. They contain folate which is a compound known to protect blood vessel linings from damage. It can also lower your risk of getting heart attacks and diseases. Its high concentration of antioxidants also protect blood vessels against oxidative damage.

Good for eye health: Leeks are great at fighting free radicals due to their high levels of antioxidants and vitamin C. Free radicals, if not monitored, can damage the surface of your eye and lead to eye disease and age-related degeneration. Similar to carrots, leeks are also a great source of carotene and lutein which are known for helping improve eyesight and reduce tiredness.

Lutein is also shown to create a protective barrier against cataracts. Cataracts is an eye condition that causes clouding of the natural lens, eventually causing blindness. A large number of adults over the age of 40 are affected by this disease annually.

Helps the process of losing weight: Leeks are extremely versatile when it comes to cooking, having a sweet onion-like taste. They only have 31 calories per 100g and are pretty much fat-free. This makes it the perfect food for anyone on a strict diet. As with many other green vegetables, they are also a great source of fiber and water. Due to these properties, they easily create a sense of fullness and therefore help you avoid overeating. With high levels of protein as well, this vegetable is also great for those who go to the gym or anyone looking to increase their muscle mass.

The other main ingredient of a vichyssoise is potatoes. Not usually hailed as being highly nutritious, potatoes are actually more healthful than you may think.

Helps with blood sugar: Potatoes have a special type of starch called ‘resistant starch’. Unlike other starches which are broken down and fully absorbed by the body, resistant starch reaches the large intestine and becomes a source of nutrients for the good bacteria in your gut.

Research has also shown that resistant starch has many other health benefits including reducing insulin resistance, which results in improving blood sugar control. A separate study also showed that people with type 2 diabetes who consumed resistant starch were better at removing excess blood sugar after a meal.

Rich with antioxidants: Potatoes are rich with antioxidants which neutralize free radicals, which are potentially harmful molecules. The risk of chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes and cancer can increase when free radicals accumulate.

A study showed that the antioxidants found in potatoes potentially suppressed the growth of liver and colon cancer cells. Research has also shown that coloured potatoes like purple potatoes have more than three times the amount of antioxidants than white potatoes—this makes them potentially more effective at neutralising free radicals.

How To Make A Vichyssoise With Our BamNut Milk Airy

In our version of a vichyssoise, we replace cream with our BamNut Milk Airy. This plant-based milk is made from Bambara groundnuts and provides a wonderful balanced lightness to this refreshing summer soup. Our recipe is easy to follow, with few ingredients and even easier to make.