Potato Leek Soup | Kenji's Cooking Show

[@katl8825]

Does anyone else feel a burst of pure, intense joy whenever Kenji rolls out his beautifully organized spice rack? (Also, maybe, jealousy?)

[@ezgolf1764]

definitely a thing for the bucket list

[@EvelynBaron]

yes me!

[@AkaAka_AkaAka]

Joy & Jealousy mixed for me

[@mystriddlery]

I get a burst of pure cringe when I see his nails

[@chashagin1]

What a blessed time to be alive - Kenji has so mastered the algorithm that he posted this video at the exact moment I was thinking "What should I do with the extra leeks in my fridge?". Thank you so much for your awesome content - my daughter and I love watching your videos.

[@Amocoru]

Potato leak soup and champ are always my go to when I have extra leaks. If you haven't had champ you're about to be a happy man.

[@Jeb223]

Same here wild

[@samtilden3734]

Was thinking the exact same thing!!

[@mm8436]

I'm the opposite. I have extra potatoes!

[@mr.c9846]

Indeed! He posted it while I was taking a leak!

[@mattholwood]

Biggest lesson from Kenji that he hasn't intentionally taught has been to be calm and confident in the kitchen. Went from "omg it's gonna burn and everyone will hate me for serving this" to "yeah it's a little bubbly lol, calm down temperature lol"

[@MrXerios]

Underrated comment. It’s true, and funny.

[@bushDid911]

100% agreed. I’ve learned from his videos that calmness and a flexible mindset are the keys to success in the home kitchen. Mistakes are bound to happen, and that’s completely fine. It’s how we handle and learn from them that enables us to grow as more confident and wiser home cooks, one slightly over seasoned/burnt meal at a time.

[@TheLocalsOnlyPodcast]

J has to be the greatest chef in all of existence. All these nice recipes. The practicality. The ease of information. It’s free. He lets us know what the actual products and things to worry about are. Its all there. I’m actually really happy that all the other channels stealing his recipes and ideas made him jump up and basically say “I can do this too.” And he’s doing it better than them. No gimmicks. No bs. Just good cooking and pleasant times. Truly inspiring.

[@mopsydaisy]

?

[@joeeichinger]

he goes by Kenji btw lol

[@chilldude30]

He's definitely one of the GOATs

[@Crl888t]

Best part nothing I've made from his recipes have tasted bad

[@oliversomething]

"My wife's on vacation, so I get to make soup how I want!" Oh, Kenji, you rebel you!

[@TheIrenepiekarski]

Kenji, you cook like my Polish grandmother! “How much water? Enough!” But how much really? “A mouthful.” This is baking; this is cooking!

[@Scopsel]

your passion is incredible. it's so nice to just see someone share their love and skill for cooking. everyone else is all about advertising products. thank you for just sharing your passion!

[@gildergreen9995]

Hey Kenji! I made your roasted pumpkin soup the other day with the recipe you uploaded about a week ago (added some sambal, roasted carrots and coconut milk). It's one of my favourite things I've ever made. Thank you for inspiring me! :)

[@TheMimiSard]

I used this video as inspiration for my dinner tonight. Not exactly this soup, but I had baked potatoes and leeks in the fridge, so I cut up the leeks, sautéed it and my coleslaw (coleslaw veggie mix is a good cooking ingredient - shredded white cabbage, red cabbage and carrot) , then put in the potatoes and chicken stock, then after letting them cook for a bit, mashing them for a rustic style and added cream and a bit more stock. It tastes good.

[@Higginsis]

I love to use baked potatoes in Leak and Potato soup, especially well baked ones, the skins end up having an almost roasted flavour that I love in the soup. You need a decent blender/immersion blender to get a smooth result, but the flavour is worth it for me.

[@RPaulTostenrud]

I was going to task, any reason to use a regular blender over an immersion blender?

[@maryryan3834]

I recommend using good buttermilk instead of cream. Adds a good counter point to the leeks.

[@dirtyketchup]

Or maybe crème fraîche?

[@HarithBK]

one of my favorit dishes. the thing i love the most about it is just how easy it is to make and how much it changes with the garnishes you use. i love some chili oil ontop or maybe some fried onion or how about some crispy bacon etc. etc. and it all works.

[@Moose6960]

I'll have to try the chili oil! That sounds amazing.

[@TheFarCobra]

I picked up some “Purely Purple” potatoes this evening … they are so crazy purple that I thought they might be beets for a second when I was cutting them up. I boiled them and they turned the water blue (like windscreen washer antifreeze blue) … but they taste awesome, like they already have butter on them straight out of the water.

[@bladerunner12]

Kenji lighting the stove with a lighter because the sparker has been broken for like 3 years going is so relatable. The cold water valve in my bathroom faucet has been closed for almost two years because the handle leaks and... I'll get it repaired later. Always later. Years later.

[@thegreatwal1224]

Hot water hasn’t worked in my kitchen sink for over a year. It’ll get fixed after I move out.

[@acidtreat101]

I think he just does it that way actually. Was the same at his old home as well IIRC. More reliable ignition without worrying about any gas getting out. Even a tiny bit of gas can give me a headache.

[@JKenjiLopezAlt]

The stove was actually dropped on installation which dented the casing and smashed the controller for the speaker. It was under warranty but can’t be repaired without replacing the whole thing and that just seems crazy wasteful to me so we just kept it as is.

[@wetnoodlex]

@@JKenjiLopezAlt Similar incident happened to the one at my parent's house. They were so upset since it was a new install, but honestly, using the lighter is kind of fun.

[@MrTimsfilms]

Yep feels kinda cheffy to me

[@zzzilch]

that peeler tip was definitely eye-opening

[@KW-kr9gh]

😂

[@GeezNutz]

Jamon falling asleep at story time is the cutest shit I've heard all day.

[@user-xv2sr5jo4l]

I did not miss the "a-peel-ing" pun. Top-tier dad joke there.

[@asinapplemack4239]

I absolutely love your soup recipes, please post more!

[@kathleenpovey333]

School lunchroom conversation: Student: I am having PB&J. What are you having? Kenji's Daughter: Vichyssoise. Student: Huh?

[@jmannUSMC]

Just had a tooth removed so I am on soups this week. Made this and it definitely hit the spot. My gum wound and belly thank you Kenji!

[@jerim4543]

Kenji!!!!!! I have been peeling potatoes for 60 years and I never even noticed the little eye-remover thingie. How have the potato peeler people failed to mentioned this?

[@cassidycosplayed]

that sound when the butter hit the pan at 1:57

[@troystallard6895]

I'm impressed by the way you automatically clean behind yourself as you go, rather than waiting and doing a cleanup afterwards. It's something I aspire to, but I always seem to fall flat.

[@razraz2423]

my ADHD can hardly handle it!

[@nollix]

That's basically a reflexive thing that you develop because cleaning is so annoying. If you don't have that impulse that just means you don't cook/clean after yourself enough.

[@brookstarkington]

I want the sound of the cold butter hitting the pan to be my text notification sound.

[@nejo4664]

This potato leek soup looks delicious. I've never had leeks before, I'll have to give this soup a try.

[@Philobiblion]

I do essentially the same thing (my wife slavishly follows Julia) and both are fine. I skip the blender, which I think of as an enemy, having more than once mopped down walls creamed by an 'explosion', the result of putting too much soup in the blender. I use an immersion blender and about 1/3 the cream, and it's delicious. One thing I've wanted to try is taking a seething, redolent garden tomato on or about the last week of August, dicing it and then roasting it, then tossing it into the soup to simmer for ten minutes after the blending but before the cream. It could be good. A shot glass of dry sherry is indicated as well. Oh, and I am not a nutmeg fan, but I do sometimes add tarragon.

[@Jack-bx3ow]

A great variation to this is using celery root along with potatoes and making it a purée with a stick blender. Really great base for seared scallops, pork chops or steak

[@etherdog]

Good comment about not feeding aliums to your dog because often the REAL payoff is seeing Jamon sampling your culinary concoctions. 🙂 More substantively, is that you show what you have on hand and what you might make of it. Seldom do I cook the same thing twice the same way, but I mix it up a bit to create different (usually quite good) taste experiences, drawing on examples which you so ably demonstrate. Thanks, Kenji!

[@kittyfamily777]

I always put bacon in my potato leek soup :) very flavorful

[@davidcunicelli1430]

Love watching you cook. Your attitude is just awesome. Very relaxing.

[@alannahhenley3865]

Love the camera view!! Happy I stumbled across this video. To the kitchen I go!! ❤

[@suzin.8562]

Thank you so so much for posting this! I have fallen in love with this soup and it's so easy to make! ❤

[@Franklinberry773]

I love the painted nails Kenji! I’ve wanted to do it myself for a while but was afraid of what people might think and this gave me the push I needed.

[@TheLostTalent]

It's probably his daughter painting it.

[@guapocanoe2009]

Don't like the nails 'like other utoobers' nor the unique lame tattoo, I've enjoyed serious eats for years and how defensive kenji lopez-alt is in his response to valid criticism of his unsanitary gaffes left in videos. I dislike the nails, and am mortified that I was rocking painted toes 2 years ago...yes that's more to do with me than he.

[@n0raaa]

@@guapocanoe2009 how fragile can you be

[@JKenjiLopezAlt]

My daughter sometimes does, I sometimes do my own, I sometimes get them professionally done.

[@droks510]

Thank you for this amazing recipe chef!! I just made it last night for my wife and I, and we unanimously decided to make this part of our dinner rotation. Keep up the great work and we love your videos👌

[@Spiffelight]

I dripped in some oil I made out of wild garlic last time I made this soup, incredibly comforting, a bit of foccaccia to dip with makes it a luxury.

[@digs3906]

Strange over here in the UK it's called leek and potato soup, so the ratio is reversed and a lot more leek forward. It's delicious and a Welsh national dish. Wonder what this would taste like.

[@Max-dg5gj]

This is a French dish, it’s much more potato forward and after purée more like thin porridge than soup meant to be eaten cold it is unappealing hot

[@mushroomhead6939]

The little corner the blender is in cracks me up dude I love your kitchens so much

[@Jank1]

Here's a tip for anyone that happens to read this in due course - some kimchi on the side (or indeed dropped into the soup itself) goes extremely well with this dish. The soup itself is rich and hearty, so the acidity and slightly spicy nature of kimchi cuts through it perfectly.

[@megs3324]

I made this! It was super delicious, thanks for the recipe, I haven’t had one of yours fail me yet. I added in some thyme and bay for more aromatics, and used chicken broth plus a little bouillon instead of some water, and it was just so good. I’ve also made your clam chowder and mushroom soup recipes, and both were delicious!

[@bak194]

To make it not so subtle, a teaspoon of white wine vinegar at the end boosted this for me! Great recipe Kenji!

[@JCrazy84]

You sure that brand wasn't Suitibly Superior to Stock?

[@colinbracken2988]

love the show homie! Thanks for all your hard work and dedication !

[@edged1001]

Why not use your stick blender?

[@sadianaheen7270]

that's my lunch for today! I also crack some extra pepper in the bowl right before serving, I feel like it keeps the fresh pepper smell throughout the full bowl I'm having.

[@floatypiet]

Such a simple and great video❤ thank you!!!

[@ryanm1254]

Weird. I literally made this last night. I looked through some KZbin videos first, and even checked to see if you had one (you didn't), and now less than 24 hours later, here it is. I used Better Than Bouillon as well, although I used the 'No Chicken Broth' version.

[@MadLadsAnonymous]

How much Chicken Bouillon do you use? Sounds like a great flavor enhancer!

[@ryanm1254]

@MadLadsAnonymous I just followed the package instructions for the amount of liquid I used to cook the potatoes in. I think I used about four cups of water, and the Better Than Bouillon recommends 1 teaspoon per cup. So I just started by mixing up 4 cups of water with 4 teaspoons of the bouillon, and then used that broth to cook the potatoes (you may need a little more, or a little less liquid depending on how much potato your using).

[@heqaib]

I see others have asked about what to do about leeks in the fridge. Also, by us, leeks are seasonal. Our solution is to process and freeze. Let me elaborate. First, we have family members with IBD. I solved this problem and pari passu other issues by buying large quantities of leeks when in season. We process all the leeks, including the tops (except for brown or wilted ones), by cutting them across the grain and opening them up much as you did. My wife then washes the leeks (I also cut them lengthwise) in a tub in the sink (we live in an area where water is precious, so we save the water after washing for dumping in our garden & I also am not a big fan of cleaning the trap under the sink). After this cleaning process, I use my sharp kitchen knife to cut the white parts into slices across the grain as best I can. Then we put the leeks into the food processor for a final blend. This mixture goes in the pressure cooker for about an hour. Afterward, we put them in containers, cool them, and store them in our deep freezer. My wife started using freezer bags to save space. The concentrated leek mixture is then defrosted and mixed with the potatoes after they are boiled. The rest is up to your creativity. We have Potato and Leek soup all year round.

[@JohannesWiberg]

6:58 "All I do is smash" - Kenji López-Alt, 2022

[@adamh1228]

emulsify as much butter as possible. Sounds like my kind of soup!

[@IllegalLouie]

One of my favorite soups, looking forward to this!

[@tigeristtora2033]

Made it, loved it! Even though all my previous attempts at making potato and leek soup were unsuccessful. Love the addition of nutmeg and the permission not to blitz it all into a cream - that's the way to go for me.

[@jimbojones8978]

That little eye puller thing is neat. Knew about it before this, but I like that you added that. You can learn something even as an expert.

[@jimbojones8978]

Any reason you washed your pot after putting it in the Vitamix? Habit? lol.

[@ksnproductionss]

Great dish, Kenji! Just noticed your deli container of peeled garlic. How long does peeled garlic last compared to leaving it unpeeled on the counter?

[@barryhaley7430]

Ah! Vichyssoise is about sophisticated subtle flavors and smooth texture! Potato leek soup is peasant kitchens 😄

[@EvelynBaron]

Nitpicking here; Vichyssoise was like caesar salad and other things, invented in the US. HOWEVER potato leek soup in the Alsace/Lorraine region encompassing France and Germany is a big thing. My mum was a jewish berliner and this was a autumn rustic staple and totally amazing She also instead of a bit of the classic mirepoix substituted some chopped fennel and made a bechamel and gasp, used a food processor way back when. I'm vegan so do a cashew creme and make my own vegan broth which involves some miso paste so not canonical but my mum was an anarchist and would approve. Love to one of my favorite channels.

[@TheMimiSard]

Honestly the idea of cold soup does not appeal much to me, but the one cold soup I like is Golden Fruit Soup, which is dried fruit boiled, tapioca, and fruit nectar, served cold with whipped cream and/or ice-cream. The other thing close to cold soup I can appreciate is V8 original, which I recently refamiliarised myself with after opening a bottle for pasta sauce purposes, but have sipping from the bottle every so often since then. Probably my one savoury cold drink.

[@jasandper]

I’m with wifey on this one. I also prefer a more rustic soup. I like to have some substance in there even if just a little. A fully blended soup just seems like baby food to me.

[@Easy-Cooking]

Delicious and beautiful recipe! Thank you very much for sharing! 👍👍👍

[@XthgiN]

honestly pretty interesting to see how far you went with this recipe, at least compared to what I know l'm a simple guy, so I prefer my recipes to be simple, so when I make that soup, I just put same parts leek, potatoes (everything cut fairly small) and water into the pot, add some salt, pepper and nutmeg (carefully obviously, so I can season to taste later one) and then just get it to boil, stir occasionally and once it boils I put it to medium temp and leave it until potatoes are done after that I just add the cream and season to taste, not even gonna blend it, since its simply what I have always known and I prefer some texture to my food and since this recipe won't keep you full for long I occasionally add ground beef to it, perfect addition if you ask me

[@LosianOne]

I feel this is a good video that expresses the feeling of cooking in another way, sort of the potion making feeling cooking can have, especially at a higher level. Cooking is basically the magic we have given potion making, but the only thing these potions do is satisfy us, so it's not seen in the same light. I hope that came off less boggled than I feel it may have, but the aesthetics and overall "vibe" of this video i feel help exhibit what I speak of.

[@susanbrennan5511]

Jacques Pepin actually posted a recipe for this recently. He boiled the leeks in chicken stock and added instant potatoes. I’m going to try it. After all he is 87. Time might be of the essence.

[@matthewbelesiu3898]

It would be amazing if you gave a run down of how you organize your fridge at some point. Or if you don't organize it, leave a comment here and I'll personally be satisfied 😅

[@toobin8r]

You know, I wonder if there’s a Vietnamese version of this, since the French were over there for a while, and there was a decent bit of culinary crossover happening. Definitely seems like something that’d be popular, since potatoes do get grown in the mountains

[@GrikWorldNomad]

VN don't usually use dairy, it's too hard to preserve even in higher altitudes where it's cooler

[@toobin8r]

@@GrikWorldNomad I could see coconut milk maybe being used. Kinda a halfway point between Tom kha and this

[@GrikWorldNomad]

@@toobin8r there are 3k dishes in VN cuisine, so maybe some leek coconut milk soup exists. Sounds delicious!

[@davidmorrison893]

Looks beautiful. The recipe I use calls for a medium size carrot too. I love my stick blender for something like this. Thanks for the content:)

[@mixpadge]

I am always surprised to see how efficient your kitchen space is. even in a larger kitchen i feel like everything is a mess.

[@tonivandenmunckhof6389]

Made it today. It is actually really good indeed. It is cool to learn dishes like this :). Simple, but delicious!

[@conan_der_barbar]

every video I end up with one question: how do you take care of all the stuff in your fridge without spoilage? you have soo many ingredients, even fresh ones, in there

[@conan_der_barbar]

*cries in only one compartment in a fridge half the size in my shared flat*

[@sue8412]

@@conan_der_barbar fresh stuff stays good for a surprising amount of time if you store it properly! Put washed herbs in a jar of water with a plastic bag around them, store greens with a damp paper towel, store stuff that goes rotten/mushy after rinsing in vinegar water to kill mold spores (citrus, zucchini, berries, etc.). Once you figure out how to store each item, the shelf life extends to several weeks for most things. The main things are air flow/moisture control, temperature and cleanliness - what you need to do varies depending on the item, but once you figure it out, it’s easy sailing!

[@msmiller57]

What a WEIRD coincidence - two days ago I was looking at my peeler and wondering what that extended edge was for...LOL! Thanks, Kenji, for solving the mystery. 👍

[@wollis3802]

Leave it a little more on the chunky side, add some lightly seasoned, well browned ground meat (i normally use 50/50 beef/pork here in Germany) and you have a perfect hot winter soup - pure soulfood^^

[@XDWASDX]

Kenji didn't call attention to the a-peeling joke because low hanging fruit might be overripe.

[@MsChaosbutterfly]

Came for the soup recipe, stayed for the dad puns. 😆

[@Rippers-TV]

Just made this, so easy and delicious! This is going in the rotation.

[@mbrombert]

The eye-peeler-popper bit just melted my brain...

[@SandraudigaVali]

A classic and one of the first soups that I learned to make

[@austinjackson806]

I've been waiting so long for this one!!

[@rickgonzalez4928]

I will make this tomorrow and tell you how it went!

[@Leo-cq1zk]

Just came home from the farmer's market with a bunch of potatoes and other vegetables wondering what to eat for dinner and i noticed this video on my feed. I feel watched. (Much love from 🇮🇹)

[@qitqat7425]

A little thyme maybe. Served with rosemary oil and a good bread for dipping.

[@peatvee]

Seeing a seasoned professional drop the nutmeg bulb into the thing while grating makes me feel better about doing that literally every time I grate nutmeg

[@thedracophile]

Growing up, my father grew leeks between the two apple trees we had, but didnt know what to do with them. He looked in the copy of Julia's cookbook we had, and decided to make leek potato soup. Now, as about a 5 year old kid, I knew what soup was, beef barley, chicken noodle, clam chowder. So this pale green gruel was placed in front of me, and i thought, where the heck is the soup???? . . . until I tasted it. Been a love affair with it ever since. Cold in the summer, warm in the winter.

[@Jeb223]

I haven't cooked with nutmeg a whole lot, really tasty in this soup thanks Kenji!

[@fl0nk3rt0nydanza]

When the wife is away, the Kenji will puree

[@maxmountain3169]

I added white wine which enhances this tremendously imo

[@acidtreat101]

Nice video- been eating and loving my Mom's potato leek soup my whole life which is basically the Julia Childs version. I'm gonna suggest some of the things she can do to spice it up a little bit.

[@johnbartol1688]

what kind of pepper mill is that boss? my dollar store one just died and that one looked like it worked well!

[@bethcampbell6597]

Is that already peeled garlic? It is available at my nearby H Mart. Grated ginger is available in small tubes also.

[@blendedtime8162]

always pleasantly surprised to get these notifications

[@phylliscraine]

Better Than Bullion is an awesome product

[@Luke.Cooking]

So underrated!

[@skipsch]

This kind of soup always sounds so appetizing

[@JETZcorp]

You and Ragusea dropped recipes for the same dish I've never heard of in the same week.

[@DFBrews]

Cheers saw you in the airport in Bozeman over thanksgiving appreciate everything you do!

[@networkn]

Question, when you added additional cream at the end, what was the result you were hoping for. What was missing (other than cream lol).

[@lachlanbrown7042]

Kenji could you please give us a quick run down some time on how you work with your awesome large chopping board? I'm over trying to wash my not-so-large-but-still-capable-of-kitchen-sink-tsunami chopping board. Like, how do you go about keeping it clean without, I'm assuming, washing it in a sink, how you navigate food hygiene ie using boards on top for meat etc, best practice for using such a large board

[@clysher]

It's funny seeing you use local stuff like Darigold now, I keep forgetting you moved up here.

[@Palukczo]

Pan fried crispy black forest ham bits as a topping also goes very well with this soup. Good recipe.

[@Zeroharpe]

This was wonderful, thank you.

[@kallisto9166]

This is a great recipe to have in your arsenal. If you can make this, you can make a delicious soup out of almost any vegetables.

[@slappyburrito9481]

cheap vegetables, a little bit of stock and some butter into a soup is mostly how i keep myself alive lol

[@annesperling978]

You need an onion first, sweat it, then leaks, potatoes , garlic & fresh homemade chicken broth!!! I make it & freeze in salmon sized mason jars!,,

[@tipsytahls]

*wife is on vacation* Kenji: I CAN MAKE POTATO SOUP!!!

[@weasal97]

Mind blown when i saw the pre peeled garlic !