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Vegetarian, Northern, Eastern and Western France

Leek and potato soup with cheese toasts

Leek and potato soup with cheese toasts is a creamy blended soup made with leeks, potatoes, and cream, served with melted gruyere on toasted bread. It serves 4, takes 40 minutes, is very easy, and costs about €1.40 per person. The key is blending briefly, just enough for a smooth texture without the potatoes releasing too much starch.

Tonight it's the king of grandma's soups, leek and potato soup, silky and smooth, with crispy melted cheese toasts on the side.

Leek and potato soup with cheese toasts
Total time
40 min
Difficulty
Very easy
Cost per person
€1.40
Calories per person
650 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall
The kids
They generally like it

This soup has the thick, smooth texture of the kind you always finish by scraping the bowl clean. Leeks bring a mild sweetness, potatoes give it body, and heavy cream rounds everything out. The cheese toasts add crunch from the toasted bread and a melty pull from the gruyere, a contrast that lifts a simple soup into something more satisfying.

It's the kind of dish to make on a weeknight in fall or winter, when the sun sets early and you want comfort without spending hours in the kitchen. Kids love it, especially for dunking the toasts, and Mon Chou turned it into a go to easy dinner that everyone agrees on.

The ingredients

4 people

Fruits and vegetables

  • Leeks 500 g
  • Potatoes 600 g
  • Chives 1 sprigs

Dairy

  • Butter 30 g
  • Thick sour cream 6 tbsp
  • Grated gruyere 80 g

Pantry

  • Vegetable bouillon cubeoften in the pantry 1
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Bakery

  • Country bread 4 slices

Allergens Gluten, Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Wash and thinly slice the leeks, peel and cut the potatoes into cubes.

    Use mainly the white part of the leeks, the green part is more bitter.

  2. Sweat the leeks in the butter, add the potatoes, cover with a liter of water and the bouillon cube. 25 min

    Cook covered, the leeks should sweat without browning.

  3. Blend the soup with the cream, taste and adjust the seasoning.

    Keep a little cream aside to swirl into each bowl.

  4. Top the bread with grated gruyere and broil until melted and golden. 5 min

    A pinch of pepper on the cheese before broiling wakes everything up.

  5. Serve the soup with chives and the warm toasts.

    Dunking the toasts in the soup is fully allowed.

Our tips to get it right

  • Cut the potatoes into even cubes so they all cook at the same rate and blend into a smooth texture.
  • If you don't have an immersion blender, pass the soup through a food mill, the result is just as creamy and you avoid overblending.
  • Make the toasts right before serving, the bread loses its crunch if it sits too long under the broiler.

The variations

  • Swap half the leeks for carrots for a sweeter, more colorful soup, kids often take to it more easily.
  • For a quicker version, skip the broiling step and just serve buttered bread slices on the side.
  • Add a pinch of grated nutmeg to the soup for a rounder flavor, a classic touch in potato soups.

What to serve it with

  • A simple green salad
  • A glass of sweet cider
  • Crispy bacon bits on top

Storage

The soup keeps for 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container. It freezes well if you leave out the cream and add it fresh when reheating. Warm it gently on the stovetop, stirring occasionally, but always make the toasts fresh just before serving.

Questions about this dish

Can I use heavy cream instead of thick sour cream?

Yes, the texture will be just slightly less rich. Add it off the heat at the end of cooking, as in the recipe, so it doesn't split.

Can I make the soup ahead of time?

Yes, you can make it the day before and keep it in the fridge. Reheat it gently the next day and prepare the toasts at the last minute so they stay crisp.

What cheese can I use if I don't have gruyere?

Emmental or comte work just as well, they melt and brown the same way. Avoid very strong cheeses that would overpower the soup.

Why does the soup sometimes turn gluey after blending?

That's the starch from the potatoes being released if you blend too long. Blend just enough to get a smooth texture, then stop.

How long does it take to make a leek and potato soup with cheese toasts?

Count 40 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “very easy”.

How many calories are in a leek and potato soup with cheese toasts?

About 650 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a leek and potato soup with cheese toasts cost?

About €1.40 per serving, or €5.60 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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