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Prep time
10 minutes
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Cook time
1 hour
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Serves
4
Author Notes
The simplicity of this soup is what makes it special: Leeks, garlic, and shallot are cooked in butter, which complements creamy potatoes and chickpeas, all adding up to a hearty vegetarian soup. You can even add some carrots and parsnips along with the potatoes in Step 2 for a bit of extra sweetness, as well as red chiles for a bit of heat. But for me, the star of this dish is that lovely spiced topping. Cooking some of the leek greens and chickpeas in paprika, coriander, and cumin until crispy lends a bit of texture against the creamy soup. When served together, these small additions make the soup sing. —Chetna Makan
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Ingredients
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2 tablespoons
salted butter
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1/4 cup
extra-virgin olive oil, divided
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1
large shallot, roughly chopped
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3
garlic cloves, roughly chopped
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2
large leeks, washed and thinly sliced (all green and white parts, roots discarded)
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11 ounces
(about 3 medium) all-purpose potatoes, such as Yukon Gold, roughly chopped
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2
(15.5-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained
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4 cups
vegetable stock
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Fine sea salt
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1/4 teaspoon
hot smoked paprika
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1/4 teaspoon
ground coriander
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1/4 teaspoon
ground cumin
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Freshly ground black pepper
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2 tablespoons
heavy cream
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Chile oil, for serving
Directions
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Heat the butter and 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, add the shallot and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes.
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Reserve a handful of the leeks' green tops. Add the rest of the leeks to the pan and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until softened. Add in the potatoes and cook for 5 minutes, until they start to turn golden.
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Reserve ½ cup of the chickpeas. Add the rest to the pan and combine with the vegetables. Add the stock and 1 teaspoon of salt to the pan and bring to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat for 40 minutes, until the potatoes are fall-apart tender.
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Toward the end of that 40 minutes, prepare the topping. Heat the remaining oil in a small saucepan or skillet over medium heat and add the reserved sliced leek tops and reserved chickpeas. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the chickpeas are lightly golden and the leeks are deep green. Remove from the heat and add the paprika, coriander, cumin, and a pinch of salt and mix well. Leave it in the pan to cool.
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Use an immersion blender to purée the soup (alternatively, transfer to a heatproof blender and purée, then return to the pan). If you prefer it a bit thinner, add ¼ cup water. Add the pepper and cream and mix well (alternatively, add the pepper and cream before blending the soup, but I prefer the texture and flavor of stirring them in). Divide the soup between the serving bowls and top each with some of the chickpea and leek mixture. Drizzle with chile oil and serve immediately.
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