Magical Leek Soup - Le Chef's Wife (2024)

Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

Magical Leek Soup - Le Chef's Wife (1)

Magical Leek Soup is a delicious and healthy soup made with leeks. Were you intrigued when watching the last season of "Emily in Paris" on Netflix? What is this Magical Leek Soup that Sylvie talks about? Is this a real thing?

Magical Leek Soup is not a new trend but a generations old weight management trick from French women. Leeks, of the onion family, are very good for you and also are a known diuretic.

Leek Soup Diet

Author Mireille Guiliano in her book "French Women don't get fat" writes about a weekend leek diet, or cleanse. She makes her magical leek soup and then eats the boiled leeks exclusively to "regain equilibrium". Really, I do think that "Emily in Paris" should have quoted Mme Guiliano when referencing the soup - she put it on the map!

I first read Mme Guiliano's book when I was living in France in my twenties and I used this technique several times over the years - it has come in handy! I admit I had forgotten about Magical Leek Soup until Emily in Paris reminded me. Now, 2 children and 10 years later it may be time to start eating more leeks...

Emily in Paris Magical Leek Soup

The original Magical Leek Soup is made with nothing but leeks and water. The recipe is super simple:

  1. Clean and chop 5 leeks.

2. Cover with water in a soup pot.

3. Simmer for 30 minutes.

4. Strain the broth to sip throughout the day (this is the magical leek soup!) and reserve the leeks to eat as a meal.

Definitely diet food. Delicious diet food, but diet food nonetheless. Hardly a dish I could serve to my husband or kids!

P.S. If you want another Emily in Paris Recipe you will enjoy my Kir Royale co*cktail Post

Magical Leek Soup - Le Chef's Wife (2)

Le Chef's Wife Magical Leek Soup

Very similar to the original Magical Leek Soup but with the addition of potatoes. The potatoes make all the difference!

Add a few potatoes to the recipe and you will have a soup that is filling, creamy in texture and oh so satisfying while keeping all the wonderful benefits of the leeks. My Magical Leek Soup does not feel like diet food, it feels like comfort food. Much closer in taste and consistency to Vichyssoise Soup (a French Bistro classic) but without the cream, butter or chicken stock. Plus, my French Chef husband loves it too. Alors!

The addition of one star anise seed is a French Chef trick that adds a certain je ne sais quoi to the soup. A delicious tanginess that elevates the dish.

Did you know that Vichyssoise was apparently Julia Child's favorite soup? Another reason why I feel connected to Julia Child. You can read about my recent tour of her Georgetown row house here.

Magical Leek Soup - Le Chef's Wife (3)

FAQS about Leeks

What is Magical Leek Soup?

Magical Leek Soup is a broth made from boiling leeks in water. It is a mild diuretic and a secret diet food for French women for generations. The practice, as written by Mireille Guiliano in her book, "French women don't get fat" is to sip the broth throughout the day and eat the boiled leeks as the meal. A leek cleanse that is actually rather tasty!

What is the difference with Le Chef's Wife Magical Leek Soup?

My recipe is very similar but with a few added ingredients that make the Magical Leek Soup taste more like comfort food than diet food. A few potatoes. Star anise seed for a delicious tang to the broth. A few sautéed leeks as a garnish. This magical leek soup could be served at a dinner party.

Le Chef's Wife Magical Leek Soup is closer in flavor to a Vichyssoise soup, but without the butter, cream or chicken stock.

Le Chef's Wife Magical Leek Soup is also a vegan and gluten free recipe.

How do you clean leeks?

Leeks can be intimidating. It is not easy to get all the sand and grit out if you don't know the tricks of the trade. Here is how to clean leeks like a French Chef.
1. Cut off the dark green tops of the leek (chop where you see a hint of light green turn into dark green)
2. Cut off the bottom (the roots)
3. Peel off the top layer of the leek
3. Quarter the top of the leek making two opposite incisions to halfway down the top of the stalk
4. Place the leek upside down in a container of ice cold water.
5. Swirl it about and then let it sit for a few minutes.

The leek will fan open and all the dirt and sand will be released. Now the leek is ready to cook. Bon Appétit!

Where can I buy leeks?

Most grocery stores will carry them in the fresh produce section. Look next to the celery and the fennel. Trader Joes sells them already washed and trimmed in bags.

What do leeks taste like?

They look like a huge green onion. Leeks are of the onion family but they have a much sweeter and nuttier taste than most onions. Sautée sliced leeks in a little olive oil and they are surprising. Add some cream and they literally melt in your mouth. Miam!

What is the leek soup diet?

Author Mireille Guiliano in her book "French Women don't get fat" writes about a weekend leek diet, or cleanse. She makes her magical leek soup and then eats the boiled leeks exclusively for a weekend to "regain equilibrium". Really, I do think that "Emily in Paris" should have quoted Mme Guiliano when referencing the soup - she put it on the map!

What is Magical Leek Soup from Emily in Paris?

When devising a marketing campaign for leeks, Emily evokes Magical Leek Soup which is a broth made from boiling leeks in water. It is a mild diuretic and a secret diet food for French women for generations.

Magical Leek Soup - Le Chef's Wife (4)

Soup Sunday Challenge

Magical Leek Soup is the first recipe of the 8 week Soup Sunday Challenge. The goal is to eat better, one pot of homemade soup per week at a time. One small change that can have an impact on how you, and your family, eat. The ultimate French woman healthy eating trick.

Come and make soup with me! What soup are you cooking this weekend?

Other Le Chef's Wife Recipes you will enjoy

Magical Leek Soup - Le Chef's Wife (5)

Fancy Cream of Cauliflower Soup

La Soupe au Pistou

Healthy Potage aux Légumes - French Vegetable Soup

Authentic Ratatouille Recipe

Le Chef's French Onion Soup Gratinée

La Poule au Pot - the easiest way to cook a whole chicken

About Le Chef's Wife

Magical Leek Soup - Le Chef's Wife (6)

Bonjour! I am Anina Belle. I translate the fancy cooking of my Michelin-star trained French Chef Husband, Le Chef, into easy to make dishes that busy people with no culinary training (like me!) can make at home. We have two young kids (5 and 2) and I have a full time job in hospitality in addition to this blog. I strongly believe that even busy people deserve to eat well at home.

I share our home cooking on Instagram, pinterest and tiktok. Sign up for my newsletter to be the first to receive my new recipes and have advance access to cooking classes. I look forward to cooking with you!

Au plaisir,

Le Chef's Wife

Print

Magical Leek Soup - Le Chef's Wife (7)

Magical Leek Soup

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 2 reviews

  • Author: lechefswife
  • Prep Time: 10
  • Cook Time: 30
  • Total Time: 40
  • Yield: 6 1x
  • Category: soup
  • Method: french
  • Cuisine: french
Print Recipe

Description

Magical Leek Soup - the French woman's diet secret, as referenced in "Emily in Paris". Le Chef's Wife twist on the recipe is delicious and family friendly. It tastes like comfort food yet is incredibly healthy for you. Vegan and gluten free. Tasty and pretty enough to be served at a dinner party.

Ingredients

Scale

  • 6 leeks (5 for the soup, 1 for the garnish)
  • 3 medium sized potatoes (yukon gold preferrably)
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 1 tbsp of olive oil
  • 1 star anise seed
  • ½ tsp of fleur de sel (French gray rock salt)
  • 8 Cups of Water

Instructions

  1. Peel, clean and chop the leeks - discarding the dark green tops. 5 of the leeks can be chopped in big pieces, 1 leek, the leek you will use for the garnish, should be chopped in fine half rounds.
  2. Peel and quarter the potatoes.
  3. Heat the olive oil into a soup pot on medium heat.
  4. Add the garlic and the leeks for soup (the 5 leeks).
  5. Sautée the leeks for 5 minutes until they start to become translucent. Stir frequently, you don't want them to burn.
  6. Add the fleur de sel.
  7. Pour in 8 cups of water and add the anise seed the potatoes.
  8. Allow to simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally until the potatoes are soft.
  9. Taste the broth - add an additional pinch of salt or pepper if needed.
  10. *Remove the star anise seed from the broth - you do NOT want to mix the star anise with the immersion blender!*
  11. Mix the soup with the immersion blender.
  12. (note you can add an additional 2 cups of water, 1 cup at a time, only if needed. The consistency should be thick but still soup like).
  13. For the garnish:
  14. Drizzle ½ tbsp of olive oil in frying pan over medium heat.
  15. Add the finely chopped leek you reserved for the garnish and a pinch of fleur de sel.
  16. Stir frequently and allow to cook for 10 minutes. Add ¼ cup of water halfway through to steam the leeks. Careful not to let burn! If the leeks begin to stick to the pan and get dark brown, add a little more water and bring the heat down.
  17. Once the leeks are translucent and soft they are done. Taste them sautéed leeks are deliciously nutty and a little sweet! Add a little more salt to taste (if needed).

To serve:

Spoon the Magical Leek Soup into a bowl. Top with a tbsp of the sautéed leeks. Voilà! A restaurant worthy meal that is filling and comforting but also incredibly good for you!

Bon Appétit,

Le Chef's Wife

Notes

How to clean leeks:

Leeks can be intimidating. It is not easy to get all the sand and grit out if you don't know the tricks of the trade. Here is how to clean leeks like a French Chef.
1. Cut off the dark green tops of the leek (chop where you see a hint of light green turn into dark green)
2. Cut off the bottom (the roots)
3. Peel off the top layer of the leek
3. Quarter the top of the leek making two opposite incisions to halfway down the top of the stalk
4. Place the leek upside down in a container of ice cold water.
5. Swirl it about and then let it sit for a few minutes.

The leek will fan open and all the dirt and sand will be released. Now the leek is ready to cook. Bon Appétit!

Magical Leek Soup - Le Chef's Wife (2024)

FAQs

Does magic leek soup work? ›

So, mostly, people drinking magic leek soup would be seeing a loss of water, she says, but it's true that two days of this alone would also result in some fat loss. Mantzioris says while this is similar to a fasting diet, people who subscribe to the 5:2 probably still have more kilojoules on their fasting days.

Can leeks help with weight loss? ›

Because leeks are a low-calorie food, they can be part of a weight management program. The water and fiber in leeks can give you a feeling of fullness, so you are less likely to overeat. Leeks also add a lot of flavor to foods and make eating healthy dishes enjoyable.

Is leek soup a diuretic? ›

The diet leek soup is super-low in calories and contains a good amount of vitamins and fibre. It is also a natural diuretic that helps your body expel excess water.

What are the benefits of leeks? ›

Leeks and wild ramps boast a variety of nutrients and beneficial compounds that may improve your digestion, promote weight loss, reduce inflammation, fight heart disease, and combat cancer. In addition, they may lower blood sugar levels, protect your brain, and fight infections.

Do the French really drink leek water to lose weight? ›

Magical Leek Soup is a broth made from boiling leeks in water. It is a mild diuretic and a secret diet food for French women for generations. The practice, as written by Mireille Guiliano in her book, "French women don't get fat" is to sip the broth throughout the day and eat the boiled leeks as the meal.

What are the side effects of leeks? ›

Risks of Eating Leeks

People who are sensitive to FODMAPs may experience digestive symptoms, such as bloating, diarrhea, and gas after consuming high-FODMAP foods.

When should you not eat leeks? ›

Avoid leeks with cuts or bruises. The dark green tops of leeks should look fresh. Avoid leeks with yellowing or wilting tops. Choose smaller, younger leeks when you want to eat them uncooked.

Is leek soup a laxative? ›

Other Health Benefits of Leeks:

Leeks have laxative property and thus, they help in relieving constipation. This vegetable is a natural diuretic, antiseptic and an anti-arthritic agent.

Is it OK to eat leeks everyday? ›

Studies suggest that people who regularly eat leeks and other allium vegetables may have up to a 46 percent lower risk of gastric cancer than people who don't eat them, but further studies are needed to be sure. Leeks may also protect you from colorectal cancer.

Do leeks make you gassy? ›

Gas-producing polysaccharides called fructans are typically found in onion, garlic, agave, and leek. Even when consumed in small quantities, these foods can trigger bloating and other digestive problems like gas and stomach cramps.

Are leeks inflammatory? ›

Leeks are an excellent source of antioxidants like vitamins C, K and beta-carotene that have anti-inflammatory and anti-aging benefits. Carotenoids include zeaxanthin and lutein which protect the eyes, reducing risk of cataracts and age-related macular degeneration.

Do leeks make you sleepy? ›

Artichokes, onions and leeks could improve your sleep and reduce stress.

Are leeks good for arthritis? ›

Studies have shown that people who regularly ate foods from the allium family – such as garlic, onions and leeks – showed fewer signs of early osteoarthritis. Researchers believe the compound diallyl disulphine found in garlic may limit cartilage-damaging enzymes in human cells.

Are leeks healthier than green onions? ›

In terms of what's good for you, both leeks and green onions have tons of vitamins and nutrients, but overall, leeks are more nutrient dense, with more fiber, and much more of manganese, Vitamin K, Beta Carotene & Iron.

Is leek a Superfood? ›

Leeks are an excellent source of vitamin K and a good source of vitamin A and manganese. Vitamin K is essential for bone building and blood clotting.

How much weight can you lose on a soup cleanse? ›

Broth-based soup diets generally last for 7 days. However, some can last as long as 10–14 days. Over that time, proponents of a broth-based diet claim you can lose up to 10 or even 20 pounds (4.5 to 9 kg). On a broth-based soup diet, cream-based soups are restricted, as they're higher in calories and fat.

Are detox soups good for you? ›

It's healthy, filling and packed with anti-inflammatory ingredients like turmeric, ginger, lemon and cayenne pepper. It comes together quickly in just one pot and is perfect for meal prep! You are in for a treat with this detox soup recipe!

Are soup sachets healthy? ›

Powdered soup sachets are usually high in salt, but lack protein and fibre. They are best left on the shelf — or choose a low-sodium brand as a savoury, warming snack.

Top Articles
'John Wick 4': Everything We Know About Release Date, Cast, Plot Details, and More
2000 Kenworth W900 Fuse Panel Diagram
Skyblock Ah History
ARK Survival Ascended Floating Turret Tower Build Guide
Brown's Funeral Home Obituaries Lawrenceville Va
El Patron Mexican Restaurant New Ellenton Menu
Nail Salons Open Now Near My Location
Elektrisch koffiezetapparaat Philips CSA240/61 1450 W Zwart 1450 W | bol
Ms Ortencia Alcantara Instagram
Premier Double Up For A Buck
Butte County Court Oroville Ca
Champion Enchant Skyblock
The 10 Best Drury Hotels in the United States
Henry Ford Hospital: Ein Meisterwerk von Frida Kahlo
Minor Additions To The Bill Crossword
Plan the Ultimate Trip to Lexington, Kentucky
Craigslist Hutchinson Ks
Sound Of Freedom Showtimes Near Sperry's Moviehouse Holland
Icy Veins Necromancer Diablo 4
8776725837
Armslist Dayton
Bigbug Rotten Tomatoes
Top Football Recruits 2017
Soul Attraction Rs3
Which Expression Is Equivalent To Mc016-1.Jpg
How Much Is Felipe Valls Worth
CHERIE FM en direct et gratuit | Radio en ligne
PoE Reave Build 3.25 - Path of Exile: Settlers of Kalguur
Watch My Best Friend's Exorcism Online Free
Advance Auto Parts Near Me Open Now
Atdhe Net
10 018 Sqft To Acres
Po Box 182223 Chattanooga Tn 37422 7223
Lookwhogotbusted New Braunfels
Claw Machine Random Name Picker
Skyward Weatherford Isd Login
Venezuela: un juez ordena la detención del candidato opositor Edmundo González Urrutia - BBC News Mundo
Indiefoxx's biography: why has the streamer been banned so often?
Drury Plaza Hotel New Orleans
Xdefiant turn off crossplay ps5 cмотреть на RuClips.ru
Sim7 Bus Time
Jcpenney Salon Salinas
Deborah Clearbranch Psychologist Georgia
Arcadian Crossword Puzzles
The Grand Canyon main water line has broken dozens of times. Why is it getting a major fix only now?
Kpq News Wenatchee Washington
Best Pizza In Ft Myers
Sayuri Pilkey
Fcs Punting Stats
Lindy Kendra Scott Obituary
[US/EU] ARENA 2v2 DF S4 Rating Boost 0-1800 / Piloted/Selfplay / ... | ID 217616976 | PlayerAuctions
ओ कान्हा अब तो मुरली की O Kanha Ab To Murli Ki Lyrics
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Lakeisha Bayer VM

Last Updated:

Views: 5973

Rating: 4.9 / 5 (69 voted)

Reviews: 84% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Lakeisha Bayer VM

Birthday: 1997-10-17

Address: Suite 835 34136 Adrian Mountains, Floydton, UT 81036

Phone: +3571527672278

Job: Manufacturing Agent

Hobby: Skimboarding, Photography, Roller skating, Knife making, Paintball, Embroidery, Gunsmithing

Introduction: My name is Lakeisha Bayer VM, I am a brainy, kind, enchanting, healthy, lovely, clean, witty person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.