Add Preferred SourceI fell in love with La Madeline while living in Texas. It was a taste of home for me, with approachable French fare in a relaxed setting. I ate gallons of their potato soup, and after moving, I started making it myself. It’s easy to make, uses humble ingredients, and with the cheese, bacon, and green onion on top, it’s an amazing meal that tastes like a hug in a bowl.
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This is a super easy recipe to make and you can make it all in one large soup pot. What’s not to love about that?
I use gold potatoes for this copycat potato soup recipe, but you could also use russets. I’d avoid reds as they’re waxier and tend to get gummy when making soups.
The key to this soup is time and patience, and a good blender. Your soup should simmer low and slow until the potatoes are just falling apart, and then blend it in a high-speed blender until the soup is silky smooth. I’m getting hungry for it just writing this!
History
La Madeleine, a French-inspired American café chain, was founded in 1983 in Dallas, Texas, by French-born Patrick Esquerré. La Madeleine is known for offering a variety of French country-style dishes, and its Country Potato Soup has been one of its signature offerings almost since the chain’s early days. Though an exact date for the debut of the Country Potato Soup isn’t widely recorded, it’s likely the recipe was added in the late 1980s or early 1990s. La Madeleine’s popularity grew as the brand expanded through the 1990s, and by that time, the Country Potato Soup had become a staple on its menu. The dish remains one of its most beloved offerings, reflecting the brand’s commitment to making approachable French-inspired comfort food.
Ingredients
For the Soup
- Butter – I cook with salted butter
- Leeks – Sliced and washed thoroughly.
- Onion – Yellow onions, diced.
- Fresh thyme – Or a good pinch of dried thyme.
- Water
- Chicken base – I use Better Than Bouillon.
- Potatoes – Cut into 2-inch cubes, I love gold potatoes for this recipe.
- Heavy whipping cream
- Salt and pepper – To taste.
Optional Garnishes
- Cheddar – Shredded.
- Bacon – Cooked and crumbled.
- Green onion – Sliced.
How To Make Copycat La Madeleine Country Potato Soup
Scroll down for the full recipe card with exact measurements and printable instructions.
Melt the butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the cleaned sliced leeks and diced onion. Sauté for 8 to 10 minutes until the vegetables are soft and translucent, but not browned. I like using a wooden spoon here to stir gently and keep everything intact. Toss in the thyme sprigs to release their lovely aroma.
Pour in the water and add the chicken base, stirring until it dissolves completely. Add the cubed potatoes, making sure they are mostly covered by the liquid.
Bring the soup to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender enough to pierce easily with a fork.
Remove the thyme sprigs. Using an immersion blender or working in batches with a regular blender, blend the soup until creamy and smooth. Return it to the pot with the heat off.
Stir in the heavy whipping cream and season with salt and pepper to taste. Warm the soup gently over low heat for about 5 minutes. If it looks too thick, add a splash of water or extra cream to reach your preferred consistency.
Ladle the soup into bowls. For a little extra indulgence, garnish with shredded cheddar, crumbled bacon, and chopped green onions.
Serve hot and enjoy this cozy, French-inspired classic that’s perfect for chilly nights or whenever you need a hug in a bowl.
Chef Jenn’s Tips
- Slice the leeks thinly and only use the white and light green parts for the best flavor. Wash them well under running water to remove any sandy grit.
- Better Than Bouillon chicken base adds a deep, rich flavor, but any chicken base will work
- use gold potatoes for their creamy texture, but Yukon gold or russet potatoes are great too
- if you like a chunkier soup, blend only part of the soup and leave some potato chunks for texture
- for a vegetarian version, simply use vegetable base instead of chicken base
Make It A Meal
Serve this Copycat La Madeleine Country Potato Soup with a fresh baguette or warm crusty bread to soak up the creamy goodness. For a heartier meal, add a simple side salad with mixed greens and a light vinaigrette. Pairing the soup with a glass of white wine or sparkling water with a slice of lemon will complete the experience, bringing a touch of French elegance to your table.
Storage
This potato soup stores beautifully, making it perfect for meal prep or enjoying leftovers. Store any remaining soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To freeze, transfer cooled soup to a freezer-safe container and store for up to 3 months. When reheating, thaw in the fridge overnight if frozen, then warm gently on the stovetop over low heat, adding a splash of water or cream as needed to restore its creamy consistency.
Copycat La Madeleine Country Potato Soup
Ingredients
For the soup
- ¼ cup butter I cook with salted butter
- 2 leeks sliced and washed well; you'll need about 4 cups of sliced leeks
- 1 cup onion diced
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme or a good pinch of dried thyme
- 6 cups water
- 2 tablespoons chicken base I use Better Than Bouillon
- 2 pounds potatoes peeled and cut into 2-inch cubes; I love gold potatoes for this recipe
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- salt and pepper to taste
Optional garnish
- ½ cup cheddar shredded
- ¼ cup bacon cooked; crumbled
- ¼ cup green onion sliced
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the sliced leeks and diced onion to the pot and sauté for 8–10 minutes until the vegetables are soft and translucent, but not browned. Add the thyme sprigs, stirring them in to release their flavor.
- Pour in the water and add the chicken base, stirring until the base dissolves into the water. Add the cubed potatoes to the pot, ensuring they’re mostly submerged in the liquid.
- Bring the soup to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes with the lid mostly on (just opened a bit), or until the potatoes are very tender. You should be able to easily pierce them with a fork.
- Remove the thyme sprigs and working in batches, transfer the soup to a blender and blend until creamy and smooth. You can also use an immersion blender. Return the soup to the pot with the heat off.
- Stir in the heavy whipping cream, season with salt and pepper to taste, and heat over low until everything is warmed through, about 5 minutes. If the soup seems too thick, add a spalsh of milk or cream to reach your desired consistency.
- Ladle the soup into bowls, and if desired, garnish with shredded cheddar, crumbled bacon, and green onion.
- Serve hot and enjoy the cozy, comforting flavors of this French-inspired soup.
Notes
Chef Jenn’s Tips
- Slice the leeks thinly and only use the white and light green parts for the best flavor. Wash them well under running water to remove any sandy grit.
- Better Than Bouillon chicken base adds a deep, rich flavor, but any chicken base will work.
- Use gold potatoes for their creamy texture, but Yukon gold or russet potatoes are great too.
- If you like a chunkier soup, blend only part of the soup and leave some potato chunks for texture.
- For a vegetarian version, simply use a vegetable base instead of a chicken base.
Nutrition
A Note on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is calculated based on available online ingredient information. It is only an approximate value. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site cannot be guaranteed.