I Tried Queen Victoria's Favorite 4-Ingredient Soup—and It’s the Most Comforting Recipe

I’m the type of person who will eat soup any time of the year, even on the hottest of summer days. Is that weird? Maybe, but there’s something so satisfying about a good bowl of soup. Not just any bowl of soup will do though, it has to be something delicious and interesting, the type of thing where I’ll tip my bowl so I can get every last drop on my spoon.

When I heard about Queen Victoria's favorite four-Ingredient soup, I didn't think it would fit into the “delicious and interesting” category, but after trying it, I'll admit, there's no turning back.

Queen Victoria's Favorite Soup

According to Tom Parker Bowles' cookbook "Cooking & the Crown," Queen Victoria once enjoyed Potage Parmentier, a creamy, thick soup made with potatoes and leeks. It was named after Antoine-Augustin Parmentier, an 18th century French pharmacist whose life work was popularizing potatoes in France (this is the abbreviated version of an interesting lesson on potatoes in France). It’s a simple dish that, beyond potatoes and leeks, includes only butter and broth. How can something made with only four ingredients be anyone’s favorite? Well, it's all in how it’s prepared!

How to Make Potage Parmentier

After reviewing several iterations of Potage Parmentier on the internet, I quickly learned that the first step of sautéing leeks in butter was crucial to the soup’s success. So, I set my pot over medium heat and added three tablespoons of butter. While the butter was melting, I sliced up two large leeks and rinsed them to remove sand and grit. I added the slices to my melted butter and cooked them until they were incredibly soft, stirring often to prevent them from browning. Next, I tossed in three peeled and diced russet potatoes, then covered them with low-sodium chicken broth. I brought the broth to a boil, then reduced the heat to a simmer and cooked, partially covered, until the potatoes were fork-tender, which took about 30 minutes. I used my immersion blender to purée everything until it was creamy, then I portioned the soup into bowls and garnished with chives, a little heavy cream (not necessary, but certainly elevates the dish), and a few homemade croutons.

The result? Very delicious. I can see why this soup was Queen Victoria’s favorite. Potato soups are typically very rich and heavy, but this one felt light, yet still satisfying. I found that the longer I let the soup sit on the stove, the better it got, even after puréeing. The texture was luxurious, and it tasted buttery with the most perfectly subtle onion flavor and earthy sweetness. It’s a dish I’ll add to my regular dinner rotation and one I’d even invite royalty over to enjoy—if I actually knew any.