Rich and Creamy Potato Soup

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 shallots, finely chopped
• 3 green onions, finely chopped
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon herbes de Provence
• 2 pounds potatoes, peeled and diced
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup milk
• ½ cup creme fraiche

Step 1

Lightly heat some olive oil and butter in a big, sturdy pot over medium-high heat. Toss in the onions, shallots, green onions, a pinch of salt, and some pepper. Cook everything, stirring occasionally, until the onions soften and start to brown a little, about 4 to 6 minutes. Then add the garlic and herbes de Provence, cooking just until the garlic smells amazing—about 30 seconds—being careful not to let it burn since that can make it taste bitter.

Step 2

Add the potatoes to the pot and give them a good stir so they get coated with all those flavors. Pour in the vegetable broth and milk, then stir everything together. Put a lid on the pot and bring it to a boil. Once it’s boiling, lower the heat and let it simmer, covered, until the potatoes are soft enough to break apart easily with a spoon, about 10 to 12 minutes.

Step 3

When the potatoes are tender, use a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon to mash the soup a bit—you want it mostly smooth but with some chunks left for texture. Finally, stir in the creme fraiche and give it a taste. If it needs a little something extra, add more salt or pepper until it’s just right.