French Culinary Institute graduate and food researcher/writer, Rochelle Bilow, shared a soup- and chowder-making discovery a few months ago that I just have to pass on.

I’ll get to the point. She now thickens her soups with leftover French fries. I wrote about using leftover French Fries over a year ago that quickly mentioned using them to make soup. But today you’ll get more detail and a recipe for a delicious soup. Turns out, this clever way to use those soggy fries from last night's takeout order turns any blended soup into a luxurious bowl that tastes even better.

We already know that potatoes are a great thickener for homemade soup. In fact, even if you don't purée the soup, the potatoes still release starch as they cook—thickening the broth with a satisfying velvety consistency. Even frozen hash browns can be a good thickener when you want a creamy texture.

So how does this French fry magic happen? Rochelle says it's a simple three-step process: chop, add, puree. Of course, this technique won't work with clear soups, or soups that are not supposed to be blended. (If you put chopped fries in chicken noodle soup, for example, you'll just have a bunch of wet fries.)

Because fries are already cooked, you can add them once your soup is almost done and ready to be blended. Putting the fries in the pot a minute or two before turning off the heat will ensure that your soup stays piping hot. If you’d like to add them in sooner, bring them to room temperature first, otherwise, the fridge-cold fries will temper the soup.

You can use a handheld immersion blender to purée your soup, or transfer it to a traditional blender (working in batches is best).

There are just two matters to consider when thickening soup with fries. The first is the salt level. Most restaurant fries are very salty. If you're planning on adding French fries to a homemade soup, consider dialing down the amount of salt you use to initially season it. Battered fries are also not ideal for this, because the dredging batter may not purée well. And finally, fries that have been battered with wheat flour are not gluten free, which will matter to any gluten sensitive folks at your dinner table.

I’ll close with a bit of brilliance from our new best friend, Mr. AI. Who knew Artificial Intelligence knows how to cook?

Leftover French Fries and Leek Soup

Ingredients:

2 cups leftover French fries chopped
2 leeks (white and green parts), chopped
1 small onion chopped
2 or 3 cloves garlic minced
2 tablespoons butter or extra virgin olive oil, for sautéing
2 cups chicken broth
Seasonings: Thyme, bay leaf, salt, and pepper to taste
Optional: A splash of cream or a dollop of sour cream for serving

Directions:

1. Sauté aromatics: Heat butter or oil in a large pot. Add the leeks, onion, and garlic, cooking until soft and tender without browning (about 5-10 minutes).

2. Simmer: Add the French fries, broth, and seasonings (like a bay leaf and thyme). Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer until all the potatoes and fries are very tender, about 15-20 minutes.

3. Blend: Remove the bay leaf and use an immersion blender to blend the soup until it reaches a smooth, creamy consistency.

4. Season and serve: Stir in cream if desired, taste and adjust seasoning, and serve with chives or sour cream on top.

Recipe formatted with the Cook'n Recipe Software from DVO Enterprises.