Edamame Vichyssoise (Chilled Edamame and Potato Soup)

My edamame vichyssoise recipe has a subtle buttery flavor and sweetness that I find so refreshing. Vichyssoise is one of those rare recipes that is at home on a sunny picnic table in the park or as a first course at a Michelin starred restaurant. And the best news is that you can easily make this green hued version at home with a handful of pantry staples and a bag of edamame beans!

While I usually like to pan fry edamame pods and enjoy them as a snack, I also like to use the beans to make soups.

For those who are unfamiliar with the term, vichyssoise is a classic French soup made with pureed potatoes, leeks and cream – and is typically served cold. It has a velvety, creamy texture – with a rustic savory flavor profile and naturally sweet undertones.

My version is similar to the classic vichyssoise except that it also comes with lots of beautiful green edamame beans. For this pureed cold soup – I also have a delicious hot edamame soup you might be interested in – you’ll need about 300 grams (just over 1 1/4 cups) of the soybeans themselves. Buy pre-shelled edamame beans – or shell the beans yourself and discard the outer pods.

Why This Recipe Works
Ingredients
How to Make This Soup
Expert Tips
How to Store This Soup
What to Serve With Cold Soups
Other Edamame Recipes You Might Like
Frequently Asked Questions

Why This Recipe Works

Adding edamame beans to this summery cold soup is a fun play on the original vichyssoise. The beans lend a light green hue to the soup. Incidentally, edamame are high in fiber and protein – low in carbohydrates.
And they add a light nutty sweetness with an almost buttery finish (rendering actual butter unnecessary).
But aside from the added color and flavor, the edamame blends evenly. And that’s important! You get a vichyssoise that is delicate, silken and luxurious.
This is a cold soup that goes just as well at a picnic on a sweltering summer day as it does on a refined, fancy dinner table with three salad forks and way too many spoon options.

Ingredients

Olive Oil: Use first press extra virgin olive oil. Trust me, you’ll taste the difference!
Onion: Most vichyssoise recipes call for leeks. I used a small yellow onion instead. I think the natural sweetness works better in tandem with the edamame beans than traditional leeks. A small white onion would be fine as well.
Potatoes: You’ll only need two medium potatoes (peeled and chopped) for this iconic French soup. And while you can use whatever you have handy in your pantry, I prefer Yukon gold potatoes. They have a mild sweetness – and, once cooked and pureed, aren’t grainy at all. They deliver a smooth yet substantive texture to this blended soup.
Shelled Edamame: You’ll want just the beans themselves (not the entire pod). You can find shelled edamame beans in the frozen section of almost any grocery store. They impart a wonderful buttery, nutty flavor to this chilled soup.
Milk: Both dairy and non-dairy options work here (although heavy cream might be just a little too heavy). I used oat milk to make this vichyssoise 100% vegan. But cow’s milk and unflavored soy milk would be just as effective. Your choice!
Salt and Pepper: Kosher salt has larger salt crystals, which make it unlikely that you’ll unintentionally over-salt your soup. I used 1/4 tsp in this recipe. If you’re using table salt, just add a bit at a time – and taste frequently.
Water: Why do I even bother listing this ‘ingredient’? One simple reason. Most soups call for a broth (like chicken broth, vegetable stock, etc.) as a base. Now, while you could technically still use your favorite broth, it’s not necessary – and you won’t miss it. There’s plenty of flavor already from the rustic veggies and legumes.

How to Make This Soup

Gather all of your cooking tools and ingredients.
Get a medium-sized pot on the stovetop over medium heat – and add your olive oil.
Once the oil is hot, swirl it around so that it coats the cooking surface evenly. Then add the chopped onions. Cook for around 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. The onions should soften and begin to look translucent.
Next, add two cups water and your chopped potatoes and bring the soup to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat (on low to medium-low heat) and cover the pot. Simmer for 10 minutes.
Then add the shelled edamame beans to the pot and simmer for an additional 5 minutes.
Turn the heat off and transfer the soup to a blender. Add your milk and salt and pepper and puree until creamy and smooth.
Finally, transfer your blended soup to a storage container and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Serve cold.

Expert Tips

Don’t overblend the soup. Blend the soup until it get silky and creamy but don’t go overboard! As soon as you are happy with the texture, stop blending. Over blending potatoes will result in a sticky, gluey texture.

How to Store This Soup

Refrigerate any leftover potato and edamame vichyssoise in an airtight food storage container for 3-5 days.

Since it is a chilled soup (meant to be served cold) there is no need to reheat prior to serving leftovers.
If any separation occurs in the fridge, simply stir well with a spoon, ladle or whisk.

blended edamame and potatoes for vichyssoise

What to Serve With Cold Soups

Whether I’m making this cold edamame vichyssoise – or another iconic chilled soup like gazpacho (chilled vegetable soup), I prefer to keep the side dishes and mains on the lighter side too.

Here are a few reader favorites that will pair beautifully with this soup:

Other Edamame Recipes You Might Like

E damame quinoa salad, tofu and edamame patties, edamame hummus, edamame and sun dried tomato quiche, edamame with bonito flakes and seaweed, edamame with sriracha buffalo sauce.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between vichyssoise and potage parmentier?

The main difference is the temperature at which the soup is served. Vichyssoise is usually served cold or at room temperature while potage parmentier is serve hot.

Will the soup taste different if I use a dairy-free alternative?

It will taste slightly different but still be very tasty. I like to use soy milk because it adds sweetness to the soup. To keep it as close to the traditional cream flavor, I suggest using oat milk.

Did you like this recipe? Are there changes you made that you would like to share? Share your tips and recommendations in the comments section below!