Roasted Garlic and Herb Soup (Printable)

Creamy, aromatic roasted garlic and herb soup ready in just over an hour.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 3 whole heads garlic
02 - 1 large yellow onion, chopped
03 - 2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced
04 - 2 stalks celery, chopped
05 - 1 medium carrot, chopped

→ Herbs & Seasonings

06 - 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves or 2 teaspoons dried thyme
07 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
08 - 1 bay leaf
09 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
10 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
11 - 1 teaspoon salt, adjusted to taste

→ Liquids

12 - 6 cups vegetable broth
13 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
14 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, optional for richness

→ Garnish

15 - 2 tablespoons fresh chives or parsley, finely chopped
16 - Crusty bread for serving, optional

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Slice the tops off the garlic heads, drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, wrap in foil, and roast for 35 to 40 minutes until soft and golden brown.
02 - In a large pot, heat remaining olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and carrot; sauté for 5 to 7 minutes until softened.
03 - Squeeze roasted garlic cloves from their skins and add to the pot along with potatoes, thyme, parsley, bay leaf, oregano, salt, and pepper. Stir well to combine.
04 - Pour in vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes until potatoes are tender.
05 - Remove bay leaf. Purée the soup using an immersion blender until smooth and creamy, or process in batches using a countertop blender. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
06 - Ladle into bowls, garnish with fresh chives or parsley, and serve hot with crusty bread.

# Expert Pointers:

01 -
  • The roasted garlic melts into the broth so completely that even garlic skeptics find themselves having seconds.
  • It looks restaurant-quality but honestly takes less effort than chopping a salad.
  • One pot, one blender, and you've got something warm and elegant that tastes like you planned your whole day around cooking.
02 -
  • Don't skip the roasting step or try to rush it—raw garlic blended into soup tastes sharp and almost spicy, completely missing the point of this whole dish.
  • If your soup breaks or looks grainy after blending, it usually means the heat was too high; gentle reheating while stirring often smooths it back out.
  • Taste before you serve because vegetable broths vary wildly in saltiness, and underseasoned soup tastes empty no matter how good your ingredients are.
03 -
  • Keep your immersion blender moving steadily; pressing down too hard can create air bubbles that make your soup foamy instead of creamy.
  • If you don't have an immersion blender, a regular blender works just as well, but let the soup cool slightly first and blend in smaller batches for safety.
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