Whole garlic heads roasted until sweet and mellow, pureed with potato, onion, white wine, and cream into a velvety, subtly aromatic soup — finished with Parmesan and crispy bacon.
Servings
4
Prep time
15 min
Cook time
1 hr 5 min
Total time
1 hr 20 min
Ingredients — 4 servings
| Ingredient | Quantity | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Large heads fresh garlic | 3 | — |
| Olive oil | 1 | tbsp |
| Unsalted butter | 1 | tbsp |
| Large onion, peeled and roughly chopped | 1 | — |
| Dried thyme | 1 | tsp |
| Dry white wine | ½ | cup |
| Unsalted chicken stock or broth | 4 | cups |
| Large russet potato, peeled and cubed small | 1 | — |
| Heavy cream | ½ | cup |
| Parmesan cheese, freshly grated | ½ | cup |
| Salt & freshly ground black pepper | — | to taste |
| Bacon strips, cooked crisp and crumbled | 2 | — |
| Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish | — | to taste |
Directions
1
Roast the garlic. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Slice ¼ inch off the top of each garlic head to expose the cloves, and peel away any loose outer papery layers. Place the heads cut side up on a large sheet of foil, drizzle with olive oil, and wrap the foil tightly around them. Stand the packet upright in a small baking dish and roast for 40 to 60 minutes until the cloves are deeply golden, tender, and fragrant. Set aside to cool.
2
Build the soup base. While the garlic roasts, melt the butter in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and thyme and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion turns translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Pour in the white wine and cook for 3 minutes, letting it reduce slightly.
3
Add stock and potato. Reduce the heat to a steady low boil. Stir in the chicken stock and cubed potato. Cover the pot and cook until the potato pieces are completely tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
4
Add the roasted garlic. Once cool enough to handle, squeeze the soft roasted cloves out of their skins into a small bowl. Smash them into a smooth paste with a fork, then stir into the hot soup.
5
Blend until smooth. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup directly in the pot until completely velvety. If using a countertop blender, let the soup cool slightly and blend in two batches — hold the lid firmly down with a folded kitchen towel to prevent hot liquid from spraying. Return to the pot.
6
Finish and serve. Stir in the heavy cream and grated Parmesan. Season generously with salt and pepper. Simmer for a further 5 minutes to bring everything together. Ladle into bowls, top with crumbled bacon and a scattering of fresh parsley, and serve hot.
Cook's notes
Roast the garlic ahead
The garlic can be roasted a full day in advance and kept in the fridge once cool. This makes the soup itself very quick to pull together on the day — just squeeze, smash, and stir it in. The roasted cloves keep well for up to 5 days refrigerated.
Roasting transforms the garlic
Raw garlic is sharp and pungent; roasted garlic is sweet, nutty, and deeply mellow. Forty minutes in the oven removes virtually all the bite and replaces it with a caramel-like depth that makes this soup taste far more complex than its short ingredient list suggests.
Serving as a starter
Served in smaller portions as an appetizer before a special meal, this recipe comfortably yields 6 servings. A small swirl of extra cream in the bowl and a few bacon crumbles make for an elegant presentation.
Nutrition per serving
| Nutrient | Amount | Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | — | Saturated fat | — |
| Protein | — | Cholesterol | — |
| Total carbohydrate | — | Sodium | — |
| Dietary fiber | — | Calcium | — |
| Total sugars | — | Vitamin C | — |
| Total fat | — | Potassium | — |
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