Roasted Garlic and Herb Soup (Print)

Velvety smooth soup with deeply roasted garlic, aromatic herbs, and vegetables in a savory broth.

# What You 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

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Slice the tops off garlic heads, drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, wrap in foil, and roast for 35 to 40 minutes until soft and golden.
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 transfer in batches to 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.

# Top Tips:

01 -
  • Roasted garlic tastes nothing like raw garlic—it's creamy, almost nutty, and won't leave you feeling like you need to hide your breath.
  • The whole soup comes together in just over an hour, making it perfect for weeknight dinners when you want something that feels restaurant-quality but doesn't demand hours of your time.
02 -
  • Never skip removing that bay leaf before blending—I've seen too many people discover it the hard way, and it's not a pleasant surprise.
  • If your immersion blender stalls or the soup feels too thick to blend smoothly, you can add a splash more broth to help it along, but wait until blending starts to struggle before you do.
03 -
  • Make this soup a day or two ahead and refrigerate it—the flavors actually deepen and marry together, so it tastes even better the next day.
  • If you're cooking for someone with a dairy allergy or preference, the olive oil from roasting the garlic provides enough richness that you won't miss the butter at all.
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