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This roasted garlic soup combines caramelized garlic with potatoes and mushrooms in a fragrant vegetable broth. The result is a cozy, comforting, and hearty soup!
This roasted garlic soup relies on the caramelized roasted garlic for a sweeter, creamier, mellowed, slightly nutty flavor. When combined with potatoes, mushrooms, and cream, it becomes a delicious appetizer/amuse-bouche or main and can served alone, with bread, or alongside a side salad. Even better, this wholesome, comforting garlicky soup is meal-prep friendly and tastes even better on day two!
Ingredients
- Garlic: And lots of it! Choose fresh garlic heads that are tight and don’t have spotting.
- Potatoes: I recommend using starchy potatoes like Russet, Yukon Gold, or Fingerling.
- Mushrooms: (optional) You can use any of these: Baby Bella, Button, Baby Portobello, Shiitake, etc. You could also use dried mushrooms (rehydrate them first) OR omit them entirely.
- Shallots: Or regular onions. However, I don’t recommend red onions.
- Vegetable stock: I use homemade vegetable stock, though chicken broth would work if preferred. Adjust the amount of salt based on how salty your broth is.
- Cream: (optional) Add double/heavy cream (or whipping cream) for the ultimate creamy and silky soup. Use dairy or dairy-free as needed.
- Thyme: Fresh or dried thyme. If using dried, then use half the amount.
- Black Pepper: to taste. Also, I didn’t add any extra salt on top of the already salted vegetable stock. However, feel free to salt to taste.
- Croutons: Optional for garnish.
How to make garlic soup
Roast the garlic: First, chop the garlic heads in half, brushing the exposed garlic with a little oil. Place the thyme in an oven-safe dish or pan, and sprinkle a bit of oil. Then place the halved garlic heads, cut-side down, over the thyme. Cover the dish with foil.
Then roast the garlic in a preheated oven at 400°F/200ºC for about 30 minutes (up to 45, depending on the size of the heads and your particular oven). When ready, the garlic should be tender, caramelized, and lightly golden.
If you’d like the roasted garlic to caramelize more and become darker, remove the foil at the end, reduce the heat to 350ºF/175ºC, and cook for a further 5-10 minutes until your desired results.
Then, remove the garlic from the oven and allow it to cool down until you can handle the heat, then gently squeeze the garlic cloves from the head. They should pop out easily. You can mix them with the thyme.
Prepare the remaining vegetables while the garlic is roasting. First, rinse and peel the potatoes. Then dice them into small pieces (the smaller, the faster they will cook.) I recommend chopping them into 1-inch cubes. Then, clean the mushrooms with a slightly damp paper towel and roughly chop them into smaller pieces. Lastly, peel and finely dice the scallions.
Pan-fry the ingredients: Add the oil to a large saucepan over medium heat. Once hot, add the scallions and thyme for 4-5 minutes until translucent. Stir often to avoid browning. Next, add the potatoes and cook for about 15 minutes, until tender – the time will vary based on how finely you diced them.
Add the mushrooms and black pepper and sauté for a further 6-7 minutes, stirring often. Then, add the vegetable stock, roasted garlic, and thyme, continuing to cook for just a few more minutes to allow all the flavors to meld.
Blend the Soup: Finally, it’s time to blend the roasted garlic soup. Use an immersion blender (blending directly in the saucepan) or a regular blender to process into your desired texture. Then add the cream (if using). Taste the soup and adjust the salt/pepper if needed – then serve and enjoy!
You can optionally garnish your bowl with some fresh herbs (like parsley), a swirl of sour cream, croutons, crispy onions, or even a drizzle of olive oil (or chili oil). Furthermore, this roasted garlic potato soup is even better on day two after the ingredients have had even more time to “meld” and develop. So I recommend saving some for leftovers!
How to store
- To make ahead: You can roast the garlic up to 3 days in advance. Alternatively, make the entire soup in advance as it tastes better after the flavors have time to develop.
- To store: Place any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- To freeze: I recommend omitting the cream until thawed and freezing the pureed version only. To freeze, transfer to an airtight container or Ziplock bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Then thaw in the refrigerator overnight, reheat, and add the cream.
- To reheat: Use either the microwave or the stovetop – heat until piping hot.
More warming soup recipes
If you try this soup recipe, let me know how it goes in the comments below. I’d appreciate a recipe card rating and would love to see your recipe recreations – tag me on Instagram @Alphafoodie!
The Best Roasted Garlic Soup
Equipment
- Vegetable chopper optional
Ingredients
- 9.5 oz garlic 3 garlic heads, or more to taste
- 10.2 oz potatoes 3 small; use starchy or all-purpose potatoes like russet, Yukon gold, fingerling, etc.
- 2.8 oz mushrooms baby Bella, button, baby portobello, shiitake, etc – you choose
- 5.6 oz shallots 3 medium-sized; or onion
- 50 fl oz vegetable stock 6.25 cups; or chicken broth
- 1/4 cup double/ heavy cream optional; use vegan option if preferred
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 0.2 oz thyme
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Instructions
Roast the garlic
- Chop the garlic heads in half, brushing the exposed garlic with a little oil.
- Place the thyme in an oven-safe dish or pan, and sprinkle a bit of oil. Then place the halved garlic heads, cut-side down, over the thyme. Cover the dish with foil.
- Roast the garlic in a preheated oven at 400°F/200ºC for about 30 minutes (up to 45, depending on the size of the heads and your particular oven). When ready, the garlic should be tender, caramelized, and lightly golden.To caramelize further and become darker, remove the foil at the end, reduce the heat to 350ºF/175ºC, and cook for a further 5-10 minutes until your desired results.
- Remove the garlic from the oven and allow it to cool down. Then gently squeeze the garlic cloves from the head – they should pop out easily. Mix the cloves with thyme.
Prepare the remaining vegetables
- Rinse and peel the potatoes. Dice them into small, about 1-inch cubes – the smaller, the faster they cook.
- Clean the mushrooms (if using) with a slightly damp paper towel and roughly chop them into smaller pieces.
- Peel and finely dice the scallions.
Pan-fry the ingredients
- Add the oil to a large saucepan over medium heat. Once hot, add the scallions and thyme for 4-5 minutes until translucent. Stir often to avoid browning.
- Add the potatoes and cook for about 15 minutes, or until tender. The time will vary based on how finely you diced them.
- Add the mushrooms and black pepper and sauté for a further 6-7 minutes, stirring often.
- Add the vegetable stock, roasted garlic, and thyme, continuing to cook for just a few more minutes to allow all the flavors to meld.
Blend the soup
- Use an immersion blender or regular blender to process into your desired texture.
- Add the cream (if using). Taste the soup and adjust the salt/pepper if needed – then serve and enjoy!Optionally garnish the soup with some fresh herbs (like parsley), a swirl of sour cream, croutons, crispy onions, or even a drizzle of olive oil or chili oil.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
