Roasted Garlic Soup
Whole roasted garlic heads simmered with potato and stock for 40 minutes and blended into a smooth, mellow soup. Four servings in 50 minutes.
The Method for Roasted Garlic Soup
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Heat the oven to 190°C / 375°F. Cut the tops off the garlic, drizzle with 1 tbsp of the oil, wrap in foil and roast for 40 minutes. Squeeze out the cloves.
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Soften the onion in the remaining oil for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, potatoes, stock and thyme and simmer for 40 minutes.
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Remove the thyme, blend until smooth and stir in the cream, lemon juice and salt.
What Can Go Wrong
- Roast the garlic first.
- Blend until completely smooth.
- If your hob runs hot, check at 30 minutes.
- Add the lemon at the end.
Ingredient Swaps
- Double cream won't whip if you swap it, but for the cooking itself, full-fat crème fraîche or a lower-fat single cream works in its place.
- An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.
The Short Version
It sounds ferocious and tastes gentle. Roasting turns garlic sweet and mild, so a whole head per person gives a soup that is rich and nutty, with nothing sharp about it.
Roast the heads first, wrapped in foil, until the cloves are soft. Squeeze them out of their skins into a pan, where they melt into the onion and potato. Do not skip the roasting, as raw garlic in this quantity would be harsh.
Simmer the potato in the stock with the garlic and a sprig of thyme for 40 minutes, until very soft. The potato gives body, so no flour or cream is needed.
If your hob runs hot, check at 30 minutes. Blend until completely smooth, then pass through a sieve if you want it silky. Finish with a splash of cream and a squeeze of lemon. Serve with toasted bread and a drizzle of olive oil. Leftover soup freezes well, though it is best to add the cream after reheating.
To Go With It
Crusty bread · Croutons · Grated gruyere · Green salad
Storing Leftovers
Keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently.
Common Questions
How long does Roasted Garlic Soup take to make?
About 50 minutes in total — 10 minutes of preparation and 40 minutes of cooking. The recipe serves 4.
What are the key tips for making Roasted Garlic Soup?
Roast the garlic first. Blend until completely smooth. If your hob runs hot, check at 30 minutes. Add the lemon at the end.
What should I serve with Roasted Garlic Soup?
Crusty bread; Croutons; Grated gruyere; Green salad.
How should Roasted Garlic Soup be stored?
Keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently.
Is Roasted Garlic Soup suitable for a special diet?
This recipe is vegetarian, low-carb, keto and no added sugar. Those labels are checked against the ingredient list, so a dish is only marked when nothing in it contradicts the claim.
Roasted Garlic Soup Nutrition
Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.
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Written and tested by Turab
One person, one kitchen — no test kitchen, no team. How every recipe on this site is checked before it goes up.
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