Roasted Garlic and Herb Soup (Printable)

Velvety soup with roasted garlic, fresh herbs, and vegetables—perfect for cozy evenings or elegant starters.

# 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
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

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. 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.
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 or in batches in a blender until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
06 - Ladle into bowls, garnish with fresh chives or parsley, and serve hot with crusty bread.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The roasting step transforms raw garlic into something so sweet and mellow that even garlic-skeptics ask for seconds.
  • It comes together in just over an hour but tastes like you've been simmering it all day.
  • You can make it vegan, creamy, or somewhere in between depending on your mood and what's in your fridge.
02 -
  • If you blend while the soup is still boiling hot, it can explode out of an immersion blender or splatter dangerously from a regular blender—let it cool just a touch or blend carefully in smaller batches.
  • Don't skip removing that bay leaf before blending, or you'll end up with bay leaf flecks throughout your otherwise silky soup (ask me how I know).
03 -
  • Use a really good quality vegetable broth, or make your own—it's the foundation that everything else builds on, and corners cut here will show in the final bowl.
  • If your soup comes out thinner than expected, simmer it uncovered for a few extra minutes to evaporate some liquid, or stir in a spoonful of mashed potato to thicken it up naturally.
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