Garlic and Herb Soup (Print Version)

Aromatic soup with sweet garlic, mixed herbs, and creamy potatoes. Vegetarian and gluten-free friendly.

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 large onion, finely chopped
02 - 1 large leek, white and light green parts only, sliced
03 - 10 large garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
04 - 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced

→ Liquids

05 - 4 cups vegetable broth
06 - 1 cup whole milk or unsweetened plant-based milk

→ Herbs

07 - 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped
08 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
09 - 1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped

→ Fats and Seasoning

10 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
11 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ Optional Garnish

12 - 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
13 - Croutons or toasted gluten-free bread

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and leek; sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until softened but not browned.
02 - Add the sliced garlic and cook gently for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent browning.
03 - Stir in the potatoes, thyme, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Sauté for 2 minutes.
04 - Pour in the vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes until potatoes are tender.
05 - Remove from heat. Stir in the milk and most of the parsley and chives, reserving a small amount for garnish.
06 - Use an immersion blender to purée the soup until smooth, or leave slightly chunky if preferred. Adjust seasoning to taste.
07 - Ladle into bowls. Garnish with remaining herbs and, if desired, grated Parmesan and croutons.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • Garlic becomes creamy and sweet when simmered gently, not bitter or aggressive like you might fear.
  • The whole thing comes together in 40 minutes, which means you can go from empty kitchen to steaming bowls before dinner guests arrive.
  • It's naturally vegetarian and easily made dairy-free, so you're not juggling multiple versions in your head.
02 -
  • Don't skip the gentle cooking of garlic—I learned this by rushing once and ending up with a soup that tasted like I'd dumped raw garlic into broth, which was genuinely unpleasant.
  • Temperature matters when you add the milk; adding cold milk to a boiling broth can make it separate and look curdled, so take it off the heat first.
  • The soup thickens as it sits, so if you made it yesterday and it looks thicker today, that's normal and actually welcome.
03 -
  • If your soup tastes flat after blending, it often just needs a small squeeze of lemon juice or a pinch more salt—don't add more herbs, just brighten what you already have.
  • Save a handful of the potato-and-broth mixture before blending if you like a little texture; fold it back in at the end for a soup that's smooth but not aggressively puréed.
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