Baked Garlic Soup with Herb Toast
Submitted by moosh
Roasted garlic soup made from a whole head of garlic baked with rosemary, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar. Served with Parmesan herb toast for dipping.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
60 minREADY
80 minA whole head of garlic gets roasted low and slow with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and a sprig of rosemary until the cloves turn soft and sweet enough to squeeze from their skins like paste. That roasted garlic gets simmered in vegetable stock and dry white wine for a broth that’s mellow and nutty, nothing like the sharp bite of raw garlic.
The herb toast is really a second star here, not just an afterthought. Whole wheat Italian bread gets baked until crisp, rubbed with a raw garlic clove for a burst of sharp flavor, brushed with olive oil, then topped with grated Parmesan and garlic chives. Back in the oven until the cheese melts. Dip these into the soup and you get crunch, salt, and cheese against that smooth, warm broth.
This is a vegetarian soup that doesn’t feel like it’s missing anything. The roasted garlic and wine reduction give it a depth that rivals meat-based broths.
Kitchen Tips
- Don’t peel or separate the garlic head before roasting. Keeping it whole lets the cloves steam inside their papery wrappers and turn creamy without drying out.
- Roast until very tender, about an hour. Undercooked roasted garlic is bitter. Properly roasted garlic is sweet and spreadable.
- Bake the toast until crisp but not golden. Over-toasted bread crumbles instead of holding up when dipped.
- Chinese garlic chives have a stronger garlic flavor than regular chives. If substituting regular chives, mince a clove of garlic into them.
Variations
- Add a swirl of cream or creme fraiche to each bowl for a richer finish.
- Roast two heads of garlic instead of one for a more intense, sweeter soup.
- Top with a poached egg for a heartier lunch.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat the oven to 300℉ (150℃)
Slice the top from the head of garlic and remove most of the papery outer skin from the head, but do not peel or separate into cloves.
Place in a small ovenproof dish. Pour the olive oil over the top and add the vinegar and rosemary.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake until very tender, about 1 hour.
Remove from the oven and let cool.
NOTE - Prepare ½ loaf of whole wheat Italian bread: cut diagonally into ½ inch-thick slices.
Preheat the oven to 350℉ (180℃). Squeeze the softened garlic from the skins into a saucepan, and add the broth and wine. Heat to a simmer over medium-low heat and cook for 15 minutes. While cooking, make the herb toast. Bake the bread slices on a baking sheet until crisp but not golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Rub the bread with the cut sides of the garlic clove, then brush generously with oil. Sprinkle on a thin layer of the Parmesan cheese and chives. Bake until the cheese is melted, another 5 minutes. Serve immediately with the hot soup. Substitution for the Chinese garlic chives: 1 clove garlic and twice as much volumn of fresh chives.
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