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Garlic Soup

Garlic soup made with gently roasted, soft-golden cloves and blended into a silky golden broth, then finished with poached eggs. A French-Spanish style main dish with thyme and smoked paprika for warm, savory depth.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: French-Spanish
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Garlic Soup
  • 2 whole heads garlic About 20-24 cloves, peeled
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
  • 0.25 tsp cayenne
  • 4 cup chicken or vegetable broth Use whichever you prefer
  • 2 cup water
  • 4 crusty bread Toasted slices for serving
  • 4 eggs Poached in the soup
  • 0.25 salt and pepper to taste Season to your preference
  • 1 fresh parsley for garnish Chopped, to serve

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Roast the garlic
  1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat, then add the garlic cloves and cook for 12-15 minutes until soft and golden but not brown. Keep the heat gentle so the garlic turns silky instead of bitter.
Build the broth
  1. Add the smoked paprika and cayenne and cook for 1 minute, stirring so the spices bloom. You should smell warm, smoky aroma right away.
Simmer
  1. Add the chicken or vegetable broth and water, bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes. The garlic should be very tender and the broth lightly reduced.
Blend
  1. Use an immersion blender to blend most of the garlic smooth, leaving a few cloves whole. Blend until the broth looks thick, silky, and lightly golden with visible soft chunks.
Season
  1. Season the soup with salt, pepper, and fresh thyme leaves. Taste and adjust until the flavor is balanced and fragrant.
Poach the eggs in the soup
  1. Poach the eggs directly in the simmering soup for 3-4 minutes. The whites should be set and the yolks should remain soft in the center.
Serve
  1. Serve the soup hot with toasted crusty bread, the poached egg, and fresh parsley garnish. The bread should stay crisp against the silky broth.

Notes

Pro tip: blend only “most” of the garlic so you still get a few whole cloves for texture. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days; reheat gently and add fresh toast when serving (eggs are best made the same day). Freezing is not recommended due to the texture of the garlic and eggs. For a dairy-free and vegetarian option, use vegetable broth; for gluten-free, swap the toasted bread with gluten-free toast.