A hearty, warming, fragrant garlic flavoured soup that also has the goodness of leeks, creaminess of potatoes and topping of some crusty salt and pepper croutons
I can have a bowl of soup in any season – be it summer, fall or winter. Not only are most of them very quick and easy to make, but they are so comforting, as well. Almost like a hug in a bowl. Moreover, the most amazing thing about soups is that, you can find one for every season and reason. For example, a chilled, refreshing bowl of gazpacho in the summer or a spicy, delicious Thai chicken soup for the rainy evening. Like I said, there is one for everyone. Yet another amazing bit about soups is that, there is also a beautiful range of different textured soups. From the broth like ones to the more creamy ones. And my Italian garlic soup is one of the latter. So creamy, so comforting that it will lift your spirits even on a grey and chilly day!
Moreover, I’ve also topped it with some crunchy croutons, making it even more delicious. And even they are homemade, since they are no hassle to make, like the garlic soup. In fact, I’ve made my salt and black pepper croutons with sourdough bread slices, making them even yum. Coming to my Italian garlic soup, while the primary flavour is that garlic, it also has the sweetness of leeks and the creaminess of potatoes. Additionally, it has got the deliciousness of cream too. However, if you are feeling health conscious, you can completely avoid the cream too. Simply, increase the quantity of potatoes you will be adding to the soup. Even they will make the soup creamy, without the calories. But I love adding some cream to my garlic soup, for the luscious texture that it gives to it.
You may also like,
French lentil and spinach soup
Roasted pepper and zucchini soup
Herby garlic soup
Besides the vegetables and the cream that makes the soup so good, there is thyme and parsley to make it even more fragrant. I have added thyme twice, once while cooking the soup and secondly, as a garnish along with crushed black pepper. This Italian garlic soup has the sweetness of onions, leeks and garlic along with the fragrance of the herbs and the pepper. All this along with the creaminess and body of potatoes. However, the deliciousness of the soup doesn’t end here! That’s because, I always make my soups with stock and never with water. Be it chicken, fish or vegetable stock, it has to be stock always. This makes a huge difference to how your soup is going to taste. Even stock cubes work brilliantly, in case you don’t have homemade stock available with you. In fact that’s what even I have used here.
While I have added chicken stock cubes, you could use the vegetarian ones, as well. And to make the soup vegan, you can leave the addition of cream out. This garlic soup is one of those beauties, that comes together effortlessly, with minimal ingredients too. And if you are someone, like us, who loves the flavour of garlic then you definitely must try this out. More so now, since it is already autumn and the day’s are going to get shorter and colder. And this soup for your supper is going to be just what you need to feel cozy!
Share it
Are you planning to make this heart, warming soup sometime? If you do, then I’d love to know how you enjoyed it. You can share your food pictures with me on Instagram and/or drop your feedback in the comments section, below.
Eat hearty!
Italian garlic soup
Equipment
- Stock pot
Ingredients
- ½ cup onions roughly chopped
- 2 cups leeks roughly chopped
- 1 cup potatoes diced
- 1 head garlic (10-12 cloves of garlic) minced
- 4 chicken/vegetable stock cubes crushed
- 1 tbsp dried thyme
- 2-3 tbsp parsley roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp black pepper crushed
- 2-3 tbsp cream
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- salt to taste
To make the croutons
- 3 slices bread diced
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 2 tsp black pepper crushed
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Heat your stock pot with the olive oil and throw in the onions. In another 3-4 minutes add the leeks and wait for them to soften
- When that happens, add the potatoes, garlic, stock cubes, thyme and salt to taste. Give it a good mix and add 6 cups of hot water. Let this simmer over medium heat, until the potatoes are completely cooked
- Insert a stick blender and blend this to smooth puree´ and let it gently simmer over medium heat. Add the cream, pepper and the parsley. Cook for 5-6 minutes and then remove from flame*
- To make the croutons, in a pan add the olive oil and the bread. Keep stirring and frying until they are well browned. Season with salt and pepper, mix well and remove from flame
- Serve your delicious, warming Italian garlic soup topped with the croutons and garnished with some cream, thyme and pepper. Enjoy!
Notes
- In case leeks aren't available, you can substitute them with spring onions
- If a stick/immersion blender is not available with you, remove the soup from the flame, let it cool down and then puree it in a mixer
- You can adjust the amount of garlic cloves to be added as per your taste preference
- In case using stock, instead of the stock cubes, add equivalent amount of it as the water's quantity mentioned here
- 1 cup = 250 millilitres
- tbsp - tablespoon
- tsp - teaspoon
