Description
Provençal garlic bread soup delivers comfort from Southern France’s rustic kitchens. Rich with roasted garlic, crusty bread, and creamy broth, you’ll savor each spoonful of this hearty peasant classic.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
- 2 cups stale bread, cubed (French bread or sourdough)
- 1 whole head of garlic
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 4 tbsps unsalted butter
- ½ cup heavy cream (or half & half)
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- 2 tbsps fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Roast Garlic: Slice off the top of the garlic head, drizzle with olive oil, and wrap completely in aluminum foil. Roast in a preheated oven at 400F (200C) for 30-35 minutes until cloves become soft and caramelized. Cool slightly and squeeze out the roasted pulp.
- Sauté Base: Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add finely chopped onions and cook until translucent, releasing their sweet aromatics. Incorporate roasted garlic pulp, vegetable or chicken broth, cubed bread, dried thyme, salt, and black pepper.
- Simmer and Blend: Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, allowing bread to soften and flavors to meld for about 15 minutes. Stir periodically to prevent sticking. Puree the soup using an immersion blender or standard blender until smooth and creamy.
- Finish and Serve: Stir in heavy cream and freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Simmer for an additional 5 minutes to develop deeper flavors. Ladle the velvety soup into warm bowls, garnish with chopped parsley, and serve with crispy toasted bread slices.
Notes
- Roast Garlic Carefully: Select fresh, firm garlic heads and ensure even roasting to develop rich, caramelized sweetness without burning the cloves.
- Bread Selection Matters: Use day-old crusty bread like sourdough or rustic French bread for maximum texture and flavor absorption in the soup.
- Blending Technique: Blend in batches or use an immersion blender slowly to achieve ultra-smooth consistency without splattering hot liquid.
- Dietary Adaptation: Replace heavy cream with coconut milk for a dairy-free version, or use vegetable broth to make the soup vegetarian-friendly.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Cholesterol: 60 mg