Garlic Soup

Total Time Prep: 10 min. Cook: 25 min.
Yield 1 quart
This garlic soup is a winner, even if you're not a big-time garlic aficionado. It uses roasted garlic rather than raw, so it's rich, mellow and utterly comforting on a cold day.

Ingredients

  • 3 whole garlic bulbs, tops cut off
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1-1/4 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
  • 1 teaspoon minced fresh sage
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1 tablespoon sherry, optional
  • Optional: Grated Parmesan cheese, fresh cracked black pepper

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 425°. Remove papery outer skin from garlic bulb, but do not peel or separate the cloves. Cut off top of garlic bulb, exposing individual cloves; brush with oil. Wrap in heavy-duty foil. Bake until cloves are softened, 30-35 minutes. Unwrap and cool 10 minutes. Squeeze garlic cloves into a bowl; mash with a fork until smooth.
  2. In a Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Add onions; cook until slightly caramelized on edges, 8-10 minutes. Stir in garlic, salt, thyme, sage and pepper; cook one minute longer. Stir in flour; cook until browned, 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly. Slowly whisk in chicken broth; add bay leaf. Bring to a simmer; cook until thickened, 8-10 minutes, whisking frequently. Add cream and if desired, sherry.
  3. Remove soup from heat; cool slightly. Process in batches in a blender until smooth, return to pan. If desired, top with Parmesan and pepper.

Nutrition Facts

1 cup: 286 calories, 20g fat (11g saturated fat), 49mg cholesterol, 1367mg sodium, 21g carbohydrate (3g sugars, 1g fiber), 7g protein.