Roasted Garlic and Potato Soup has only a few ingredients, but it is so full of flavor. Roasting garlic mellows its sharpness and brings out a natural sweetness that blends perfectly with creamy potatoes, creating a silky, brothy soup with no dairy.
Creamy, comforting, and rich with roasted garlic flavor, this soup leans toward a smooth, brothy consistency rather than a dense puree.
You can blend it completely smooth for that silky, restaurant-style finish, or leave a little chunkiness if you prefer something with texture. And just like my Creamy Cucumber Gazpacho and Easy Watermelon Gazpacho, you can also eat it cold in the summer.
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Why I Love This Recipe
- It uses fewer than 10 affordable ingredients.
- Roasted garlic adds deep flavor without being overpowering.
- It's naturally creamy with no dairy and little added fat.
- It's easy enough for a weeknight.
- It reheats well the next day.
Shopping List
Garlic: The sharp, pungent bite of garlic softens into a mellow, slightly sweet flavor when roasted. I use two small to medium-sized heads. Roast several and use one in my Roasted Garlic and Spinach Pesto.
Potatoes: I like to use Yukon Golds, which are medium-starchy potatoes. If you want to use up the bag, make my Cauliflower Potato Soup or Zucchini and Potato Soup.
Vegetable Broth: I use Better Than Bouillon mixed with water, so I can control the depth and salt level of the broth. Cartons work just fine, but I like having that extra flexibility.
See the printable recipe card for quantities and a full ingredient list.
Variations
I have not varied this recipe much becasue I love it simple. But here are some things I have done for variation.
- Blend only some of the soup, leaving small potato pieces whole.
- Stir in chopped spinach at the end until wilted.
- Sprinkle in red pepper flakes for some heat.
How To Make Roasted Garlic and Potato Soup
See the complete printable recipe card below for the details.
Step 1: Slice the garlic head at the pointed end to expose the cloves.
Step 2. Place the bulbs cut-side up on a piece of foil and drizzle generously with olive oil.
Step 3. Wrap the garlic in foil loosely to create a sealed packet, then roast until soft and golden.
Step 4. While the garlic roasts, sauté the diced onions in olive oil in a large pot until softened and translucent.
Step 5: Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of their skins and stir them into the onions.
Step 6. Add the chopped potatoes, thyme, salt, pepper, and vegetable broth, then simmer until tender. Cook until the potatoes are fork-tender.
Step 7. Blend the soup until smooth. For added texture, leave some potatoes and onions without blending.
Step 8. Stir in the plant-based creamer and adjust the seasoning to taste.
Top Tips
- Blend in batches if needed. Don't overfill the blender, especially with hot soup.
- Leave some potatoes and onions without blending, if desired, for texture.
- Adjust the thickness by adding less broth for a thicker soup.
Foil Alternatives for Roasting Garlic
Small Covered Baking Dish or Small Dutch Oven: Place the garlic cut-side up in a small baking dish, drizzle with oil, and cover tightly with a lid or another inverted dish. This traps steam just like foil. There are also specific garlic bakers on Amazon with really good reviews.
Parchment Paper Packet: Wrap the garlic in parchment paper rather than foil, then fold it into a sealed pouch. Then place it on a baking sheet and roast as directed.
Muffin Tin Method: Place the garlic heads into the wells of a 6 or 12-muffin tin and drizzle with olive oil. To trap the steam, either invert a second muffin tin over the top or cover it with a baking sheet. This method is obviously helpful when roasting many heads at once.
Open Roast: You can roast it uncovered in a small oven-safe dish, too. Just drizzle well with oil so it doesn't dry out or burn. It will caramelize more and be slightly less soft with a more intense flavor.
Serving Suggestions
- I love haveing this roasted garlic and potato soup sipped in a mug instead of a spooned from a bowl. It's brothy, super flavorful, and honestly feels like the coziest thing to wrap your hands around.
- Serve this soup with a thick slice of crusty bread to soak up every last bit.
- Pair it with a crisp green salad and Homemade Italian Vinaigrette.
- It's also really good topped with a drizzle of olive oil, crispy chickpeas, air-fried croutons, fresh chives, or even a spoonful of yogurt or sour cream for extra richness.
FAQS - Roasted Garlic and Potato Soup
Yes. It actually tastes even better the next day as the flavors deepen. Store in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.
For thicker soup, simmer a little longer or use less broth. For thinner soup, stir in extra broth or milk until it reaches your preferred consistency.
Drop a comment and tell me how this Roasted Garlic and Potato Soup turned out! Was it love at first bite? Surprisingly edible? Or a full-on yuck? And if my directions helped (or didn't), please let me know so I can continue to improve these recipes for you.
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Recipe Card
Roasted Garlic and Potato Soup
Equipment
- Lodge cast iron pot or any large pot
Ingredients
- 2 small heads garlic
- 2 tablespoons olive oil plus more for roasting garlic head
- 1 large yellow or white onion ~2 cups diced
- 2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes peeled and cubed
- 5 cups vegetable broth or mix 2 tablespoons of Better Than Bouillon with 5 cups of water.
- 1¼-1½ teaspoons salt or to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 cup unsweetened vegan creamer or oat milk or canned coconut milk (any thick, unsweetened plant milk works)
Garnish (Optional)
- parsley or chives
- roasted chickpeas croutons
- air fryer croutons
Instructions
- Roast the garlic: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Remove the papery skin from the garlic. Slice the pointy top off the garlic heads to expose the cloves. Place it on foil, drizzle with olive oil, wrap the foil loosely around the garlic, and roast for 1 hour or until soft and golden. Let cool.
- Prep ingredients: While the garlic roasts, chop the onion, peel and dice the potatoes, and measure out the remaining ingredients.
- Cook the onions: In a 4 or 5-quart pot, heat the olive oil (including any reserved garlic oil from the foil) over medium-high heat. Add the diced onions and cook for about 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and lightly golden.
- Build the soup: Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves from their skins and add them to the pot along with the diced potatoes, vegetable broth, water, salt, pepper, and thyme. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for about 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are very tender.
- Blend: Carefully blend the soup in a blender (with the center part of the lid removed) until smooth, working in batches if needed. Return the soup to the pot. An immersion blender works too, but it won't get it quite as velvety.If you like a little texture, leave some potatoes and onions without blending. It adds a nice, hearty bite instead of fully puréeing everything.
- Finish and serve: Stir in the vegan cream or oat milk and warm the soup over medium heat, stirring until heated through. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Garnish with chives or parsley and croutons if desired.
Vger says
Roasting the two heads of garlic completely transforms the soup — the sharpness melts away and you get this deep, sweet, mellow flavor that makes the whole thing taste like it simmered for hours. The Yukon Golds blend up silky and creamy without a drop of dairy, and the broth-forward consistency is exactly what I wanted on a cold night.
Regi Pearce says
Yes to the Yukon Golds! They’re magic for that silky texture without needing any dairy. I’m so glad the broth-forward vibe hit the spot for a cold night — that’s exactly when this soup shines. Thank you for sharing your experience!
Regi Pearce says
I’ve made this soup so many times now, and it never disappoints. The roasted garlic really makes it mellow, slightly sweet, and so comforting. I personally like to leave a few potato pieces unblended for texture, but it’s just as good silky smooth. If you try it, let me know how garlicky you went - one head or two?