Velvety, rich, and deeply savory. This French Garlic Soup brings a comforting, rustic warmth to the table that James absolutely loves on chilly evenings. With a fragrant broth and a creamy finish, it is one of those Garlic Recipes Easy enough for weeknights but elegant enough for company. You need to try this soothing bowl today.
What Makes This French Garlic Soup Special
You will appreciate how this French Garlic Soup transforms a few humble heads of garlic into a luxurious, creamy masterpiece. The primary benefit is its deeply savory broth that soothes and warms you from the inside out. Unlike a heavy Garlic Potato Soup, this version relies on a classic emulsion technique for its silky texture, keeping it light yet satisfying. The delicate sage infusion also elevates the overall flavor profile beautifully.
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Ingredients
Crafting this French Garlic Soup requires just a few simple pantry staples to build a rich, complex flavor. It is a classic Garlic Soup Recipe that relies heavily on a quality broth and fresh herbs.
Scroll to the recipe card for ingredients and step-by-step directions.
Main Ingredients
- Chicken stock: Forms the savory, rich base of the broth.
- Fresh sage: Adds an earthy, aromatic note to the soup.
- Garlic: The star ingredient, boiled gently to remove harsh bitterness.
- Egg yolk: Emulsifies the oil to create a creamy thickener.
- Olive oil: Blended into a lush homemade mayonnaise.
- Dijon mustard: Provides a subtle tang and aids in emulsification.
How to Make French Garlic Soup (Step-by-Step)
Creating this dish is surprisingly straightforward, delivering a luxurious texture without the long oven time of a Roasted Garlic Soup.
Prep The Broth Heat the chicken stock and fresh sage in a large Dutch oven to infuse the liquid. This builds the aromatic foundation, resulting in a fragrant, gently simmering broth.
Clean The Garlic Slice the peeled garlic cloves lengthwise and remove the inner shoots. This prevents bitterness in the final dish, leaving clean, mild garlic pieces ready for cooking.
Why do I need to remove the garlic shoot? Removing the green embryonic shoot removes the sharp, acrid flavor that can overpower delicate broths.
Boil The Garlic Boil the prepared garlic cloves in a small saucepan of water for about four minutes before draining. This softens the flesh rapidly, yielding tender cloves that are easy to crush.
Mash And Simmer Mash the softened garlic with a fork and simmer it in the stock for ten minutes. This melds the flavors together, creating a deeply infused, aromatic soup base.
Blend The Mayonnaise Blend the egg yolk, mustard, salt, and olive oil in a jar using an immersion blender. This creates the thickening agent, forming a thick, creamy emulsion instantly.
Temper And Whisk Stir a ladle of hot soup into the mayonnaise to temper it, then whisk the mixture back into the pot. This gently raises the egg's temperature, producing a velvety smooth, uncurdled texture.
Kitchen Wisdom
Top Tip
Getting the emulsion right is the key to this French Garlic Soup.
Temper the egg → prevents scrambling in the hot broth → look for a smooth, velvety soup.
Remove the shoots → prevents bitter flavors → look for clean, white clove halves.
Boil the garlic → softens the texture rapidly → look for easily mashable cloves.
Blend in a jar → forces the oil and egg together → look for a thick, creamy mayonnaise.
Follow Aliana on Pinterest →Creative Modifications
You can easily customize this soup to suit what you have on hand. Toss in a handful of fresh spinach right at the end for a bright pop of green. If you want a heartier meal, stir in some cooked shredded chicken or white beans before serving.
Storage Tips
Store any leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Because this soup contains an egg emulsion, it will separate if frozen. Reheat very gently on the stovetop over low heat, whisking constantly to prevent the creamy broth from breaking or curdling.
Complete the Meal
This French Garlic Soup is incredibly rich, so it pairs beautifully with something crisp. Serve it with a handful of crusty croutons and a light drizzle of high-quality olive oil. A simple side salad dressed with a sharp lemon vinaigrette perfectly cuts through the creamy richness.
Common Questions
Can I use pre-minced garlic?
Freshly peeled garlic is absolutely necessary for this recipe to work. Pre-minced varieties often contain added preservatives that alter the natural flavor and won't soften correctly when boiled, leaving a harsh, metallic taste that ruins your delicate broth. Always choose whole heads for the sweetest flavor profile.
Why did my soup curdle?
Curdling happens if the soup boils after the mayonnaise is added or if the egg wasn't tempered properly. Always keep the heat on a gentle simmer and whisk vigorously when combining the ingredients to maintain that beautiful, velvety smooth texture.
Can I substitute the chicken stock?
You can easily swap the chicken stock for a robust vegetable broth if you prefer a completely vegetarian option. Just ensure it is a high-quality, flavorful broth, as it forms the entire aromatic base of this deeply comforting soup.
Do I really need to remove the garlic shoots?
Yes, the embryonic shoot found in the center of the clove can be quite bitter when cooked. Removing it ensures your broth remains sweet, mild, and perfectly balanced, especially when using such a large quantity of garlic in one dish.
Explore More Goodness
If you enjoyed this soothing Dinner, this French Garlic Soup will quickly become a favorite in your rotation.
Gave this recipe your own spin? Share it on Pinterest @AlianaRecipes - I can't wait to see your take on it!
French Garlic Soup
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Heat the chicken stock and fresh sage in a large Dutch oven until it reaches a gentle simmer. This step infuses the liquid with earthy flavors before the other ingredients are added.
- Remove the skins from the garlic, slice cloves in half lengthwise, and pry out the embryonic shoots. This crucial prep removes any underlying bitterness from the cloves.
- Boil the prepared garlic cloves in a small saucepan of water for 3-4 minutes, then drain. This quick blanching softens the flesh so it mashes easily.
- Mash the softened garlic with a fork, add it to the gently simmering stock, and cook for 10 minutes. This distributes the mellowed garlic flavor completely throughout the hot broth.
- Place the egg yolk, mustard, salt, and olive oil in a narrow jar and blend with an immersion blender until emulsified. This creates a thick, creamy mayonnaise that will thicken the soup.
- Stir a ladle of hot soup into the mayonnaise to temper it, then immediately whisk the mixture back into the main pot. This raises the egg's temperature gradually to prevent curdling.
- Bring the soup back up to serving temperature on the stove, ensuring it does not come to a boil. Keeping the heat low protects the silky, velvety texture of the final dish.
Nutrition
Notes
Pairing
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