Roasted Garlic, Potato, and Parmesan Soup

A creamy, delicious soup that comes together in minutes thanks to Parmesan stock.

Updated July 12, 2021

roasted garlic and parmesan soup in a bowl with red pepper flakes and basil as garnish — Vicky Wasik

Why It Works

Creamy Parmesan stock and roasted garlic provide savory depth to this simple soup.
Simmering and blending potatoes with the stock gives the soup body without the need for a roux or extra dairy.

This creamy garlic soup relies heavily on the flavor of a stock made from leftover Parmesan rinds, which are simmered in water and then blended to produce a creamy liquid with a lot of Parmesan flavor. With that stock on hand, the soup comes together quickly and requires very few additional ingredients.

I added potatoes to give the soup texture and heft, without adding any distracting flavor. The result is a thick, creamy blend with a background cheesiness that lets the roasted garlic occupy center stage. While I think the soup is best when it’s strained after blending—t can be a little gritty if left unstrained—I’ve found that many people don’t notice the grittiness at all.

If you make the recipe as written, the flavor of the roasted garlic is present but not overwhelming. But if you’d like a more pronounced roasted garlic flavor, add more to your taste as you blend the soup.

Recipe Details

Roasted Garlic and Parmesan Rind Soup Recipe

Total 50 mins

Serves 4 servings

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Ingredients

For the Soup:

3 tablespoons (45ml) extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 medium white onion (about 8 ounces; 225g), finely chopped
1 1/4 pounds (2 large potatoes; 570g) Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
10 cloves roasted garlic, mashed to a paste
4 cups (1L) Parmesan stock, plus extra as needed
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

For Serving:

Fresh basil leaves, small leaves left whole, large leaves torn into pieces
Red pepper flakes
Crusty bread

Directions

For the Soup: In a medium pot, heat olive oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, until onion is softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Add potato and roasted garlic, season lightly with salt and pepper and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until onion just begins to brown, about 5 minutes.
Vicky Wasik
Add Parmesan stock, and bring to boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender and offer little to no resistance when poked with a paring knife, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat.
Vicky Wasik
Using an immersion or countertop blender, blend soup until completely smooth (if using a countertop blender, blend in batches, if necessary, and start blending at low speed before increasing to high). If soup is too thick, thin as needed with additional Parmesan stock. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg.
Vicky Wasik
For Serving: Divide soup between warmed bowls, sprinkle with basil and red pepper flakes, and serve, passing bread at the table.
Vicky Wasik

Make-Ahead and Storage

The finished soup can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
290	Calories
12g	Fat
43g	Carbs
6g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories	290
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 12g	15%
Saturated Fat 2g	10%
Cholesterol 2mg	1%
Sodium 220mg	10%
Total Carbohydrate 43g	15%
Dietary Fiber 4g	16%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 6g
Vitamin C 19mg	96%
Calcium 93mg	7%
Iron 2mg	12%
Potassium 907mg	19%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Roasted Garlic, Potato, and Parmesan Soup

Why It Works

Roasted Garlic and Parmesan Rind Soup Recipe

Make-Ahead and Storage

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