Description
Roasted garlic & creamy potato soup with seared mushroom offers a luxurious comfort dish from rustic kitchens. Silky potatoes blend with caramelized garlic, crowned by golden mushrooms that add rich umami depth you’ll savor with each spoonful.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 pounds (907 grams) russet potatoes, peeled, roughly chopped and boiled
- 4–6 cups (32–48 ounces / 900–1350 grams) vegetable or chicken broth
- 4 cups (10.5 ounces / 300 grams) sliced crimini mushrooms
- 1 large yellow onion, peeled and chopped
- 1–2 heads of garlic
Dairy and Creamy Components:
- ¼ cup (57 grams) salted butter
- ¼ cup flour
- 1 cup milk
- ¼ cup half and half (10% cream)
Seasonings and Garnishes:
- ½ teaspoon ground thyme
- Sea salt
- Coarse black pepper
- Fresh thyme sprigs
- Minced green onion or chives
- Coarse black pepper or paprika
- Parmesan or crumbled feta cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF, preparing for garlic transformation.
- Using a sharp knife, decapitate the garlic head to expose clove tips, gently removing outer skin layers while preserving the primary protective membrane.
- Anoint the exposed cloves with olive oil, seasoning generously with salt and coarse pepper. Envelop the garlic head in aluminum foil, positioning the bundled treasure on a baking sheet.
- Roast for approximately 40 minutes until the garlic develops an aromatic golden essence and reaches a luxuriously soft consistency.
- Carefully extract the caramelized garlic by gently squeezing from the base, allowing the creamy cloves to emerge effortlessly. Sample briefly, then reserve the warm roasted garlic.
- In a substantial pot, melt butter over gentle heat. Introduce onions and sauté until translucent, then dust with flour, stirring meticulously to prevent browning.
- Pour in broth, milk, cream, and thyme, seasoning with salt and pepper. Whisk vigorously while bringing to a boil, then reduce to a delicate simmer, allowing the mixture to harmonize and thicken.
- Incorporate cooked potatoes and roasted garlic cloves into the velvety béchamel base.
- Transfer the mixture in carefully measured batches to a blender, puréeing until impossibly smooth. Adjust consistency by introducing additional broth if needed, and fine-tune seasonings to taste.
- Simultaneously, prepare mushrooms in a separate skillet. Heat pan until scorching, then sear mushrooms in butter, allowing natural moisture to evaporate and develop a rich caramelized exterior.
- Fold most of the seared mushrooms into the soup, reserving a few for an elegant garnish.
- Serve the soup piping hot, adorned with fresh thyme, green onions, cracked black pepper, reserved mushroom medallions, and optional cheese sprinkle.
Notes
- Roasting garlic transforms its sharp bite into a mellow, caramelized sweetness that deeply enriches the soup’s overall flavor profile.
- Carefully searing mushrooms in a hot pan allows natural moisture to evaporate, creating a beautiful golden-brown crust that adds robust umami depth to the dish.
- Creating a smooth, velvety texture requires blending the soup in batches and adjusting liquid consistency to prevent lumps and ensure silky perfection.
- Developing a proper roux by slowly integrating flour with butter and onions helps thicken the soup naturally without creating unwanted clumps.
- Using fresh herbs like thyme and green onions as garnish provides bright, aromatic finishing touches that elevate the soup’s complexity and visual appeal.
- Low and slow cooking techniques ensure ingredients develop maximum flavor while maintaining a delicate, luxurious texture throughout the preparation process.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 300
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 40mg