This garlic soup recipe turns a handful of everyday ingredients into a mellow, aromatic bowl of comfort. Fifteen cloves might sound like a challenge, but a gentle simmer softens their sharpness and lets their sweeter side come through. Herbs and a couple of whole cloves perfume the broth, while egg yolks whisked with olive oil give it a silky finish without cream. It is light enough to serve before dinner, yet lovely with toasted French bread when you want a simple lunch. Most of the cooking happens quietly on the stove; the only part that needs your attention is adding the eggs gently at the end.
If you enjoy this style of cooking, try Egg and Garlic Soup (Le Tourin), Homestyle Mushroom Soup, or this easy famous French Onion Soup next. Bring a spoon, and something crisp for dipping.
Quick Look: Garlic Soup Recipe
- ⏱️ Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 55 minutes
- 🕒 Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- 👥 Servings: 6
- 📊 Calories: ~51 kcal per serving (based on nutrition panel)
- 🔥 Cook Method: Simmering
- 👩🍳 Flavor Profile: Mellow, savory, and aromatic, with a silky egg-and-olive-oil finish.
- ⭐ Difficulty: Easy, with careful egg tempering
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What Is This Garlic Soup Recipe?
This is a French-style garlic soup made with a gently simmered garlic-and-herb broth, then enriched with egg yolks and olive oil. It is smooth and light rather than thick with cream. French garlic soups take several forms; this version is a lovely alternative to the Le Tourin recipe also on Love French Food.
Jump to:
- Quick Look: Garlic Soup Recipe
- What Is This Garlic Soup Recipe?
- Key Ingredients
- Substitutions For Garlic Soup Recipe
- Variations For French Garlic Soup
- Kitchen Tools & Equipment
- How To Make Garlic Soup Recipe
- Secrets From Judith's Kitchen For Garlic Soup Recipe
- Expert Chef Top Tip
- What To Serve With Garlic Soup Recipe
- Best Wine To Pair With Garlic Soup Recipe
- Garlic Soup Recipe FAQ
- More Classic French Soups
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
Key Ingredients
For The Broth
- Garlic: Whole peeled cloves soften in the broth, giving the soup its mellow flavor without roasting or browning.
- Herbs and whole cloves: Sage, thyme, bay, parsley, and two whole cloves give the simple water-based broth its aroma.
For The Egg And Olive Oil Finish
- Egg yolks: Gently tempered yolks give the finished soup a silky texture.
- Olive oil: One portion flavors the broth, while a separate portion is whisked into the yolks for richness.
NOTE: See recipe card for a full list of ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions For Garlic Soup Recipe
These swaps keep the garlic at the heart of the soup:
- Dairy-free: The soup itself contains no dairy; omit the Parmesan served alongside it.
- Gluten-free: Serve with gluten-free toast or omit the bread; check packaged seasonings for your dietary needs.
- Egg-free or vegan: Omit the yolks and their separate 2-3 tablespoons of oil, then blend the cooked garlic into the broth. The result will be lighter and less silky. Omit Parmesan for a vegan meal.
- Whole cloves unavailable: Leave them out for a simpler herb flavor rather than adding an unmeasured pinch of potent ground cloves.
For a vegetarian serving, choose a hard cheese made with vegetarian rennet instead of traditional Parmesan.
Variations For French Garlic Soup
Try one of these small changes after making the original:
- Lemon and parsley: Add a little finely grated lemon zest and chopped fresh parsley just before serving for a brighter finish.
- Gently spicy: Add a small pinch of chili flakes to the broth as it simmers, keeping the heat mild enough for the garlic to shine.
- Use easy & quick vegetable stock or your own chicken broth: These stocks will alter the flavour a little but will still be very tasty.
Kitchen Tools & Equipment
- Heavy-bottomed saucepan: Even heat keeps the broth at a steady simmer and makes the delicate egg finish easier to control.
How To Make Garlic Soup Recipe
Making The Garlic Broth
1. Blanch the unpeeled garlic cloves in boiling water for about 1 minute. Drain, cool under cold running water, and peel. Discard the blanching water.
2. Put the peeled garlic, the recipe water, salt, black pepper, whole cloves, sage, thyme, bay leaf, parsley, and the first 3 tablespoons of olive oil into a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Keep the egg yolks and the remaining 2-3 tablespoons of oil aside.
3. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for about 45 minutes, until the garlic is very soft.
4. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a heatproof vessel, pressing the soft garlic through with the back of a spoon. Discard the whole cloves, bay leaf, and tough herb pieces. Return the smooth broth to the pan.
Adding The Silky Egg Finish
5. While the broth simmers, whisk the egg yolks in a heatproof bowl until slightly thickened. Gradually whisk in the reserved 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil, beginning drop by drop.
6. Take the soup off the heat. Slowly whisk a ladleful of hot broth into the egg mixture, adding it a little at a time. Whisk in another ladleful to warm the mixture gradually.
7. Stir the warmed egg mixture back into the saucepan. Heat very gently, stirring constantly, until the soup reaches 165°F (74°C); do not let it boil. Remove from the heat promptly. The finish should be silky, not thick like cream soup.
8. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve promptly with toasted French bread and Parmesan, if using.
Secrets From Judith's Kitchen For Garlic Soup Recipe
- Put the whole cloves, bay leaf, and parsley sprigs in a small spice bag or tie them in food-safe muslin before simmering. You can lift them out without fishing through the soup.
- Sit the egg bowl on a folded damp towel while whisking in the broth. A steady bowl leaves one hand free to pour slowly.
Expert Chef Top Tip
Temper the yolks slowly, then keep the finished soup below a boil: gentle heat is the secret to a silky bowl.
What To Serve With Garlic Soup Recipe
Pair this delicate soup with something crisp or fresh:
- Toasted French bread: Serve rounds alongside the soup, with Parmesan if you like.
- A simple green salad: A light vinaigrette balances the richness of the olive oil and yolks.
- Baked eggplant: This sweet blend makes a gentle contrast to the savory garlic broth.
These are my favorite side dishes to serve with this recipe:
Best Wine To Pair With Garlic Soup Recipe
Try a dry, unoaked white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc. Its fresh acidity balances the olive oil and egg yolks, while its herbal notes sit comfortably beside the thyme and parsley. Choose a restrained bottle so the wine does not overwhelm the mellow garlic.
(Not sure what a "restrained bottle of wine" is? It is a wine style with subtle, elegant, and balanced flavors rather than intense, flashy, or overwhelming characteristics.)
Garlic Soup Recipe FAQ
This garlic soup recipe tastes mellow rather than sharply garlicky because the cloves simmer until soft. The flavor still depends on the freshness and size of your garlic.
This garlic soup recipe uses egg yolks to enrich the broth and give it a silky texture without cream. Warm the yolks gradually with hot broth before returning them to the pan.
This garlic soup recipe is easiest to make ahead as a broth, before adding the yolks. Cool it promptly in shallow containers, refrigerate within 2 hours, and use within 3-4 days. Reheat the broth thoroughly, then prepare and add the egg finish shortly before serving.
This garlic soup recipe freezes best before the egg-and-oil finish is added. Cool and freeze the broth in portions, thaw in the refrigerator, then reheat and finish with freshly prepared yolks and oil. The finished emulsion may separate after freezing.
This garlic soup recipe needs gradual tempering and gentle final heating. Whisk hot broth into the yolks little by little, return the mixture to the pan, and stir over low heat to 165°F (74°C) without boiling.
If you tried this Garlic Soup Recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 5-Star Rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Très Bien!
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📖 Recipe
Prep Like a Pro
Before you start cooking, chop, measure, and prep every ingredient, and gather your tools.
This simple habit reduces stress, prevents overcooking, and instantly improves your meals. Mise en Place - "Everything in its place."
Garlic Soup Recipe
Equipment
- thick-bottomed saucepan
Ingredients
For The Broth
- 15 garlic cloves initially unpeeled; blanch and peel before simmering.
- 3 pt water
- 1 teaspoon salt adjust to taste.
- ½ teaspoon Black pepper adjust to taste.
- 2 whole cloves the spice, separate from the 15 garlic cloves.
- ¼ teaspoon sage dried
- ¼ teaspoon thyme dried
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 parsley sprigs.
- 3 tablespoon olive oil for the broth
For The Egg And Olive Oil Finish
- 3 egg yolks large eggs
- 2-3 tablespoon olive oil separate from the 3 tablespoons used in the broth.
Instructions
- Blanch the unpeeled garlic cloves in boiling water for about 1 minute. Drain, cool under cold running water, and peel. Discard the blanching water.
- Put the peeled garlic, water, salt, black pepper, whole cloves, sage, thyme, bay leaf, parsley, and the first 3 tablespoons of olive oil into a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Keep the egg yolks and the remaining 2-3 tablespoons of oil aside.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for about 45 minutes, until the garlic is very soft.
- Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a heatproof vessel, pressing the soft garlic through with the back of a spoon. Discard the whole cloves, bay leaf, and tough herb pieces. or, remove the whole cloves, sage, thyme, bay leaf, parsley and blend the cooked garlic, water and seasoning. Strain if desired.Return the smooth broth to the pan.
- While the broth simmers, whisk the egg yolks in a heatproof bowl until slightly thickened. Gradually whisk in the reserved 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil, beginning drop by drop.
- Take the soup off the heat. Slowly whisk a ladleful of hot broth into the egg mixture, adding it a little at a time. Whisk in another ladleful to warm the mixture gradually.
- Stir the warmed egg mixture back into the saucepan. Heat very gently, stirring constantly, until the soup reaches 165°F (74°C); do not let it boil. Remove from the heat promptly. The finish should be silky, not thick like cream soup.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve promptly with toasted French bread and Parmesan, if using.
Notes
- Remove whole cloves, bay leaf, and tough herb pieces before blending, if using a blender instead of a sieve. Blend before adding the eggs; follow the appliance instructions for hot liquids.
- Warm the yolks gradually with hot broth. After adding them, stir over gentle heat to 165°F (74°C), then remove the pan from the heat; do not boil.
- For make-ahead cooking or freezing, stop before the egg finish for the best texture.
- Refrigerate leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours and keep at 40°F (4°C) or below. Use within 3-4 days. Reheat only the portion needed to 165°F (74°C); the egg finish may lose some smoothness.
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