Ohhh, Country French Garlic Soup—rustic, cozy, and way more elegant than it sounds 🧄🇫🇷
This is the classic French countryside version: deeply garlicky but mellow, brothy, and comforting.
Country French Garlic Soup (Soupe à l’Ail)
Ingredients (serves 4)
- 2 whole heads of garlic (yes, really 😉)
- 2 tbsp olive oil or butter
- 1 small onion or 2 shallots, chopped
- 6 cups chicken broth (homemade if possible)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp fresh thyme (or ½ tsp dried)
- Salt & black pepper, to taste
To Finish (Traditional)
- 2 large egg yolks
- ¼ cup heavy cream (or milk)
For Serving
- Toasted crusty bread or baguette
- Optional: grated Gruyère or Parmesan
Instructions
1. Prepare the garlic
- Separate garlic cloves and peel them.
- Blanch cloves in boiling water for 1 minute, then drain.
(This softens the sharpness while keeping flavor.)
2. Build the soup
- Heat olive oil or butter in a pot over medium heat.
- Add onion/shallots and cook until soft, not browned.
- Add garlic cloves and cook 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
- Pour in broth, add bay leaf and thyme.
- Bring to a gentle simmer and cook 25–30 minutes, until garlic is very soft.
3. Blend (optional but traditional)
- Lightly crush garlic with a spoon or blend briefly for a silky texture.
- Remove bay leaf.
4. Enrich the soup
- Whisk egg yolks with cream in a bowl.
- Slowly ladle in hot soup while whisking (to temper).
- Return mixture to the pot.
- Heat gently—do not boil—until slightly thickened.
5. Season & serve
- Season with salt and black pepper.
- Serve with toasted bread and optional cheese.
Tips for the Best Garlic Soup
🧄 Blanching garlic keeps it rich, not harsh
🥣 Gentle heat after adding eggs prevents curdling
🍞 Rub toast with raw garlic for extra punch
🧀 Gruyère adds a beautiful nutty finish
Variations
- Provençal style: Add sage and olive oil only
- Rustic country: Skip eggs & cream for a lighter broth
- Extra cozy: Add a splash of white wine before broth
This soup is incredible when you’re under the weather, cold, or just craving something deeply comforting.
Want the baked cheese-on-top version or a lighter monastery-style garlic broth?
