Creamy Garlic Bread Soup (Printable)

A rich, comforting blend of creamy broth, garlic, toasted bread, and Parmesan cheese for cozy meals.

# Required Ingredients:

→ Bread

01 - 4 cups (7 oz) day-old rustic bread, cubed

→ Dairy

02 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
03 - 1 cup (8 fl oz) heavy cream
04 - 1 cup (3.5 oz) grated Parmesan cheese

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

05 - 2 tbsp olive oil
06 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
07 - 6 large garlic cloves, minced
08 - 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
09 - 1 sprig fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp dried thyme
10 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

→ Liquids

11 - 4 cups (33.8 fl oz) vegetable broth

→ Seasoning

12 - 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
13 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

# Preparation Steps:

01 - Heat olive oil and butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and a pinch of salt; sauté for 5 minutes until softened.
02 - Incorporate minced garlic and thyme. Cook for 2 minutes until fragrant, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
03 - Add bread cubes, stirring to coat with aromatics and fat. Toast for 3 to 4 minutes to allow absorption of flavors.
04 - Pour in vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until bread softens.
05 - Remove thyme sprig. Blend soup using an immersion or countertop blender until smooth and creamy.
06 - Stir in heavy cream and Parmesan. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes until warmed through and slightly thickened. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
07 - Ladle into bowls and garnish with chopped parsley and extra Parmesan if desired. Serve hot.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It transforms humble bread into pure comfort without any fussing or fancy techniques.
  • The soup gets silky smooth while keeping that unmistakable garlic bread flavor you crave.
  • It comes together in under an hour and actually tastes better than it sounds.
02 -
  • Day-old bread is non-negotiable—fresh bread will become mushy and won't give you that structure you need for a creamy texture.
  • Don't skip the gentle toasting of the bread cubes in the aromatics; that's where the garlic bread flavor actually comes from.
  • Taste as you go and go easy on salt at first, since both the broth and Parmesan bring their own saltiness to the party.
03 -
  • Use quality vegetable broth because it becomes the soul of your soup and deserves to be something you'd actually drink on its own.
  • If you're worried about the soup breaking when you add the cream, temper it by whisking together a small amount of the hot soup with the cream before stirring it back into the pot.
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