Garlic Soup - Italian style

 

          Check out this Italian style fragrant and creamy garlic flavored soup. This is a simple soup with amazing flavors. The other basic ingredients that goes into making this delicious heart warming soup are leeks, potato, onion, cream and finally a garnish of fried & crunchy croutons. This soup is ideal for cold wintry nights for a cozy and warm feeling or as a light meal any time of the day. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this comforting one-pot meal.

          For a healthy version, you can totally skip the cream and substitute it with some beaten yoghurt. Similarly potatoes can be replaced with sweet potatoes if you wish. 

          Parsley is traditionally used in this salad. However, as it was unavailable, I had to add my favorite coriander leaves. 

          As for the chicken stock, you can add any homemade chicken / vegetable stock or go in for store bought chicken / vegetable stock cubes. 

• 2-3 tbsp. olive oil
• 12-15 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 leek, chopped
• 1 medium potato, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. mixed dry herbs 
• 3 stock cubes 
•  5-6 cups water
• 1/2 cup cream (save some to garnish)
• handful of parsley / coriander leaves, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. pepper powder

Croutons - 

• 2 bread slices, diced
• 1-2 tbsp. olive oil

          Heat oil in a pan and sauté the garlic for 1-2 minutes. Then add the onion and cook till it is transparent. 

          Now add the chopped leek and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Then add the potato and cook for 2 minutes.

          Add the stock cubes, dried herbs, Parsley and pepper powder. Give it a stir and then add the water.

          Bring it to a boil and simmer on a low flame till the potatoes turns soft. When it cools down, add the cream and blend into a smooth puree. Keep aside. 

          For preparing the croutons, heat oil in a pan. Add the diced bread slices and stir fry till light brown and crisp. Keep aside. 

          Serve this heart warming and yummy soup, garnished with the fried croutons, cream and chopped parsley / coriander leaves. 

                                  Heat oil in a pan and sauté the garlic for 1-2 minutes. 

                                  Then add the onion and cook till it is transparent. 

                                 Now add the chopped leek and sauté for 2-3 minutes. 

                                  Then add the potato and cook for 2 minutes.

                   Add the stock cubes, dried herbs, parsley & pepper powder. Give it a stir.

Then add the water. Cook till the potatoes turns soft. 

                                  When it cools down, add the cream.

                                  Blend into a smooth puree. 

                           Heat oil in a pan and stir fry the bread slices and stir fry till crisp. 

                     Serve this heart warming & yummy soup, garnished with the fried croutons,

                     cream and chopped parsley / coriander leaves.