There’s nothing sexier than the smell of freshly roasted garlic.
I adore garlic. Even if it’s simply sauteed in a skillet in some oil, the smell is just heavenly. There’s no such thing as bad “garlic breath” in my house, simply because in my mind, there’s no such thing as bad garlic.
Vampires, beware.
Whenever I make a recipe that calls for garlic, I double the quantity it asks for. It’s such a flavourful vegetable (yes, garlic is a vegetable!) that adds an extra depth of flavour to any dish. Plus, eating garlic helps boost your immune system, making it the perfect addition to your winter diet to ward of any impending colds.
This soup is the prefect winter warmer. It’s thick, creamy, and packed with roasted garlic.
Roasting garlic is as simple as throwing it into the oven. Simply cut of 1/4″ of garlic off the top of a whole bulb and drizzle with olive oil. You can season the bulb with salt and pepper if you wish, but I like to do the seasoning later and let the garlic caramelize on it’s own. Wrap the bulb in aluminum foil and roast in a 400°F oven for 45 minutes. Let the garlic cool to the touch, then squeeze out all the good stuff. Your house will smell amazing, and you’ll be left with some beautiful, golden cloves.
I like to keep a jar of the stuff in my fridge at all times. Roasted garlic can be snacked on in so many ways: spread onto crackers, added to soups, sauces, pestos, placed on pizza, layered into on a sandwich… Really, it goes with every savory dish.
This soup is so simple and uses just a handful of ingredients, but the result is a hearty, stick-to-your-ribs soup that can be eaten as a side or even as a main. All you need is:
- Roasted garlic, for that sweet, earthy, caramelized flavour
- A potato, for creaminess
- High-quality chicken stock
- High-protien, high-fibre lentils
- Chili flakes, for a bit of heat (optional, but highly recommended)
- Fresh parsley
- Some crusty bread, for dipping of course.
This soup freezes wonderfully, so if you have leftovers (or if you make a double batch), simply freeze for an easy, weeknight meal!
| Spicy Roasted Garlic & Lentil Soup | Print |
- 4 heads garlic
- 1 small onion, diced
- ¼ tsp red chili flakes
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 russet potato, peeled and finely chopped
- 4 cups high-quality chicken stock, plus more if needed
- 1 398-mL can of lentils, rinsed and drained
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Parsley, to serve
- Crusty bread, to serve
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Cut ¼" off each head of garlic. Place garlic bulbs on a sheet of aluminum foil, then drizzle with olive oil. Fold the aluminum foil up over the garlic to cover it completely, then roast in the oven for 45 minutes. Check to make sure the cloves are soft and golden, cooking for longer if necessary, then remove from the oven and cool to the touch. Squeeze out the roasted garlic and set aside.
- In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, saute onion and chili flakes in oil until onion has softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add the potato and chicken stock, and bring to a low simmer. Cook, stirring often, until potato has softened, about 8-10 minutes.
- Transfer onion/potato mixture to a blender, add the roasted garlic, and pulse until smooth. Add more chicken stock until desired consistency is reached.
- Add lentils to soup right before serving to prevent them from getting too "mushy". Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve with a sprinkle of parsley and some bread for dipping.
When you say you keep a jar of this in your fridge, is it before you cook it or after…and is it just the garlic ‘squeezed’ filling or the two half pieces? LOVE garlic too! :=)
I love to keep a jar of roasted garlic in the fridge! Since roasting a bulb takes a bit of preparation, I like to make a large amount at once and store it int he fridge for when I’m craving roasted garlic on a whim.
This soup sounds wonderful! How do I make it with dried lentils?
If using dried lentils, it’s best to cook them separately. Use about 3/4 cup of dried lentils, which will yield about 1 1/2 cups cooked. Rinse and drain the lentils, then place in a saucepan with 2 1/4 cups water. Bring to a boil, cover, then reduce heat and simmer for 15-25 minutes until the water has absorbed and lentils are no longer crunchy. Add them to the soup when ready to serve.