Creamy Garlic Bread (Printable)

A velvety blend of toasted bread, garlic, and cream perfect for cozy evenings.

# What You'll Need:

→ Bread

01 - 4 cups (7 oz) day-old rustic bread, cubed (preferably sourdough or country loaf)

→ Dairy

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

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

05 - 2 tablespoons 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 teaspoon dried thyme
10 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (plus more for garnish)

→ Liquids

11 - 4 cups (33.8 fl oz) vegetable broth

→ Seasoning

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

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil and butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and a pinch of salt. Sauté for 5 minutes until softened.
02 - Add the minced garlic and thyme. Cook for 2 minutes until fragrant, stirring often to prevent burning.
03 - Stir in bread cubes, coating with aromatics and fat. Toast for 3 to 4 minutes, allowing bread to absorb flavors.
04 - Pour in vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until bread is very soft.
05 - Remove thyme sprig. Use an immersion blender or transfer soup to a blender in batches to puree until smooth and creamy.
06 - Stir in heavy cream and Parmesan. Simmer gently for 3 to 4 minutes until heated through and slightly thickened. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
07 - Ladle into bowls, garnish with chopped parsley and extra Parmesan as desired. Serve hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour and tastes like you've been simmering it all day.
  • You get all those toasty, buttery garlic bread flavors without the actual bread—it dissolves into the broth and becomes the soup itself.
  • It's fancy enough to serve to guests but honest enough to eat alone on a Tuesday night.
02 -
  • Don't skip the toasting step—those few minutes where the bread sits in the fat make all the difference between soup that tastes like bread got wet and soup that tastes intentional.
  • If your soup seems too thick after blending, thin it with a splash of broth or cream rather than adding water, which dilutes the flavor you worked to build.
03 -
  • Rubbing the bread cubes with a raw garlic clove before adding them to the pot gives you an even more pronounced garlic flavor that seems to bloom when heated.
  • Finish with a tiny drizzle of good olive oil and a crack of fresh pepper right before eating—those last-minute touches make the soup taste like someone who cares made it.
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