Rich Keto Garlic Soup

If you ask me, garlic soup is one of those comfort foods that never gets old.

This keto-friendly soup brings together rich, savory flavors in a warming bowl that fits perfectly into your low-carb lifestyle. Roasted garlic creates a mellow, nutty base while cream adds body without the usual potatoes or bread.

It comes together in about 30 minutes using simple ingredients you probably have on hand. Fresh herbs and a touch of parmesan give it that cozy, homemade taste that makes your kitchen smell amazing.

It’s the kind of soup that works for a quiet weeknight dinner or when you’re feeling under the weather and need something nourishing.

What Kind of Garlic Should I Use?

For this soup, you’ll want to use fresh garlic heads rather than pre-minced garlic from a jar, since you’re using two whole heads and need that fresh, robust flavor. Regular white garlic from the grocery store works perfectly fine, though you can also use purple-striped varieties if you find them at the farmer’s market. When selecting your garlic heads, look for ones that feel firm and heavy with tight, papery skin – avoid any that feel soft or have green shoots sprouting from the top. Since you’re roasting the garlic for this soup, don’t worry too much about removing every bit of papery skin, as it will soften during cooking and add to the overall flavor.

Options for Substitutions

This keto-friendly garlic soup is pretty adaptable, so here are some swaps you can make:

• Shallot: If you don’t have shallots, use about 1/4 cup of diced yellow onion instead. It’ll give you a similar mild onion flavor without being too strong.
• Garlic heads: Two whole heads might seem like a lot, but that’s what makes this soup special! If you’re not a huge garlic fan, you can cut it down to 1 1/2 heads, but I wouldn’t go lower than that.
• Heavy cream: For a lighter version, you can use half-and-half, but keep in mind it won’t be quite as rich. Coconut cream works too if you’re avoiding dairy.
• Gruyere cheese: Parmesan, aged cheddar, or even Swiss cheese work well here. Just make sure to use something with good melting properties and strong flavor.
• Fresh herbs: If you only have dried herbs, use about 1/3 of the amount called for. So that would be about 2 teaspoons dried sage and 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme.
• Chicken stock: Vegetable stock works fine if you want to keep it vegetarian, or you can use bone broth for extra richness and nutrients.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making garlic soup is burning the garlic, which will give your entire soup a bitter taste – keep the heat at medium-low and stir frequently while the garlic softens and becomes fragrant.

Another common error is adding the eggs too quickly or at too high a temperature, which can scramble them instead of creating a smooth, creamy texture – slowly drizzle the beaten eggs into the soup while whisking constantly, and make sure to temper them first by adding a ladle of hot soup to the eggs before incorporating them back in.

Don’t skip straining the soup if you want a silky finish, and be careful not to let it boil once you’ve added the cream and eggs, as this can cause curdling.

For the best flavor, taste and adjust your seasoning at the end since the cheese and stock already contain salt, and remember that the soup will thicken slightly as it cools.

What to Serve With Keto Garlic Soup?

This rich, garlicky soup pairs beautifully with some crusty keto bread or almond flour crackers for dipping. Since it’s already pretty hearty with the cream and cheese, I like to serve it alongside a simple arugula salad dressed with lemon and olive oil to cut through all that richness. A few slices of crispy bacon or pancetta on the side make a great addition if you want some extra protein and crunch. For a cozy dinner, try serving it with roasted vegetables like Brussels sprouts or cauliflower that can handle those bold garlic flavors.

Storage Instructions

Refrigerate: This garlic soup keeps really well in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container. The flavors actually get even better after a day or two, so it’s perfect for meal prep. Just make sure to let it cool completely before putting it away.

Freeze: You can freeze this soup for up to 3 months, but I’d recommend doing it before adding the eggs and cream. The dairy can sometimes separate when frozen and thawed, so it’s easier to add those fresh ingredients when you’re ready to serve.

Warm Up: Gently reheat the soup on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. If you’re reheating from frozen, let it thaw overnight in the fridge first. You might need to whisk it a bit if the cream separates, and feel free to add a splash more stock if it gets too thick.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 950-1100
• Protein: 40-50 g
• Fat: 65-75 g
• Carbohydrates: 45-55 g

Ingredients

For the soup:

• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 shallot
• 2 heads garlic
• 64 oz chicken broth
• 2 whole cloves
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh sage
• 1 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tsp sea salt
• 4 oz heavy cream
• 3 eggs, separated
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 2 tsp coarse sea salt
• 2 tsp ground black pepper

For serving:

• 1/2 cup grated gruyere cheese

Step 1: Roast the Garlic

• 1 head garlic
• 1 tsp olive oil (from 1 tbsp olive oil)
• 1/2 tsp sea salt (from 2 tsp sea salt)
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper (from 2 tsp ground black pepper)

Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).

Cut the top off one whole head of garlic to expose the cloves.

Drizzle it with a bit of olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and ground black pepper, and wrap it completely in foil.

Place the wrapped garlic on a shallow baking dish and bake for 40 minutes.

Allow it to cool slightly, then squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of the head—they should pop out easily.

Step 2: Soften the Shallot and Garlic

• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• remaining olive oil (from 1 tbsp olive oil)
• 1 shallot
• roasted garlic cloves (from Step 1)
• 1 head garlic (raw, smashed)

Heat the unsalted butter and the remaining olive oil over medium heat in a Dutch oven.

Slice the shallot and add it to the pot, softening for about 3 minutes, until translucent.

Smash all the roasted garlic cloves from Step 1 along with the remaining raw garlic cloves from the second head.

Add both roasted and raw garlic to the pot and cook, stirring, for another 2 minutes until fragrant.

Step 3: Simmer Soup with Broth and Spices

• 64 oz chicken broth
• 2 whole cloves
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh sage
• 1 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf

Pour in the chicken broth and add the whole cloves, chopped fresh sage, dried thyme, and bay leaf.

Bring the mixture to a gentle boil and cook for 5 minutes.

Then lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 10 more minutes to blend the flavors.

Discard the bay leaf.

Carefully blend the soup until smooth using an immersion blender or work in batches with a standard blender—just be sure to let the soup cool slightly before blending to avoid splatters.

Step 4: Finish with Cream and Prepare Eggs

• 4 oz heavy cream
• 3 eggs, separated
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar

Return the blended soup puree to your Dutch oven over a low simmer.

Stir in the heavy cream until fully incorporated.

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and red wine vinegar.

In a separate small bowl, lightly whisk the egg whites.

This will prepare the eggs for enrichment.

I like to use heavy cream here for a luscious, smooth texture.

Step 5: Enrich and Season the Soup

• egg whites (from Step 4)
• tempered egg yolk mixture (from Step 4)
• remaining sea salt (from 2 tsp sea salt)
• remaining ground black pepper (from 2 tsp ground black pepper)

Gradually drizzle in the whisked egg whites into the hot soup, whisking to create delicate, stringy ribbons throughout.

Next, temper the yolks by slowly adding a bit of hot soup to the yolk mixture while stirring, then drizzle the tempered yolks into the pot, stirring constantly.

Add the remaining sea salt and ground black pepper, increase the heat to medium, and cook the soup for another 5 minutes until slightly thickened.

For a richer flavor, I like to add a bit of extra black pepper at the end.

Step 6: Serve with Garnish

• 1/2 cup grated Gruyere cheese
• a pinch of dried thyme (from 1 1/2 tsp dried thyme)

Ladle the finished soup into cups or bowls.

Garnish each serving with a sprinkle of dried thyme leaves and grated Gruyere cheese.

Serve immediately while hot.

Rich Keto Garlic Soup

Delicious Rich Keto Garlic Soup recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 31 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 4 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 35 minutes mins

Servings 4

Calories 1025 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the soup:

• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 shallot
• 2 heads garlic
• 64 oz chicken broth
• 2 whole cloves
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh sage
• 1 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tsp sea salt
• 4 oz heavy cream
• 3 eggs, separated
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 2 tsp coarse sea salt
• 2 tsp ground black pepper

For serving:

• 1/2 cup grated Gruyere cheese

Instructions

 

• Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Cut the top off one whole head of garlic to expose the cloves. Drizzle it with a bit of olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and ground black pepper, and wrap it completely in foil. Place the wrapped garlic on a shallow baking dish and bake for 40 minutes. Allow it to cool slightly, then squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of the head—they should pop out easily.
• Heat the unsalted butter and the remaining olive oil over medium heat in a Dutch oven. Slice the shallot and add it to the pot, softening for about 3 minutes, until translucent. Smash all the roasted garlic cloves from Step 1 along with the remaining raw garlic cloves from the second head. Add both roasted and raw garlic to the pot and cook, stirring, for another 2 minutes until fragrant.
• Pour in the chicken broth and add the whole cloves, chopped fresh sage, dried thyme, and bay leaf. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil and cook for 5 minutes. Then lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 10 more minutes to blend the flavors. Discard the bay leaf. Carefully blend the soup until smooth using an immersion blender or work in batches with a standard blender—just be sure to let the soup cool slightly before blending to avoid splatters.
• Return the blended soup puree to your Dutch oven over a low simmer. Stir in the heavy cream until fully incorporated. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and red wine vinegar. In a separate small bowl, lightly whisk the egg whites. This will prepare the eggs for enrichment. I like to use heavy cream here for a luscious, smooth texture.
• Gradually drizzle in the whisked egg whites into the hot soup, whisking to create delicate, stringy ribbons throughout. Next, temper the yolks by slowly adding a bit of hot soup to the yolk mixture while stirring, then drizzle the tempered yolks into the pot, stirring constantly. Add the remaining sea salt and ground black pepper, increase the heat to medium, and cook the soup for another 5 minutes until slightly thickened. For a richer flavor, I like to add a bit of extra black pepper at the end.
• Ladle the finished soup into cups or bowls. Garnish each serving with a sprinkle of dried thyme leaves and grated Gruyere cheese. Serve immediately while hot.