Fall
Sopa de Ajo (Basque Garlic Soup)
Popular on Food52
42 Reviews
xiao_lan
December 7, 2023
Replaced water with chicken broth, and left out the bread because I can’t eat bread. I make this when I’m sick because it’s really easy and the garlic seems to cure me. Recommend.
Natalya E.
September 10, 2020
Wasn’t too good. I mean it wasn’t bad but it also wasn’t something I’d make again. Needs more to it.
ErinM724
June 20, 2019
Took advice from this thread and used chicken broth, along with slicing my garlic, of which used 10 cloves. Really flavorful!
Nanda D.
January 1, 2017
Aww, this wasn't for me :( I really wanted to love this, because well, garlic is the best. But it tasted like water with garlic boiled in it :( Maybe I did something wrong, or maybe this just is not my thing, haha
Katie C.
December 15, 2018
The fix is pretty obvious and worth it bc from the moment I saw "water" and not "chicken stock" (or really any kind of stock) I knew that was an adjustment that had to be made.
Paul M.
May 17, 2016
I really thought I would enjoy this but wasn't crazy àbout the soggy bread texture. The aroma was great and I might try to adapt the flavours to a different soup.
RaquelG
February 20, 2016
My Spanish abuela made this simple soup often, both for myself and my sister, and to feed her six children in the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War when money was tight, and protein even more scarce. A wonderful flavor and memory for me and my mom. We eat it often.
Ali W.
January 17, 2016
This soup is so incredibly flavorful!! It's almost surprising how you can get so much flavor out of those few ingredients. Next time I think I'll skip the eggs and a little grating of Gruyere
kumalavula
December 10, 2014
a perfect soup for the rainy, pacific northwest evening we are having. now to sweating out all the garlic. this is a hearty, flavorful soup.
Ellie B.
October 8, 2014
GASP! This is so amazing lookin'!!!! Garlic anything is good, especially when it's this healthy and has the potential to stink up the whole room. ^_~
SweetTooth
September 15, 2014
I really, really enjoyed this recipe! I followed some of the other comments on here and substituted chicken stock for half of the water. I also added more paprika and some cayenne pepper towards the end, which I really enjoyed. My dad thought it was too garlic-y, but you can't please everyone!
remi
August 23, 2014
I have eaten this soup in Spain, with a raw egg yolk(which cooks in the broth) floating in the bottom of the bowl, and a splash of good sherry--delish!!
Sarah B.
August 17, 2014
i cut this recipe in half for an early dinner tonight. i didn't have bread, so i made pearl couscous to spoon into the soup for more heft. i also finished it at the table with some grated parmesan. oh my goodness! delicious, comforting meal in thirty minutes! thank you so much for sharing. i'm excited to make this part of my repertoire.
Allison T.
August 15, 2014
Sounds amazing! I love garlic, this soup sounds right up my alley.
www.lashesanddashes.com
www.lashesanddashes.com
Kristina M.
August 13, 2014
I grew up with this soup as my father is from Galicia. We do it a bit differently in that, just before serving, we place a slice of stale bread in each individual bowl and crack a whole egg on top (bowls are oven proof) pop the bowls in the oven on a sheet pan. I think oven is about 400 degrees. Let them cook until egg whites turn white and serve. Bread is less soggy this way and you also get to break the lovely yoke with your spoon which gives it an exquisite flavor!
Lady G.
May 18, 2014
"Spanish peasant fair"? "Fare"? Sounds a bit insulting to me...
Thank you for the recipe!
Thank you for the recipe!
Ray H.
May 12, 2014
The fresh leaves of Oregon myrtle, california Bay, or Umbellularia californica are what are more toxic in quantity. they contain umbelline. The flavor is even more intense than the true Bay, Lauris nobilis, available as Mexican laurel.
Bryan M.
March 12, 2014
This was really delicious! I left the crust on a country white loaf, and replaced 2 cups of water with chicken stock....I ate THREE bowls of the soup!
charrison
March 12, 2014
I grew up with simple wonderful soup. My Basque grandmother made it often. Happy to see it being published
BethanyO
March 10, 2014
We made this soup tonight after looking forward to trying it for days. Ummm….. yeeeahhhh. I really, really don't get what the buzz is about. The texture of the bread is just awful in your mouth in combo with the eggs and it tastes like straight up water with garlic boiled in it. We used fresh bay leaf, great quality olive oil and smoked paprika…. and a really good seeded baguette. Maybe I'm just not ripe for Spanish peasant fair? I couldn't even eat it.
Marian B.
March 11, 2014
Bummer! Sorry you didn't like it. I suppose soggy bread isn't for everyone!
Katie C.
December 15, 2018
Use stock instead of water (water would make this soup completely flavorless unless you use like 25 cloves of garclic). Use jamon if you can find it and if not chorizo and sautee it along with garlic in the beginning. Pour soup over a slice of toasted bread at end. Put a poached egg on top.
Douglas
March 10, 2014
My main squeeze had his reservations at first. And then it was all gone and he wanted more. Like all the recipies I have made here another big winner. I did use some chicken stock and some pieces of chicken for added protein. thank you for posting this
Esther
March 8, 2014
I have heard the bay leaves are the only aromatic herb that are toxic when they are fresh. Is not it?
Marian B.
March 8, 2014
I've never heard this before! I know that fresh bay leaves are a relatively common ingredient, and I've never had any trouble with them!
sel
March 8, 2014
i have a bay leaf tree of which i harvest when i need them, and of course share with others. Simply,
i make wreaths and give them as gifts.
Cooking with them freshly is incredible....what a difference in the outcome of the meal.
We are still very much alive here...so as with my friends...
i make wreaths and give them as gifts.
Cooking with them freshly is incredible....what a difference in the outcome of the meal.
We are still very much alive here...so as with my friends...
tyrannyofcake
March 9, 2014
For what it's worth (I'm not a toxicologist), but I've read that bay leaves aren't actually poisonous, but the leaves of a plant that looks very similar are. At one time, people were mistakenly harvesting and eating that plant and bay leaves took the fall. That said, if you're worried, I'd do more research or ask a specialist.
Esther
March 10, 2014
THANK'S YOU ALL, I HAVE READ ABOUT THAT AFTER THE COMMENT AND YOU ARE RIGHT, IT WAS I THINK, AN BELIEF ATAVISTIC.
SORRY ABOUT MY ENGLISH.
SORRY ABOUT MY ENGLISH.
saltybutter
March 10, 2014
Here's an interesting article recently posted on SeriousEats regarding bay leaves
http://www.seriouseats.com/2014/03/ask-the-food-lab-whats-the-point-of-bay-leaves.html?ref=pop_serious_eats
http://www.seriouseats.com/2014/03/ask-the-food-lab-whats-the-point-of-bay-leaves.html?ref=pop_serious_eats
Diane
March 7, 2014
Much like the Genius cauliflower soup, I had no idea how this could possibly work. At my husband's insistence, I made it... and wow, did it disappear fast. This soup also gave me a new appreciation for bay leaf, I thought of it as an almost unnecessary add-in, handed down through the generations without any real questions, just force of habit. Standing alone without all the other “stuff”, it’s beauty and usefulness finally became clear. My only variations to this recipe were a staled black pepper/parmesan bread, and I roasted the head of garlic instead of sautéing it. I doubled both of these items because I was a ravenous after work and wanted to give it a little more heft. This soup, along with Genius cauliflower soup and the roasted carrot soup on this site, ranks amongst a new favorite. Simply wonderful.
Marian B.
March 8, 2014
I'm so happy that you and your husband enjoyed the soup! Your note just made my night.
sel
March 5, 2014
i like the idea of the bay leaf and salted water....broth is very nice
for this wonderfully warm soup...
The garlic, as Raquel explains, needs to be thinly sliced, for fear of over brown. Yes, however, after many years of turning out the garlic soup, it is really a matter of very low flame, and watch the heat of the evoo.....otherwise, yum!
Quite sometime ago i experienced this soup made in a creamy fashion...i must say it was wonderful...i believe the cook was from Mexico. It was his take on the subject.
for this wonderfully warm soup...
The garlic, as Raquel explains, needs to be thinly sliced, for fear of over brown. Yes, however, after many years of turning out the garlic soup, it is really a matter of very low flame, and watch the heat of the evoo.....otherwise, yum!
Quite sometime ago i experienced this soup made in a creamy fashion...i must say it was wonderful...i believe the cook was from Mexico. It was his take on the subject.
RaquelG
March 5, 2014
In Spain, we actually slice the garlic. If minced small, it will definitely brown; you want it to retain it's whiteness, but still be tender after the saute. This is a lovely, simple peasant soup. Make sure to use a crusty french-style baguette for the bread, which is what most closely resembles the "pan" we have at home.
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