Garlic Almond Soup Revisited
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
A nutty, garlicky soup built on toasted almonds and garlic gently fried in olive oil. Bread cubes soak in a broth mix while simmering, then blended to a creamy texture. Garnished with crisped bread crumbs, sweet red grapes halved, and toasted almonds for crunch. Variations include swapping chicken broth for vegetable stock to keep it vegan, and using ciabatta bread for a chewier bite. The soup works hot or cold, with a drizzle of oil brightening the finish. Aromas of toasted nuts and garlic fill the kitchen. A humble classic transformed with tweaks to texture and flavor balance.
Prep:
25 min
Cook:
25 min
Total:
50 min
Servings:
4 servings
#soup
#vegan
#Spanish cuisine
#almond
#garlic
#comfort food
Toasted almonds and garlic. That combo alone flips the script on bland soups. When they sizzle in olive oil, releasing oils and fragrance, the kitchen smells alive—rough edge but promising. Bread cubes soak up broth, softening to a creamy body after blending. Past tries taught me what that sweet spot texture means—too thick, almost pudding; too thin, watery disappointment. I swapped chicken stock for veg broth once—gave it a lighter tone without losing soul. A pinch of smoked paprika? Surprise element. Adds subtle earthiness. Serve with crisped bread and grapes for textural contrast; sweetness cuts that nuttiness sharply. Cooling it down works, but if you serve warm, zest lemon over top right before it hits the bowls. Brightens everything. Wondering why strain? Skip it, you’ll taste grit, no matter how smooth you think it is. Good soup makes you pause, smell, hear the fry crackle, and taste layers.
Ingredients
- 80 g sliced blanched almonds
- 5 garlic cloves minced
- 45 ml olive oil
- 1 liter vegetable broth
- 120 g crustless white bread cubes
- 30 g crusty bread diced small
- 14 green seedless grapes halved
- Toasted sliced almonds for garnish
- A pinch of smoked paprika for depth (twist)
- Zest of 1 lemon
About the ingredients
Almonds toasted — watch those brown spots. Burnt equals bitter. Garlic needs to be soft, not raw or blackened. You want fragrant, mellow aroma. Olive oil ideally extra virgin for that fruity note. Stock choice shapes flavor profile; veg stock is an easy swap for vegans, or homemade if you have time. Bread should be fresh but crustless for soaking or crusty for garnish. White bread standard, but ciabatta lends chewiness. Grapes sharp contrast, but cherries or diced green apple work too. Lemon zest essential for brightness; skip juice unless you want extra tang. Smoked paprika optional but lends subtle complexity, depth without heat. Salt and pepper are all about balance; add gradually. If alergic to almonds, try blanched hazelnuts or walnuts toasted for different nutty background.
Method
Soup
- 1. Get a heavy pan hot on medium-high. Throw in almonds and garlic with olive oil. Constant stir, nuts golden, garlic fragrant but not brown — about 6 minutes. Smell that? Nutty and garlicky.
- 2. Add broth directly; it should sizzle gently. Then toss in the bread cubes. Salt and pepper here. Bring to a rolling boil, then lower heat to simmer. Cover. Let bubble softly 15–20 minutes. Bread will absorb liquid and soften fully. Skim foam if it appears.
- 3. Remove from heat. Let cool slightly; too hot puree can get gluey. Transfer to blender in batches. Blend 4–6 minutes or until utterly smooth. Texture is key here. Too coarse feels clunky; too thin loses character.
- 4. Pass soup through a fine mesh strainer or chinois with a spatula. Ignore impatience; it's worth the silky outcome.
Garnish
- 5. Meanwhile, heat pan to medium-high, add a bit of oil, and crisp diced bread with a pinch of smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Watch closely; bread cubes burn fast. Toss frequently until golden and crunchy, about 6 minutes.
- 6. Spoon soup into bowls. Scatter bread crumbs, grapes, toasted almonds. Grate lemon zest over top. A delicate olive oil drizzle seals it. Serve immediately or chill for a cold soup version.
- 7. If cold, wait until well chilled, then re-stir before serving. Oil may congeal a bit—warm slightly or whisk to loosen.
- Common issues—garlic too raw? Fry longer till soft and aromatic. Bread too tough? Let simmer more or soak bread first for 5 minutes in broth before cooking. Soup feels too thick? Thin with reserved broth or water slowly. Too thin? Blend in extra soaked bread or ground almonds.
- Efficiency tip: Toast almonds and garlic while cutting bread; multitask. Use warm broth for quicker simmer. Purée in small batches to avoid overheating blender and yielding bitter flavors.
Cooking tips
Heat pan hot, then toss almonds and garlic in olive oil. Keep stirring, avoid burning. The smell shifts distinctly—nutty, soft garlic scent; that’s your cue. After adding broth and bread, don’t rush. Simmer slowly, covered, until bread thoroughly softened; poke with spoon, should break apart easily. Cooling down soup before blending crucial—hot puree sticks to blender walls, tough to blend. Blend long enough for silky smoothness, no lumps or gritty feel. Sieve soup patiently. Crispy garnish needs attention—don’t overcrowd pan, toss often to avoid burnt edges. Paprika with the bread cubes adds visual and flavor depth; don’t overdo it. Final drizzle of oil increases richness. Cold or warm serving works; if chilling, stir before serving to reincorporate separated oil. Preparing ingredients simultaneously saves time. Watch for common pitfalls: too thick soup add broth, too thin add soaked bread or ground almonds. Season incrementally to avoid oversalting. This soup rewards attention to sensory cues and pacing over rigid timing.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Heat pan evenly, medium-high heat. Add almonds and garlic with olive oil, stirring constantly. Watch garlic closely; browned means bitter but raw kills aroma. Nuts go golden, snap sound changes; that’s cue. Keep oil steady temp, prevents burning but extracts max nut oil. If impatient, oil smokes, start over.
- 💡 Add broth cold or warm? Warm helps quicker sizzle, less shock to nuts. Bread cubes go in after broth—don’t skip salting here, stages salt may dull. Simmer covered low, foam forms, skim off to avoid weird mouthfeel. Bread softness judged by poke; if tough, simmer longer or soak first 5 minutes.
- 💡 Puree when soup cools down or risk blender walls glueing with hot paste. Blend batches 4–6 minutes until silky smooth. Texture matters; too thick turns pudding-like, too thin loses body. Passing through fine sieve removes grit, patience key. Use spatula—push gently. Don’t rush strain, clouds ruin mouthfeel.
- 💡 Garnish crisped bread needs attention—small diced cubes fry fast. Toss often, paprika adds smoky notes but use sparingly—too much overtakes. Crisp golden, no black spots. Toasted almonds scattered after frying for crunch. Grapes chilled, halved, add juicy contrast; substitute with green apple or cherries if preferred.
- 💡 Lemon zest final hit, adds fresh brightness, never juice unless desired tang. Drizzle olive oil right before serving; it seals aroma, richness. If chilling soup, oil may solidify, warm slightly or whisk vigorously before serving. Keep seasoning gradual—add salt and pepper at multiple points, adjust to taste.
Common questions
Garlic too raw?
Fry longer, slow down heat if burning starts. Aroma shifts from sharp to mellow. Look for soft texture, color light golden. Raw garlic smells sharp, unpleasant. Patience helps here, critical step to avoid bitter end.
Bread too tough after cooking?
Could soak cubes 5 minutes before broth. Or simmer longer, low simmer flips weekend softness. If still tough, add more broth, or puree soaked bread separately then blend together. Fresh bread crustless performs better for base, crusty is best for crunch garnish.
Soup too thick or thin?
For thick, add reserved broth little by little, test texture. Too thin? Add soaked bread or ground almonds to thicken naturally. Don’t add starch or flour; soup loses character fast. Keep blending until texture right, patience over rush wins here.
How to store leftovers?
Refrigerate in airtight container. Soup thickens chilling; warm gently before serving but whisk well to reincorporate oil. Freeze possible but texture shifts slightly. Best within 2 days fridge. If freezing, thaw overnight in fridge, stir again.
