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Life Currents
Home » Caramelized Onion Roasted Garlic Bisque

Caramelized Onion Roasted Garlic Bisque

April 27, 2022 by Debi 79 Comments

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Caramelized Onion Roasted Garlic Bisque is a warm and comforting silky soup that’s full of flavor, but not loaded with fat or calories.

This Onion and Garlic Soup Recipe is one of our favorite soups around my house. It’s warm and comforting, especially on those cold winter nights. Serve this soup with Gruyere Herb Biscuits for an amazing meal!

I first published this recipe in 2015, but have decided it was time for it to be updated with new photos, including photos of the steps to making this, and new information for a better user experience.

This recipe also made it as our #1 most popular recipe of 2022! Take a look at all the best recipes of 2022.

A large bowl of soup being served with a ladle, title on top: Caramelized Onion Roasted Garlic Bisque.

We appreciate your support

Please let me know if you have any questions about this recipe. I read all the comments myself and I try to help as soon as I can. I have readers from all levels of comfort and experience in the kitchen on my site, and I’ve tried to answer some of your questions already in the post. But if I’ve missed anything, please feel free to leave a comment and ask.

Creamy soup in a black bowl with a spoon on the upper right.

Rich and creamy soup

It may take a while to make this comfort food soup, but it’s so worth it!

It’s a fairly simple recipe that doesn’t require much active working time, but uses fresh regular ingredients that you probably have in your kitchen all the time.

And, this soup is fairly light on calories for the flavor punch that it packs. It’s full flavored, just delicious, with all those onions and roasted garlic and leeks.

For more caramelized onion goodness, be sure to check out my French Onion Soup Dip recipe!

Caramelized Onion Roasted Garlic Bisque in a black bowl with a spoon at the title on the image

What is bisque?


Simply, bisque means soup.

Don’t let the French word “bisque” scare you off; it’s just a fancy word for thick creamy soup made of puréed vegetables.

Classically, a bisque was a smooth cream soup based on crustaceans like lobster, langoustine, crab, shrimp, or crayfish.

Today, the definition of bisque has expanded to include thoroughly blended velvety vegetable bisques, and is more about the smooth texture of the dish and the use of cream.

So, is there a difference between bisque and soup? A bisque is a kind of soup. Which means that all bisques are soup, but not all soups are bisques. Hopefully that makes sense.

How to make this recipe

The printable recipe card with full instructions and ingredient amounts is below. Be sure to scroll down to grab it!

Roast the garlic

a head of garlic in foil with a bottle of oil behind it on left, roasted garlic on right.

Remove the papery outer skin from the garlic head, but don’t peel or separate the cloves.

Rub ½ tablespoon of oil on the head of garlic, and wrap it in foil. Bake for 1 hour. Let the head of garlic cool before peeling it.

Separate the garlic cloves and peel the skin off, and set the meat of the garlic aside.

Pro tip from reader Mary suggested that she roasts large batches of garlic and freezes them in zip lock bags. I love this idea! It would make quick work of this recipe when you’re ready to cook.

Caramelize onions and leeks

cooking onions on left, roasted garlic cloves on right.

Prep the onion and leek by slicing the onion into thin pieces.

How to prep the leek

For the leek, cut the dark green part (the part you aren’t going to use) and the root end off of the leek.

The tasty parts of the leeks are the white and about 1 to 2 inches of the light green parts. The dark green part is very tough, and not really good to eat. Save the dark green part of the leek to add to homemade broth or stock. It adds a nice color and flavor.

a leek on a white background.

Then cut down the leek lengthwise. Now you will see that there are layers. Rinse the muddy dirty part that’s between the layers out.

Start cooking

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large saucepan over medium to low heat. Add the chopped onion and leek, and cook 30 minutes, stirring often.

When you caramelize veggies, it brings out so many flavors. Nutty, roasted, complex flavors.

Add ½ teaspoon salt and thyme, and cook an additional 30 minutes or until onion is dark and golden in color, stirring occasionally, adding a small amount of water if the onion starts to cook too fast.

Be careful not to burn the onions. Keep an eye on them as they cook. Don’t go off and check Facebook or anything.

browned bits at the bottom of a pot.
See the browned bits? This is the point at which I’d add some water to the pot, scrape up those bits, and continue cooking.

And, if the onions are cooking too fast, or starting to burn on the bottom, simply add a bit of water to the pan. About 2 tablespoons to ¼ cup or so. Stir that in, and it’ll slow down the cooking so the onions can caramelize rather than burn.

And don’t forget, the darker you cook the onions, the darker the soup will be, so don’t skimp on the caramelizing step.

a large pot filled with caramelized onions, both on left and on right.

Reader Mary also suggests that you can make large batches of caramelized onions in the crock pot and freeze in smaller baggies. Another great time saving tip!

Can this be made with yellow onions instead of sweet?

Yes, definitely, it can be made with yellow onions, which are typically less expensive and more readily available.

I wouldn’t use red onions or white onions in this recipe though, they will change the color and the flavor too much.

Make the soup

Stir the flour into the onion mixture and cook for a minute. Add wine and broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes.

soup in the bowl of a blender on left, soup in a pot on right.

Place the roasted garlic in the bowl of a blender, add the remaining ½ teaspoon salt and cooked onion mixture, and process until smooth. This may need to be done in two batches depending on the size of your blender.

You could also add the roasted garlic to the pot and blend with an immersion blender.

I feel like the immersion blender doesn’t get things quite as smooth as the stand blender, but it is a nice time saver. You could also pour the mixture through a food mill.

Pour the blended onion mixture back to the large saucepan, and add the milk; simmer until thoroughly heated.

Garnish with fresh thyme leaves and ground black pepper if desired.

What can I use in place of wine?

If you’re family doesn’t drink wine, you may not have any around.
 
In that case, I like to use more vegetable broth (or chicken broth if that’s what you used to make the soup) for this recipe.

Can I make this gluten free?


Yes, this soup can easily be made gluten free by using a 1-to-1 gluten free flour like {affiliate links} Bob’s Red Mill or King Arthur. Just use the same amount as called for in the recipe.

What kind of milk should I use?

Feel free to use whatever milk you prefer, from whole dairy milk to lower fat dairy to vegan plant-based milks.

For the soup in the original pictures I used whole milk, but I’ll often use 1% milk.

The color of the soup will be darker if you use a lighter-fat milk.

I think refrigerated carton almond or cashew milk would be good plant-based milks to use in this for their neutral flavor.

looking down into a bowl of creamy soup topped with chives, title on bottom: Caramelized Onion Roasted Garlic Bisque,

Kitchen tools you may need for this recipe

Note: these are affiliate links

  • Aluminum foil
  • Stockpot
  • Blender
  • Immersion blender
  • Soup bowls
  • You could also use a food mill to get perfectly smooth soup

Pinterest

This Caramelized Onion Roasted Garlic Bisque pin has been pinned more than 121,000 times! Check out the two really popular pins here and here.

Hop over and pin it too! While you’re there check out all the people who have tried this caramelised onion soup and loved it!

What goes with garlic soup?

This is a really nice filling soup, so it doesn’t need much to make it a whole meal.

It’s a great way to start off a holiday dinner, like Christmas or Thanksgiving.

Serve this delicious soup with some freshly baked no knead bread.

You could even make cheesy croutons for topping the soup, kind of like a creamy French onion soup.

Sprinkle some Parmesan over the top when serving if you want.

This soup goes really well with a side of French Onion Bruschetta or French Onion Tart for a delicious oniony meal!

I love having a bowl of this soup along with a nice piece of perfectly cooked fish. Try Parmesan baked Halibut, Miso Glazed Cod, or simple roasted Salmon.

Side salads are a great option, as are simple vegetable sides. Try some Air Fryer Asparagus or Oven Roasted Vegetables.

Do you like garlic?

Here are some other garlic recipes you will love!

Garlic Parmesan Cream Sauce, Cream of Garlic Soup, Smoked Garlic Almonds, Garlic Parmesan Pasta.

How to use leftovers?

This soup makes a nice big pot full, so I often find that we have leftovers.

I’ve used the leftovers as a sauce for pasta, adding in some toasted pine nuts and corn. Try adding some steamed broccoli and shredded chicken as well.

Soups and dips make great pasta sauces. Check out my Red Pepper Feta dip, Carrot Soup, and Red Pepper Garlic Dip for a couple more leftovers as pasta sauce ideas.

I’ve used the sauce as gravy over mashed potatoes or chicken.

You’ll love how delicious and versatile this creamy roasted garlic soup is.

Looking for other great comfort food? Try my Vegetarian Pot Pie. You’ll love it!

Can I freeze this?

Yes, this soup freezes really well. Allow the soup to cool completely, and place it in smaller freezer proof containers. Cover the container with an air-tight lid, and place in the freezer.

Store the soup for about 3 months. Longer than that, and it may start to pick up odors and flavors from the freezer.

Other great soup recipes

If you love soup like I do, you just have to try Creamy Garlic Soup, Creamy Roasted Tomato Soup, Mushroom Soup, Potato Soup, Leek Soup, and Pot Pie Soup.

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Caramelized Onion Roasted Garlic Bisque: This is one of our favorite soups around my house. It's warm and comforting, especially on those cold winter nights. It's rich and creamy. It's filled with veggies. It's fairly light on calories for the flavor punch that it packs. https://lifecurrentsblog.com/

Recipe

square crop of a bowl of soup being served with a ladle.

Caramelized Onion Roasted Garlic Bisque

Debi
Caramelized Onion Roasted Garlic Bisque is one of our favorite soups around my house. It's warm and comforting, especially on those cold winter nights. It's rich and creamy. It's filled with veggies. It's fairly light on calories for the flavor punch that it packs.
4.82 from 111 votes
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Prep Time 30 minutes mins
Cook Time 2 hours hrs 38 minutes mins
Total Time 3 hours hrs 8 minutes mins
Course Soup
Cuisine American
Servings 6 servings
Calories 209 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 large whole garlic head
  • 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil divided use
  • 9 cups about 4 large thinly sliced sweet onions
  • 2 ½ cups about 2 medium sliced leeks light green and white parts only
  • 1 teaspoon salt divided use
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup dry white wine
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 2 cups milk
  • Fresh thyme leaves for garnish
  • Freshly ground black pepper for garnish

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350° F.
  • Remove papery outer skin from the garlic head (do not peel or separate the cloves). Rub ½ tablespoon oil on garlic head, and wrap it in foil. Bake for 1 hour; let cool 10 minutes. Separate cloves, and peel the skin off of the cloves. Place the garlic cloves in a small dish and set aside.
    1 large whole garlic head, 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
  • While the garlic roasts, heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and leek, and cook uncovered 30 minutes, stirring often. Add ½ teaspoon salt and thyme. Cook an additional 30 minutes, uncovered, or until onion is dark and golden in color, stirring occasionally, adding a small amount of water if the onion starts to cook too fast, and scraping up any brown bits off the bottom of the pot.
    1 ½ tablespoons olive oil, 9 cups about 4 large thinly sliced sweet onions, 2 ½ cups about 2 medium sliced leeks, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • Stir the flour into the onion mixture and cook 1 minute. Add wine and broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes.
    2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 1/3 cup dry white wine, 4 cups vegetable broth
  • Place the roasted garlic in the bowl of a blender, add the remaining ½ teaspoon salt and cooked onion mixture, and process until smooth. This may need to be done in two batches depending on the size of your blender.
  • Pour the blended onion mixture back to the large saucepan, and add milk; simmer 8 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Garnish with fresh thyme leaves and ground black pepper if desired.
    2 cups milk, Fresh thyme leaves for garnish, Freshly ground black pepper for garnish

Notes

Adapted from Cooking Light

Nutrition

Calories: 209kcalCarbohydrates: 31gProtein: 5gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 8mgSodium: 1076mgPotassium: 469mgFiber: 2gSugar: 19gVitamin A: 1085IUVitamin C: 16.1mgCalcium: 165mgIron: 1.8mg

Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations, and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary based on brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes, and more.

Keyword bisque, garlic, onion
Tried this recipe?Mention @LifeCurrents or tag #LifeCurrents!

Caramelized Onion Roasted Garlic Bisque Soup in a bloack bowl with a spoon and the title at the bottom
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Filed Under: Christmas, Easter, Main Dish, Soups & Stews, Thanksgiving Tagged With: Cooking, Food, garlic, healthy, leeks, Meatless Monday, onions, recipe, soup, Thanksgiving, vegan, vegetarian

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about debi

ABOUT DEBI

Hello! I’m Debi, the girl behind Life Currents where I write about mainly healthy vegetarian dishes. My husband eats meat, so occasionally I share some of his dishes as well. And, I’ll share tasty treats and projects that we do. Read more...

Previous Post: « Broccoli Wild Rice Casserole
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Tina

    February 20, 2023 at 2:57 pm

    5 stars
    Delicate and lovely!

  2. Krista

    April 10, 2023 at 6:49 am

    5 stars
    This was amazing!

  3. ST

    August 22, 2023 at 4:21 pm

    5 stars
    This was amazing and all 3 of my young boys loved it too. Reminded us of a delicious onion soup we had in Ireland. Only tweak I made was adding a little Marsala wine to the onions about 10 minutes before they were done…instead of water. So good, thanks for posting.

  4. Tay

    September 27, 2023 at 7:13 am

    5 stars
    Hello if I cannot use wine what would be a good substitute?

  5. Debi

    September 27, 2023 at 9:07 am

    Tay, Instead of the wine, feel free to use more vegetable broth (or chicken broth if that’s what you used to make the soup) for this recipe.

  6. Jenny

    September 29, 2023 at 5:28 am

    5 stars
    I just made this but I added shredded cheese. So good.

  7. Mary

    October 14, 2023 at 6:06 am

    5 stars
    A labour of love and we really loved this soup!! Didn’t use any milk and used my stick blender. Beautiful and creamy. Recommend!

  8. Kathy Riggs

    October 15, 2023 at 1:17 pm

    This looks delicious, I’ve been looking for a recipe to recreate an onion bisque a local restaurant serves. Question though: I am both gluten free and dairy free, do you think this would work with gf flour (or cornstarch?) and oat milk?

  9. Debi

    October 15, 2023 at 2:31 pm

    Kathy, yes, I think that you can make this both GF and DF. I’d probably go with the gf flour as my first choice (I feel that cornstarch sometimes leaves a gritty feel). And for the milk, oat milk will be great – be sure to get unsweetened. The oat milk might have a small flavor, but I think it will be fine. Let me know how it comes out; I’d love to hear!

  10. Julie

    November 13, 2023 at 6:42 am

    5 stars
    This recipe is delish!! Well worth the effort. After our first bowl, I did dilute it with a little more veg broth. Will definitely make this again.

  11. WellnessSleuth

    November 26, 2023 at 6:23 am

    5 stars
    This is THE comfort food, when those COLD DAYs kick in..HEarty, Delicious, leaving you with a nice warm feeling ALL over.. Love this one..thanks

  12. Mac

    November 29, 2023 at 3:40 pm

    5 stars
    Sooo good! Such a relaxing recipe for a cold day.

  13. Ginger

    December 10, 2023 at 6:19 am

    5 stars
    A delicious, elegant soup. We loved it. Of course, I doubled the roasted garlic to 2 large cloves.

  14. Sara

    March 9, 2024 at 6:44 am

    5 stars
    Absolutely delicious! Made it for a work potluck and it was a hit.

  15. Josephine

    June 16, 2024 at 6:48 pm

    Could fish stock be suitable?

  16. Debi

    June 17, 2024 at 5:17 am

    Josephine, fish stock would certainly work. It would change the flavor profile of the soup. But if you really like fish stock, or you were serving this for a fish dinner, you might really enjoy that flavor change. Let me know how you like it.

  17. Christina

    August 7, 2024 at 1:02 pm

    5 stars
    This soup is fantastic, and nothing can beat it when you’re under the weather.

  18. Anny

    October 7, 2024 at 6:56 pm

    5 stars
    Loved this. Such an easy and inexpensive dish. I added additional roasted garlic, which I cooked in the toaster oven the night before alongside another meal… always economical! In addition to the suggested toppings, I topped mine with homemade croutons. Next time I may add a smattering of the store bought fried onions to the croutons. Soup was appreciated by all at the table.

  19. Cris

    December 3, 2024 at 6:33 pm

    2 stars
    This was a timely recipe with not much taste. Followed recipe with no changes, expected more of a Wow flavor

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4.82 from 111 votes (64 ratings without comment)

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Hi! I’m Debi, the girl behind Life Currents, where I write about mainly healthy vegetarian dishes with some great desserts and other goodies mixed in! Read More >>>

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