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For the soup
- 60 ml (4tbsp) olive oil
- 3 g large onions, about 700g (11⁄2lb), chopped
- 16 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 150 ml (1⁄4 pint) white wine or cider
- 350 g (12oz) potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 l (23⁄4 pints) vegetable stock
- 100 ml (4fl oz) whipping cream, plus extra to drizzle
- Salt and ground black pepper
For the thyme croutons
- 4 slices of bread, cut into cubes
- 4 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tsp. dried thyme
- A few fresh thyme sprigs
- Step 1
In a heavy-based saucepan, heat the olive oil, add the onions and garlic, then cover and cook over a low heat, stirring occasionally, for 20-30min or until translucent and very soft. Do not allow to colour. Add the wine and bring to the boil. Bubble until the liquid has reduced by half.
- Step 2
Add the potatoes and stock, then bring to the boil and simmer, uncovered, for 45min or until reduced slightly.
- Step 3
Meanwhile, make the croutons. Put the cubes of bread into a bowl with the olive oil and dried thyme. Bake at 200°C (400°F) mark 6 for 10min or until golden. Sprinkle with salt and fresh thyme sprigs and serve warm.
- Step 4
When the soup is ready, take it off the heat to cool a little, then pour into a blender and process until smooth. Add the cream, season well and pour into the saucepan to reheat. Ladle the soup into bowls, drizzle with a little cream, sprinkle the croûtons on top and serve.
- Step 5
Prepare ahead. Complete the recipe up to the end of step 2, but don't add the cream and don't reheat. Cool, cover and chill for up to two days. To use, bring the soup back to the boil, add the cream and simmer for 1-2min. Complete the recipe.
Try some more of our delicious soup recipes
Roasted garlic and almond soup
Panzanella soup
Watercress and wensleydale soup
Spectacular swirled soups
Spicy butternut squash soup
Carrot and coriander soup
Leek and potato soup
Freeze ahead
Complete the recipe up to the end of step 2, but don't add the cream and don't reheat. Cool and freeze. To use. Thaw at cool room temperature overnight. Bring the soup back to the boil, add the cream and simmer for 1-2min. Complete the recipe.
Per Serving:
An experienced and highly skilled team of food writers, stylists and digital content producers, the Good Housekeeping Cookery Team is a close-knit squad of food obsessives. Cookery Editor Emma Franklin is our resident chilli obsessive and barbecue expert, who spends an inordinate amount of time on holidays poking round the local supermarkets seeking out new and exciting foods. Senior Cookery Writer Alice Shields is a former pastry chef and baking fanatic who loves making bread and would have peanut butter with everything if she could. Her favourite carb is pasta, and our vibrant green spaghetti is her weeknight go-to. Lover of all things savoury, Senior Cookery Writer Grace Evans can be found eating crispy corn and nocellara olives at every opportunity, and will take the cheeseboard over dessert any time (though she cannot resist a slice of tres leches cake). With a wealth of professional kitchen know-how, culinary training and years of experience between them, they are all dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work (and if they don’t – we’ll have the answer for why*) every time (*90% of the time the answer is: “buy an separate oven thermometer”!).
