Topped with crunchy curried chickpeas this potato and roasted garlic soup is creamy and comforting but still with a hint of spice. I've included instructions to make it with vegetable stock or with whey!

In a recent post I made a delicious pea and homemade ricotta tart. I made my own ricotta for it and didn't know what to do with the leftover whey. I guess it's not a problem many people have, or at least not very often. Anyway, after a little research I discovered that whey can be used in soups as an alternative to stock. So, whether you have any whey or not, this roasted garlic potato soup is definitely something you should make!
I've kept this potato and roasted garlic soup very simple. It's mainly potatoes and garlic, which of course go well together.
To make it a bit more interesting and because I love adding spices to my recipes, I roasted some chickpeas with curry spices to make crunchy chickpea croutons. These were the ideal topping and complemented the creamy potato and garlic soup perfectly. Of course, you could just make roasted chickpeas for a tasty snack or even salad topping.
Ingredient notes for roasted garlic and potato soup
To see quantities then do check out the recipe card further down the page. To make this soup you'll need:
- Garlic - You need a whole bulb of garlic as you are going to roast it.
- Onion - I always use a brown skinned onion rather than a red onion for this soup as I want the colour to be a nice white rather than a pink!
- Potatoes - Use floury potatoes as the starch in them will help thicken the soup and make it lovely and creamy.
- Liquid - You can use whey, vegetable stock or half stock and half milk. If you use whey it will have a higher amount of protein. You may also need to add a little extra seasoning as stock is saltier than whey.
- Seasoning - I add some salt and black pepper.
- Chickpeas - I use tinned chickpeas and alsothough I don't use all of them as a garnish, I always roast a whole tin and just save the remainer for another recipe or just as a snack.
- Curry powder - Use any variety of curry powder.
- Oil - Use a neutral vegetable or sunflower oil.

How to make roasted garlic and potato soup
Again, do check out the recipe card burther down the page for full details. When this recipe was first published I used to roast the garlic and chickpeas in the oven but these days I prefer to cook them in the air fryer as it's quicker and more energy efficient. So, use whichever method you prefer.
Regardless of whether I'm air frying or roasting, I still start with the chickepeas and garlic. Rinse the chickpeas and dry them a little on kitchen paper. They don't need to be super dry but it's good to remove excess water. Then stir the oil and curry powder into them.
Cut the end off the garlic bulb. It may fall apart when you cut the ends off but don't worry. I also drizzle a little oil over the garlic and wrap it up in some foil.
Put the garlic and the chickpeas in the air fryer or in a preheated oven. Bake for about 20 minutes in the oven at 200C or in the air fryer for about 15 minutes at 190C.
While they are roasting, start cooking the onion. Cook it gently in a little oil for about 5 minutes and then add the chunks of potato, the seasoning and the liquid. Bring it to the boil and then let it simmer for about 20 minutes.
When the potato is soft, the chickpeas and garlic should be ready. Unwrap the garlic carefully and squeeze the garlic out into the soup. Blend the soup until smooth using a stick blender or transfer it to an immersion blender.
Serve the soup topped with the crispy chickpeas. I also like to sprinkle on a few herbs such as chives or parsley.

Can you adapt this garlic and potato soup?
Yes, you can adapt this soup. It's a very simple recipe with only 5 ingredients in the soup and three ingredients to make the roasted chickpeas.
As I've already mentioned, you can use stock or whey for the soup.
You can also make a fairly different soup but using the same method. Instead of potato, use a different kind of vegetable. How about celeriac, cauliflower or sweet potato? If you are using whey, then these vegetables would also work very well as an alternative to potato.
You can also use a different topping. Plain croutons or how about Marmite croutons?
Can you make it vegan?
Yes of course! If you use vegetable stock instead of whey this potato and garlic soup will be vegan. The soup will still have a lovely creamy texture from the potato.
What to make with leftover whey
I had about 800ml of leftover whey and it seemed a shame to just pour it down the sink as there are a lot of uses for leftover whey.
You can add whey to soups and stews in place of stock. Or use it in baked goods such as bread, pastries and biscuits. Apparently it's good for your skin too so you could even add it to the bath!
The leftover whey may look a funny greenish colour but it's full of vitamins, minerals and protein as well as being low in fat. It's perfect for roasted vegetable soups as it helps give the soup that creamy texture without you actually needing to add any cream.
Storing and reheating this soup
You can store this soup in the fridge for up to three days. You can then reheat it thoroughly in a saucepan or in the microwave.
If you want to keep it for longer then freeze it in an airtight container for up to three months. Defrost and then reheat as above.

Recipe

Potato and Roasted Garlic Soup with Curried Chickpea Croutons
Ingredients
- 1 bulb garlic
- 1 onion diced
- 400 g potatoes cubed
- 800 ml whey or vegetable stock or half stock and half milk
- ½ teaspoon Black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the Garnish
- 50 g chickpeas
- ¼ teaspoon curry powder
- ½ tablespoon oil
Instructions
- Mix the chickpeas, curry powder and oil together. I usually make a larger amount than stated in this recipe so the leftovers can be eaten as a snack.
- Cut the garlic bulb in half, or just slice the end of the bulb off and coat in a little oil. Wrap it in foil so it doesn't burn.
- Put the chickpeas and the garlic on a baking tray and roast in the oven at 200C for about 20 minutes until the garlic is soft and the chickpeas are crispy.
- Alternatively, cook them in the air fryer for about 15 minutes at 190℃.
- At the same time cook the onion gently in a saucepan in a little oil until it is soft but not browned.
- Add the potatoes and the whey or stock and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Blend the soup either using a stick blender or transfer it to a blender, in batches if necessary.
- Season the soup with the black pepper and serve it topped with the croutons.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
More Soup Recipes
If you like this soup then do check out my recipe collection of homemade soups. Or one of these vegetable soups:
Keep in touch
Do let me know if you make this potato soup or any of my other recipes. I love to get feedback from readers.
You can also stay up to date by following on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
Hayley (@SnapHappyBakes)
You cannot beat a bowl of heathly goodness! Delicious! Thanks for sharing with #CookBlogShare
Corina
You're welcome!
Honest Mum
Wow! Looks delicious!
Corina
Thank you!
Eb Gargano
I love the sound of this recipe - what a clever way to use up your leftovers! And chickpea croutons - what a genius idea!! Eb x
Corina
Pleased you like it!
fabfood4all
Love the sound of this garlicy soup which I know my family would love! Thanks for a thrifty entry to #CreditCrunchMunch:-)
Corina
I'm so pleased you like it!
hijackedbytwins
Oooh this soup sounds delicious. We love roasted garlic and I bet it makes a lovely soup. Thank you for sharing with #CookBlogShare x
Corina
You're welcome!
Dragons And Fairy Dust
This looks lovely and a great way to use chickpeas! I love your bowls as well
Corina
Thanks so much. The bowls were a present so I'm pleased you like them as well!
Elizabeth
That soup sounds amazing and those chickpea croutons - genius!!! Thank you for sharing with the no waste food challenge 🙂
Corina
So pleased you like it!
Kristy from Southern In Law
Why haven't I been putting roasted chickpeas on top of all my soups?! Yummmmmmmmmm!
Angela / Only Crumbs Remain
Love teh sound of your soup Corina and what a great whay to use up the whey which may have otherwise been poured down the sink. i was interested to read that it can be used in so many other bakes too. #CreditCrunchMunch
Angela x
Sarah
I wouldn't mind getting my knits on a cheese making kit - that would be fun! Thanks for linking up to #CreditCrunchMunch. 🙂
Sarah 'n Spice
This soup sounds awesome! Love the curried chickpeas on top. Perfection! I also want to try making my own cheese 🙂
Charlotte Oates
I've not tried making my own cheese before, but reading about it here has made me want to go and give it a try. I've also no idea what whey tastes like (the only person I've know to eat it was little miss muffit!) so I'm keen to give that a go too.