This recipe came to me from Food and Wine Magazine – Basque garlic soup – also known as Sopa de Ajo. The recipe is by Marti Buckley, whose book Basque Country, was published in 2018.

I actually found a similar soup in a cookbook I own called The Basque Kitchen, by Gerald Hirigoyen, published in 1999. That recipe actually uses 30 cloves of garlic, so one day I’ll have to make that!

From the cookbook: “In the old days, and perhaps even now, sheepherders would make themselves a bowl of this rustic, sustaining soup in the “wee hours” before heading out to tend their flocks.” Thus the recipe nick name is Wee Hours Soup.

Make sure you have the real Pimentón de la Vera on hand for this soup.

Basque Garlic Soup
printable recipe below

4 ounces high-quality baguette
1/2 cup olive oil, divided
1 garlic head (about 12 cloves), peeled and finely chopped
1 heaping tablespoon Pimentón de la Vera (smoked Spanish paprika)
8 cups homemade or low-sodium chicken broth
2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
3 large eggs, beaten

Preheat oven to 450°F. Place baguette on a baking sheet, and toast in preheated oven until very browned, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven, and let cool. Break or slice bread into 2-inch pieces.

Heat 7 tablespoons oil in a large pot over medium-high. Add bread pieces, and reduce heat to medium. Cook, turning often to allow bread to toast and soak up oil, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove bread, and set aside.

Add garlic and remaining 1 tablespoon oil to pot. Cook over medium-high, stirring constantly, until garlic is golden brown, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Stir in paprika. Add broth and salt; bring to a boil.

Add bread to pot. Reduce heat to medium-low, and maintain a simmer. Add vinegar. Cook, stirring occasionally to break up bread, until flavors meld, about 25 minutes. Taste and add more salt, if needed.

When ready to serve, bring soup to a simmer over medium-high. Stirring constantly, slowly pour beaten eggs into hot soup.

If any large pieces of bread remain, cut with kitchen scissors, or break apart with a spoon. (I didn’t bother with this step.)

Serve hot.

This may be the best soup I’ve had in my whole life. Seriously. It’s brothy, has a kick, has a creaminess from the bread and eggs, and the garlic flavor is not as overpowering as you think it might be. Incredible.