1-First, preheat the oven to 375ºF (190ºC). Slice off the top of the garlic head to expose the cloves, drizzle with 1 teaspoon olive oil, salt, and pepper, then wrap in foil and roast for 40-45 minutes until tender. Let it cool and squeeze out the garlic cloves while you prepare the other ingredients.

2-Next, boil the peeled russet potatoes for about 15 minutes until tender, then drain, cool, and cube them. These can be prepared in advance and refrigerated to save time. For the soup base, melt 4 tablespoons salted butter in a large pot over medium-high heat and sauté 1 cup chopped white onions and 1 leek for 6-8 minutes until softened and translucent.

3-Building the Soup Base Reduce the heat to medium, add 3 tablespoons flour, and cook for 60-90 seconds until lightly golden. Stir in 4 cups low sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth, 1 cup whole milk or 2% milk, ¼ cup heavy cream, ½ teaspoon fresh thyme, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 2-3 minutes until slightly thickened. For a creamy twist, this step draws on techniques from other comforting recipes like our creamy chicken mushroom pie.

4-Add the cubed potatoes and roasted garlic, then stir in ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese. Blend the soup until smooth using an immersion blender or in batches with a regular blender, adding up to 1 cup more broth if it is too thick. Adjust seasoning as needed and serve hot, garnished with parmesan cheese, chopped chives, crackers, or grilled cheese croutons. To prepare the croutons, butter both sides of 4 slices white country bread, place about ¼ cup grated Gruyère cheese on two slices, top with the remaining slices, cook in a skillet or panini press until golden (about 5 minutes), let rest, and cut into 1-inch croutons.