Creamy Fennel Soup with Croutons

Ingredients

• 1 medium fennel bulb, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
• 1/4 tsp salt(optional)
• 1/4 tsp black pepper(optional)
• 1/4 cup heavy cream (or milk)
• 2 slices bread, cubed (for croutons)
• 1 tsp butter (for croutons)(optional)
• 1 tbsp fennel fronds or parsley, chopped (optional garnish)(optional)

Instructions

1. 1

   Prep (10 minutes): Slice the fennel and dice the onion. Mince the garlic. Cube the bread for croutons.

2. 2

   Cook (25 minutes): In a pot, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and fennel and cook 8–10 minutes until slightly softened. Stir in garlic for 30 seconds. Add broth, bring to a simmer, and cook 15–17 minutes until fennel is very tender.

3. 3

   Blend: Turn off heat and blend the soup until completely smooth (use an immersion blender or carefully blend in batches). Season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. 4

   Finish and serve: Stir in cream (or milk) and warm gently for 1–2 minutes. Toast bread cubes in a dry pan or with a little butter until crisp, then serve soup topped with croutons and optional chopped fronds.