Summary: A strong, warming garlic soup with potatoes, caraway and marjoram, finished with a raw garlic-egg liaison and served with grated cheese and crisp croutons. Ready in 45 minutes, serves 6.
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Category: Soups, Czech Cuisine
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Quick overview
- Dish: Garlic Soup (Česnečka)
- Category: Soups, Czech Cuisine
- Cuisine: Czech
- Main ingredient: Garlic, 18 cloves, and potatoes, 500 g
- Guide: 20 Most Famous Czech Dishes
- Total time: 45 minutes (15 min preparation + 30 min cooking)
- Difficulty: Easy
- Servings: 6 (Portion weight: 350 g)
- Key technique: Simmering
- Preparation types: Simmering, frying
- Dietary info & allergens: Contains gluten, dairy, eggs
- Suitable for: Cold days, hangover mornings, everyday cooking, light dinners
- Nutritional values (per serving): 280 kcal, Protein: 12 g, Fat: 12 g, Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Storage: 2 days in the fridge • Freezer: not recommended (garlic turns bitter)
- Pairing: Pilsner, dark lager, sparkling water
- In short: A soup that tastes of garlic from the first spoon to the last – with soft potatoes, marjoram, melted cheese and crisp croutons.
- Last updated: 18 September 2026
WAGUU says: “Garlic soup is not a soup you make halfway. It is either full of garlic or it is not garlic soup at all. Use all eighteen cloves and do not be shy.”
Key facts
| Preparation time: | 15 minutes |
| Cooking time: | 30 minutes |
| Temperature: | Gentle simmer (95 °C on the hob) |
| Servings: | 6 |
At a glance
A garlic soup that means it. Strong garlic flavour from a raw liaison whisked with eggs, soft potatoes to give it body, a pinch of marjoram and caraway to balance the sharpness, topped with melted cheese and crisp croutons.
Ingredients
Base servings: 6 • Portion weight: 350 g
| Ingredient | Amount | Quality |
|---|---|---|
| Potatoes | 500 g | waxy, peeled, cut into 1.5 cm cubes |
| Garlic | 18 cloves | fresh, peeled, crushed |
| Onion | 1 piece | brown, medium, finely chopped |
| Butter | 50 g | unsalted |
| Vegetable stock | 1200 ml | good quality, or water |
| Caraway seeds | 1 tsp | whole |
| Dried marjoram | 1.5 tsp | rubbed between fingers |
| Eggs | 2 pieces | large, room temperature |
| Eidam cheese | 150 g | or Gouda, grated |
| Day-old bread rolls | 4 pieces | cubed for croutons |
| Butter (for croutons) | 30 g | unsalted |
| Fine sea salt | 2 tsp | fine |
| Black pepper | 0.5 tsp | freshly ground |
| Fresh parsley | 10 g | fresh, chopped, for serving |
Why you will love this recipe
- Strong garlic, two ways: Half the garlic is simmered into the broth, half is whisked in raw at the end. This gives you both depth and sharpness.
- A soup that does what it says: No mild garlic flavour, no hesitant taste. It tastes of garlic from the first spoon to the last.
- Ready in 45 minutes: The potatoes do the body-building work, the croutons come together in 5 minutes, the cheese melts on top.
Why it works: Garlic contains allicin, which forms when the cells are crushed and reacts with oxygen. Allicin is what gives garlic its bite. It breaks down above 60 °C, which is why raw garlic whisked into the soup at the end tastes sharper than the garlic that was cooked into the broth. The potatoes release starch as they soften, which gives the soup body without flour. The marjoram and caraway are there to balance the garlic – they do not fight it, they round it out. The egg and raw garlic liaison at the end is whisked with a small amount of hot broth before being added back, so it does not scramble.
Recipe overview
Preparation: 15 min | Cooking: 30 min | Difficulty: Easy | Servings: 6 | Type: Soup | Origin: Czech
Detailed method
Total progress: 0 % done
Phase 1: Preparation – 15 min
Equipment: Chopping board, sharp knife, vegetable peeler, garlic press or mortar and pestle
1. Peel the potatoes and cut them into 1.5 cm cubes. Put them in a bowl of cold water to stop them browning. Peel the garlic cloves and crush them – use a garlic press or crush them with the flat side of a knife and then chop them finely. Leave the crushed garlic on the board for 5 minutes before using it: this gives the allicin time to form, which makes the garlic taste stronger and cleaner. Peel and finely chop the onion.
VKB: The potatoes are cut into even cubes. The garlic is finely crushed and sitting on the board. The onion is chopped fine enough to melt into the soup.
Before you continue:
Let the crushed garlic rest for 5 minutes before cooking. Allicin needs time to form – if you use the garlic immediately, it will taste milder than it should.
Phase 2: Base and potatoes – 20 min
Equipment: Large pot (4 litres), wooden spoon
2. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for 3 minutes until soft and translucent. Add half of the crushed garlic – about 9 cloves – and cook for 30 seconds, just until it smells fragrant. Do not let it brown. Add the vegetable stock, caraway seeds and potatoes. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are soft but still hold their shape.
VKB: The potatoes are soft but not falling apart. A spoon pressed against a cube breaks it easily. The broth smells of garlic, onion and caraway.
Before you continue:
Do not let the garlic brown. Burnt garlic turns the whole soup bitter, and there is no way to fix it. Thirty seconds is enough – the garlic should smell sweet, not toasted.
Phase 3: Raw garlic and egg liaison – 5 min
Equipment: Small bowl, whisk, ladle
3. Take the pot off the heat. In a small bowl, whisk the two eggs with the remaining raw garlic – about 9 cloves – and a pinch of salt. Add a ladleful of hot broth to the egg mixture in a slow stream, whisking constantly. This tempers the eggs so they do not scramble. Now pour the tempered mixture back into the pot and stir well. Add the dried marjoram, rubbing it between your fingers as you add it. Cover the pot and let it stand for 5 minutes – the residual heat will thicken the soup slightly and draw out the aroma of the marjoram.
VKB: The soup has thickened slightly and looks creamier than before. It smells strongly of fresh garlic and marjoram. There are no visible pieces of scrambled egg.
Before you continue:
Never add the eggs directly to the boiling soup. They will scramble in seconds. Always temper them first with a ladleful of hot broth.
Phase 4: Croutons – 5 min
Equipment: Frying pan, kitchen paper
4. While the soup stands, cut the day-old bread rolls into 1.5 cm cubes. Melt the butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the bread cubes and fry them for 4–5 minutes, tossing them often, until they are golden brown on all sides. Drain on kitchen paper and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. The croutons should be crisp but not rock-hard.
VKB: The croutons are golden brown on all sides and smell of toasted butter. When tapped with a knife, they make a crisp sound.
Before you continue:
Use day-old bread, not fresh. Fresh bread soaks up too much butter and turns soft instead of crisp.
Phase 5: Cheese topping – 2 min
Equipment: Box grater, small bowl
5. Grate the cheese on the coarse side of a box grater. Divide the cheese between six warm bowls – one heaped tablespoon per bowl. Pour the hot soup over the cheese and let it melt for 30 seconds. The cheese should melt into soft, stretchy strands that follow the spoon.
VKB: The cheese has melted into the soup and forms soft strands. There are still visible pieces of cheese under the surface.
Before you continue:
Do not stir the cheese into the soup immediately. Let it sit for half a minute and melt on its own – it will stretch better and look better in the bowl.
Phase 6: Serving – 2 min
Equipment: Ladle, warm bowls, small spoon
6. Ladle the soup over the cheese in each bowl. Top with a handful of croutons and a scattering of fresh chopped parsley. Add a crack of black pepper if you like. Serve immediately. Česnečka is best served very hot, straight from the pot, before the croutons go soft.
VKB: The soup is steaming. The croutons are crisp on top and starting to soak up the broth at the bottom. The parsley is bright green against the pale soup.
Required equipment
| Equipment | Ideal size | Alternative | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Large pot | 4 litres | Dutch oven | Too small = soup splashes |
| Frying pan | 24 cm | Any heavy pan | Thin pans burn the butter |
| Garlic press | Standard | Mortar and pestle, or a knife | Crushed garlic releases more flavour than chopped |
| Whisk | Balloon whisk | Fork | Fork leaves lumps in the egg |
Shopping list
Nutritional profile
Values per serving (with cheese and croutons). Calculated from average nutritional values of ingredients.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Per serving | Per 6 servings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 80 kcal | 280 kcal | 1680 kcal |
| Fat | 3.4 g | 12 g | 72 g |
| of which saturated | 2 g | 7 g | 42 g |
| Carbohydrates | 8.6 g | 30 g | 180 g |
| of which sugars | 1.1 g | 4 g | 24 g |
| Protein | 3.4 g | 12 g | 72 g |
| Salt | 0.6 g | 2 g | 12 g |
Reference intake of an average adult (8400 kJ / 2000 kcal).
WAGUU Pro level
- Pro standard: Tested recipe with exact ratios and visual control points.
- Tip 1: Use a mix of garlic types if you can – Czech paličák has a stronger flavour than softneck varieties. The difference is noticeable.
- Tip 2: Add the marjoram in two stages – half with the potatoes, half at the end. The first half builds depth, the second adds fragrance.
- Tip 3: If you want the soup even stronger, add a teaspoon of raw crushed garlic directly to each bowl just before serving. Only for garlic lovers.
- Tip 4: Use a mix of Eidam and smoked cheese (uzený sýr) for a deeper, smokier flavour. It turns česnečka into something closer to a mountain hut soup.
Scientific background
Garlic contains an odourless sulphur compound called alliin. When the cells are crushed, alliin meets an enzyme called alliinase and converts into allicin – the compound responsible for garlic’s sharp smell and taste. This conversion takes about 10 minutes and happens only at room temperature. Allicin breaks down above 60 °C into other sulphur compounds, which taste milder and sweeter. This is why the soup uses garlic in two ways: half is simmered into the broth (giving depth), half is whisked in raw at the end (giving sharpness). The egg liaison is a classic culinary technique – the egg yolk contains lecithin, an emulsifier that helps the fat from the butter stay dispersed in the broth, giving the soup a slightly creamy texture without any cream. The marjoram contains thymol, which is released when the dried herb is rubbed between fingers, and it balances the strong garlic by adding a warm, slightly peppery note.
Fine Dining – Professional techniques
- Plate composition: Serve in deep, wide bowls. The cheese goes in first, then the soup is poured over it. The croutons go on top so they stay crisp.
- Texture contrasts: The soft potatoes contrast with the crisp croutons and the stretchy melted cheese.
- Temperature contrast: Serve the soup very hot – garlic soup is not good when it cools. The croutons should be at room temperature, so they stay crisp longer.
- Aromatic additions: A small pinch of freshly ground black pepper over each bowl, and a few leaves of fresh parsley laid across the top.
Sensory radar
- Appearance: Pale golden broth, visible pieces of potato, melted cheese at the bottom, golden croutons on top
- Aroma: Strong garlic, marjoram, toasted bread
- Taste: Sharp garlic, gentle marjoram, salt from the cheese, warmth from the black pepper
- Texture: Soft potatoes, creamy broth from the egg liaison, crisp croutons, stretchy cheese
Pairing
- BEER: Pilsner Urquell or a dark lager like Kozel Černý
- WINE: Dry white – Sauvignon Blanc or Grüner Veltliner
- SOFT DRINK: Sparkling water with lemon
Other preparation variations
- Česnečka with smoked sausage: Add 150 g of sliced smoked sausage in the last 5 minutes of cooking. The soup becomes a full meal, closer to a mountain hut version.
- Česnečka without potatoes: Skip the potatoes and serve the soup over sliced toasted bread. The result is lighter but sharper – the classic “hangover” version.
Allergens and dietary information
Contains: Gluten, dairy, eggs • Gluten: Yes (bread rolls) • Not suitable for: Coeliac disease (without substitutions), lactose intolerance
Suitable for
Cold days, everyday cooking, light dinners, meat-free days
Substitution catalogue
- Waxy potatoes: Any yellow-fleshed variety; avoid floury potatoes
- Eidam cheese: Gouda, Emmental or smoked cheese
- Vegetable stock: Chicken stock or water (if water, add more salt)
- Bread rolls: Any stale white bread, baguette or sourdough
FAQ
My soup is not garlicky enough. How do I fix it?
Add another 3–4 cloves of raw crushed garlic to a small bowl and temper it with a ladleful of hot soup, then pour it back into the pot. Taste again. Do not boil – raw garlic loses its sharpness above 60 °C.
My soup is too spicy/bitter. What happened?
The garlic was probably burnt. Burnt garlic turns bitter immediately. Unfortunately, there is no way to fix this. If it is only slightly bitter, add a small pinch of sugar and a splash more stock. Next time, keep the garlic on the heat for no more than 30 seconds.
Can I make this without eggs?
Yes. Just skip the egg liaison and add the raw garlic directly to the hot broth (off the heat). The soup will be thinner but still full of garlic flavour. It is the traditional version for fasting days.
Can I freeze česnečka?
Not recommended. Garlic turns bitter when frozen and thawed. Make it fresh – it takes 45 minutes and tastes best on the same day.
WAGUU Petr advises: Cooking for 6 or more?
6–8 people: Increase all ingredients by 30% and use a 5-litre pot. The garlic quantity is easy to scale – more people just means more garlic, not less. 10+ people: Double the recipe but add the egg liaison in two batches to keep the tempering process manageable.
Storage and reheating
Fridge: 2 days • Freezer: Not recommended • Reheating: Gently on the hob, but the garlic will taste weaker than on the first day. For the strongest taste, add a small amount of fresh raw garlic tempered in hot broth just before serving. Keep the croutons separate so they stay crisp.
Author: WAGUU Petr & Team • Published: 18 Sep 2026
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Most common mistakes
- Burning the garlic – garlic turns bitter in seconds. Thirty seconds on the heat is enough. If it smells toasted, it is already too late.
- Adding the eggs directly to the boiling soup – they scramble instantly. Always temper them first with a ladleful of hot broth.
- Using fresh bread for croutons – fresh bread soaks up butter and turns soft. Day-old bread stays crisp.
- Skipping the marjoram – marjoram is what keeps the garlic from tasting aggressive. Without it, the soup tastes sharp instead of deep.