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This creamy roasted cauliflower soup is quick to come together and made with healthier ingredients that you probably already have in the pantry or fridge.
Ahh the slow rise of cauliflower. It's funny when I think of how often I use cauliflower these days, when just about 5 years ago, I don't know if I made it once. From cauliflower pizza crust to creamy garlic mashed cauliflower - I've shared a few recipes. Cauliflower is such a versatile ingredient, where it can be dry for a crust or turn creamy - like for this cauliflower soup recipe.
If you're not the biggest fan of plain cauliflower, don't worry, you'll still like this! By roasting the cauliflower before throwing in the soup, you add more depth to the flavor.
One thing to keep in mind about this soup is it doesn't yield a ton - just about 4 servings. So if you want some soup that you can freeze, I'd double the recipe.
At least for me, when I make soup I usually make a huge pot of it so I can use for the following month when I'm feeling lazy. So give this roasted cauliflower soup a try.
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Recipe Ingredients
- Cauliflower - the star of the dish.
- Sweet onion, garlic, lemon, thyme - added flavor throughout.
- Olive oil - helps cook the cauliflower.
- Vegetable broth - low-sodium is best.
- Milk - whole milk is best.
- Parmesan cheese - adds saltiness and a little nuttiness.
- Unsalted butter - makes the soup a little more velvety.
- Salt, black pepper, nutmeg - enhances the flavor.
How to Make Cauliflower Soup
- Toss chopped cauliflower with 2 tbsp olive oil and some salt and pepper. Place in an even layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast in oven at 425°F for 30-35 minutes or until the edges are starting to brown.
- Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add the vegetable broth and roasted cauliflower and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and maintain a simmer for 20 minutes.
- Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth. You can also add the soup to a blender in batches and puree.
- Stir in the milk, Parmesan cheese, butter, lemon juice, salt and nutmeg and cook for 2 minutes.
- Serve immediately with some fresh thyme and roasted chickpeas if desired.
Can I Make this Vegan?
Yes. Instead of using milk, just add another cup of vegetable broth. You can go without the Parmesan and butter as well. I just add to give a little more nuttiness to the soup. Maybe add an extra dash of nutmeg to compensate.
Alternatively, if you're not vegan, you can also use chicken broth instead of vegetable broth. It just won't be vegetarian at that point!
How to Thicken
Honestly because the soup is basically pureed cauliflower, it is pretty thick. However, if you want to thicken up more, stir 1 tbsp cornstarch with 1/4 cup of water until mixed well. Then add to the soup at the end as it is simmering.
How to Freeze
You just want to let the soup come to room temperature before placing in a airtight container. You can keep in the freezer for 4-6 months.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- You can steam your cauliflower if you want but by roasting the cauliflower, you are building flavor by adding caramelized notes.
- Sautéing the onions and garlic before adding broth and roasted cauliflower is just another additional flavor profile.
- Use quality vegetable broth or chicken broth if you don't need it to be vegetarian. Broth is a huge component in the cauliflower soup.
- Use an immersion blender to puree until smooth. If you don't have one, using a blender is fine but you have to do it in stages which I don't like.
- Add butter and milk for creaminess. If you are vegan, then skip these ingredients and add an extra cup of vegetable broth.
- A pinch of nutmeg makes all the difference in the warmth of the soup.
- Top with some crispy chickpeas or additional roasted cauliflower for texture in the cauliflower soup.
Other Soup Recipes
- Butternut Squash Sweet Potato Soup
- Sweet Potato Chili
- Salsa Verde Chicken Pozole
- Butternut Squash Apple Soup
- Chicken Barley Soup
If you’ve tried this roasted cauliflower soup or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.
Creamy Roasted Cauliflower Soup
Ingredients
Roasted Cauliflower Soup
- 1 head cauliflower (2 lbs), cut into florets
- 4 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1 small sweet onion, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- Sea salt and black pepper to taste
- dash of nutmeg
- 5 sprigs fresh thyme, finely chopped
Roasted Chickpeas (Optional)
- 1 (15.5 oz can) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
Cauliflower Soup
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss the cauliflower florets with 2 tbsp olive oil and some salt. Spread in even layer on baking sheet. Roast for 30-35 minutes or until edges are browned.
- In a large Dutch oven, heat remaining 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5-7 minutes or until translucent. Stir in the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Add vegetable broth and roasted cauliflower to Dutch oven and increase heat to medium-high until it begins to simmer. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.
- Using either an immersion blender, or transferring the soup in batches to a traditional blender, puree the soup until smooth. If using blender, be careful to not fill it very full or it will splatter everywhere.
- Stir in milk, Parmesan cheese, butter, lemon juice, salt and nutmeg and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Serve immediately and top with some fresh thyme and roasted chickpeas if desired.
Roasted Chickpeas
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Rinse and drain chickpeas and pat dry with paper towel. In a medium bowl, toss chickpeas with olive oil and spices so they get coated. Spread evenly on baking sheet.
- Roast for 45-50 minutes or until golden brown and crispy to the touch. Turn the pan around and shake the chickpeas at the halfway point to help cook them evenly.
Notes
- You can steam your cauliflower if you want but by roasting the cauliflower, you are building flavor by adding caramelized notes.
- Sautéing the onions and garlic before adding broth and roasted cauliflower is just another additional flavor profile.
- Use quality vegetable broth or chicken broth if you don't need it to be vegetarian. Broth is a huge component in the roasted cauliflower soup.
- Use an immersion blender to puree until smooth. If you don't have one, using a blender is fine but you have to do it in stages which I don't like.
- Add butter and milk for creaminess. If you are vegan, then skip these ingredients and add an extra cup of vegetable broth.
- A pinch of nutmeg makes all the difference in the warmth of the soup.
- Top with some crispy chickpeas or additional roasted cauliflower for texture in the cauliflower soup.
Cauliflower is popular these day!