This cream of roasted cauliflower & cheese soup came about because I had a couple of heads that needed to be used. Since we don’t often, and very sadly, get large heads of cauliflower these days, I used two medium ones to make a big pot of soup. Unless you are ordering from a farm producer, the supermarket cauliflower tends to be on the very measly and expensive side of the spectrum.
The high demand from the low-carb diet brigade. I long for the days of buying large unpackaged heads of cauliflower from my grocery store, but they seem to be over. Where can I buy them out of the disastrous Styrofoam and plastic packaging I do. The total weight of the cauliflower I used for this soup was around 1.2k after the leaves were trimmed off.
I decided to roast the cauliflower before to intensify the flavour as I did with my best-ever butternut soup recipe, but you can totally skip this step and add the raw chopped-up cauliflower to the pot when you add the stock and the milk. Just cook it for about 20 minutes longer. When you are pureeing the soup with your stick blender or food processor, add a little extra milk if you want to thin it down. This recipe makes quite a thick soup and a swirl of cream at the end finishes it off. I also reserved a few of small pieces of roasted cauliflower to top the soup and to add texture. I sprinkled these on the soup along with chopped fresh parsley, roasted cashew nuts and finely grated Gruyere.
What toppings can you add to your cauliflower soup?
You can really go mad here with toppings and since cauliflower is quite a neutral-tasting soup, flavourful bits really make it pop.
I added Gruyere cheese which I finely grated and stirred through the soup and as well as sprinkled over the top, but you could just as easily replace it with Parmesan, Pecorino or an aged sharp Cheddar. Blue cheese would also work brilliantly.
You could also add the cheese to a crouton/slice of toasted bread and float that on top like French onion soup. Or make your own croutons from bread by tossing them in the oven with olive oil and seasoning.
Chorizo sausage would also be lovely. Pan-fry chopped-up pieces and use the rendered oil to drizzle over.
Fry sage in sizzling butter until crisp and scatter these on top. I feel you can never get enough crispy fried sage leaves.
I love crunchy bits for texture so any roasted nut or seed would be lovely as well and dukkah.
A few other delicious soup recipes:
French onion soup
Split pea and ham hock soup
Creamy roasted tomato soup
& cauliflower recipes:
How to make the best whole roast cauliflower in the world (video)
Creamy oven risotto with roasted cauliflower and sage
Yotam Ottolenghi’s cauliflower cake
Recipe – Makes one large pot of soup which will serve 6 people
Cream of roasted cauliflower & cheese soup
A delicious cream of roasted cauliflower to cosy up to in winter.
Print Recipe
Ingredients
2 small-medium heads of cauliflower weighing 1.2kgs after the leaves are trimmed off
About 3 – 4 Tbsp olive oil
Salt & Pepper
A few thyme stalksoptional and if you have
30gms buttera big knob or 3 Tbsp olive oil
1large onionchopped
1large leekwashed and chopped (optional)
1celery stalkchopped
3garlic cloves chopped
3bay leaves
1-litre vegetable stock
250ml/ 1 cup milk
50– 80gms Gruyere cheesefinely grated (as much as you like)
125ml/ half a cup cream
Chopped parsley to topabout 1 Tbsp
Chopped roasted cashewsoptional
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 200C / F and was and trim the cauliflower of the outer leaves. Cut it into medium-sized pieces including the stalk. Toss in olive oil to lightly coat, season with salt and pepper and spread out on a large baking tray. Scatter over the thyme stalks if you are using these. Roast with for about 30 minutes until just cooked through and starting to take on colour.
While the cauliflower is roasting, heat the butter in a large pot and sweat the onions, leek and celery for about 5 minutes until soft, add the garlic and bay and cook for a further minute. If the cauliflower is not yet ready, turn off the heat.
When the cauliflower is roasted, remove from the oven and take out a few of the smaller pieces if you want to use these to top the soup (optional). Keep these warm in the turned-off oven. Add the rest of the roasted cauliflower to the pot with the stock and milk and bring to the boil. Then turn this down to low heat and allow this to simmer for 25 minutes.
When the soup is cooked, remove the bay leaves and either blend with a metal stick blender (heat-proof) straight away, or allow to cool slightly and process in a food processor until smooth. Reheat if necessary. Add the cream or additional milk if you want to thin it down. Dish up and stir through the grated cheese into each bowl. Top with the toppings of your choice and additional cheese.
Bland cauliflower soup is a result of a lack of seasoning. Here's how to ensure every bowl is packed with flavor. Season twice with salt and pepper: You'll start by seasoning the cauliflower florets with salt and pepper before roasting.
Milk or Half-and-Half: This is the other magical ingredient that turns your homemade chicken noodle soup into the creamiest soup ever. Use 1 cup of whole milk or 1 cup of half-and-half. If you want to make regular (non-creamy) chicken noodle soup, replace the milk with more chicken broth.
Foods that have a great deal of acidity, like lemon juice, vinegar, white wine, and tomato puree, can help liven up the flavor of bland-tasting bone and other broths. "The acidity of these ingredients works to complement and enhance the broth's flavors, not mask it.
If you're planning to roast the cauliflower whole or slice it into steaks, slice off the thick stem at the base. Drop the whole cauliflower head upside-down into cool, salted water. Let it soak for 10 to 15 minutes to remove dirt, residue and bugs.
The perfect temperature– 400 degrees Fahrenheit is the perfect temperature for most roasted vegetables. It allows for a crispy, perfectly browned exterior and a fork tender interior.
Vegetables like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and cauliflower are high in sulfur and can cause bloating and gas. Try some of these vegetables to see if they are easier to digest: carrots, spinach, sweet potatoes, zucchini, green beans, celery and squash.
A squeeze of citrus, a dollop of yogurt or a drizzle of cream, a dusting of cheese or a good chile powder, a sprinkling of some herbs or croutons — all can take a perfectly fine soup into the realm of the delectable. Even a spiral of good olive oil to finish and some coarse sea salt can do wonders.
Use what you love! Cream: Half and half, heavy cream, light cream or thickened cream all yield similar results, however heavy cream adds richness. Flour: We need flour to create that delicious, creamy texture mushroom soup is loved for.
Cream is one of the most delicious ways to thicken a soup — all that rich milk fat helps to emulsify the soup and make it even creamier. Cream can curdle with the long cook time of the slow cooker, so I prefer canned milks like evaporated milk or coconut milk for thickening instead.
The best options for thickening soup are cream or half and half. Plain yogurt or even freshly grated cheese works well and adds an extra layer of tangy, salty flavor. Add the dairy at the end and avoid bringing the soup to a boil since this can cause yogurt, cheese, or cream to split.
There are two really simple techniques that bring out the best in cauliflower: grilling and pickling. Dumping cauliflower florets in a mixture of salt and lemon juice for 45 minutes to an hour turns them into spiky little flavor bombs, delivering high-pitched squeaks in salads, sandwiches or the stew recipe here.
If a soup is tasting bland in the bowl, consider adding acid rather than salt. A squeeze of lemon or lime, or a dash of yogurt or sour cream can add brightness to the bowl. Start with the basics. Ensure you've added enough salt and black pepper.
If your broth tastes thin and bland, you may want to cook and let it evaporate for longer. That helps concentrate its flavors and gives you a better-tasting soup broth. Be sure to remove the lid to let the steam escape.
Introduction: My name is Kelle Weber, I am a magnificent, enchanting, fair, joyous, light, determined, joyous person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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Recipe – Makes one large pot of soup which will serve 6 people
