Cauliflower Soup

Roasted Cauliflower Soup is SO creamy, healthy, easy to make and bursting with flavor!

This Creamy Cauliflower Soup is SO lusciously rich, thick and velvety, you won’t believe it’s low fat and low carb without any cheese or cream!  Most importantly, you won’t believe how delicious this healthy Cauliflower Soup is.  It’s loaded with nutty caramelized flavors from curry roasted cauliflower, onions, garlic and my secret ingredient – fennel!  It’s guaranteed to satisfy your warm creamy soup cravings – without ANY guilt!  This creamy Cauliflower Soup is also freezer friendly and reheats beautifully for stress free dinners or lunches throughout the week.

 

How do you make the best cauliflower soup?

If you haven’t jumped on the Cauliflower Soup bandwagon yet, I don’t blame you.  I tried making various website Cauliflower recipes and I tried adding my own spin to make them more flavorful – and still I was left with lackluster Cauliflower Soup – soup I didn’t crave and soup I definitely wouldn’t be proud to share – until today.

THIS Cauliflower Soup, my friends, is one of life’s greatest pleasures.  It is downright obsessive worthy and the Best Cauliflower Soup recipe in my opinion.  I am giddy to share it with you and I can’t wait to hear what you think!  Here’s how we create the best healthy Cauliflower Soup recipe:

1.  Create complex flavors with basic ingredients

This Cauliflower Soup was inspired by a birthday lunch date with my sister. As we both slurped our warm, fragrant, creamy Cauliflower Soup, we were in awe at the savory, subtle, layers of multi-dimensional flavors.

I asked if the chef would share his recipe and I learned the secret to his vibrant Cauliflower Soup (dramatic pause) – fennel!  Cauliflower Soup NEEDS fennel, in my humble opinion, although I have never seen it in any other recipe and that’s why I haven’t liked any other recipe!

As the fennel sweats with onions and celery, it becomes sweet and juicy, smooth and creamy and imparts a subtle sweet, bright, herby, slightly tangy flavor.  The fennel combined with the aromatic onions, and garlic = heaven!

2.  Roast and spike the cauliflower with curry

I have an entire post dedicated to Curry Roasted Cauliflower because it is my FAVORITE way eat cauliflower and, in turn, makes this my favorite Cauliflower Soup!

Roasting the cauliflower transforms the plain, rather bland vegetable into a nutty, buttery flavored delight with caramelized edges.  The curry infuses it with complex flavors with just the right amount of needed spunk which in turn makes our Cauliflower Soup a nutty, fragrant delight.

3.  Make it healthy AND creamy 

It is practically impossible to find a soup that is creamy and healthy.  I have “lightened up versions” of Potato Soup, Broccoli Soup and Tomato Soup but they still have cheese and/or half and half.

This easy Cauliflower Soup, on the other hand, tastes deceptively decadent, but doesn’t have any cream or cream cheese – and it doesn’t need it!  Instead, the Cauliflower Soup uses the trick of blending the vegetables until smooth to create its own thickness.

In fact, the soup is actually so thick and creamy you will probably have to thin it out with some milk or broth once it’s done.  YAY for guilt free comfort food that will fill you up without weighing you down!

4.  Omit cheese and dairy so it reheats and freezes beautifully

Some soups with pasta and rice don’t save as well as the pasta/grains soak up the liquid in the soup but this Cauliflower Soup tastes even better the next day!  It also freezes great because it doesn’t contain any cheese or heavy cream.  This means you can make this Cauliflower Soup in bulk or in advance and have dinner at a reheats notice.

5.  BONUS

This easy Cauliflower Soup also is fabulous because its a flavorful meal on-its-own or pairs beautifully with practically everything.  Although it includes curry roasted cauliflower, its flavor profile isn’t Asian, it is just flavorful.  This allows the soup to compliment any type of cuisine from soups and sandwiches to tacos and pasta!

What Ingredients Do you Need for CAULIFLOWER SOUP?

To make this easy Cauliflower Soup Recipe, you will need:

• Cauliflower: choose a large cauliflower that is free from browning, wet spots or “sun burned spots.”  The cauliflower should be firm, heavy for its size with densely packed florets.
• Fennel: If you aren’t familiar with cooking fennel, most grocery stores carry it or specialty produce stores such as Sprouts, Whole Foods, etc. definitely do.  Look for plump, round fennel bulbs as opposed to flat elongated ones because those won’t be as sweet. We want just the bulb for our Cauliflower Soup recipe, so chop off the fennel stalks at their base, where they join the bulb. You can discard the stalks and feathery fronds or use the fronds as a salad garnish.

• Celery: you will need 2 cups chopped celery, for me this was almost one bunch.  To chop, I slice each stalk in half lengthwise then chop the other direction.
• Butter: I love the added flavor but you can substitute with olive oil for an even healthier soup.
• Olive oil: you can substitute with your preferred cooking oil if you wish.
• White Onion: I usually use yellow onions but for this Cauliflower Soup recipe, you will want a white onion for a sweeter, cleaner flavor.
• Garlic: use more or less depending on your garlic love.
• Chicken broth: I prefer chicken broth over vegetable broth because it has more flavor.

What spices to add to cauliflower soup?

Our Roasted Cauliflower Soup boasts a complex aromatic base of onions, garlic, fennel and celery.  We further enhance the flavor with:

• Yellow Curry Powder: Curry powder can be found with the spices at any grocery store.  Please don’t skip the curry or you will be missing out on serious YUM as curry is a mixture of many different spices.
• Herbs: We use dried basil, dried parsley, dried oregano.  You can substitute the dried herbs for fresh herbs.  The general rule is 1 teaspoon dried to 1 tablespoon fresh.
• Cayenne Pepper: Use more or less cayenne pepper to taste but please don’t skip – it makes the Cauliflower Soup come alive! If you aren’t sure how much to use, you can wait until your Cauliflower Soup is done and then start with a pinch.

How do you make easy cauliflower soup?

Step 1: Roast Cauliflower

Toss cauliflower with olive oil, curry powder, salt and pepper and roasts for 25-30 minutes or until the edges are golden because color = flavor.  The trick to deeply flavorful cauliflower is to spread it out in an even layer so it roasts and doesn’t just steam.

Roasted cauliflower caramelizes and sweetens and will impart a greater depth of flavor to your Cauliflower Soup.  While the cauliflower is roasting, I use this time to chop the onions, fennel and celery.

Step 2: Sweat onions, fennel and celery

Next, we build flavor by sweating our aromatics.  Sweating is a process in which vegetables soften and sweeten instead of turning golden and nutty.

To sweat the aromatics, cook them over medium-low heat until translucent and tender, stirring often, this will take about 10-15 minutes.  You will have to keep an eye on the onions to see when they’re done because they won’t turn golden.  Once they’re translucent, add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds.

Step 3:  Thicken Soup

Next, sprinkle in flour and cook for additional 2 minutes to get rid of raw flour smell, then add chicken broth and all seasonings. Reserve about ½ cup roasted cauliflower for garnish and add the rest to the soup.

Simmer Cauliflower Soup for at least 5 minutes or longer if needed to thicken. This allows the cauliflower to release it is nutty flavors into the soup and all the flavors to blend.

Step 4:  Blend to desired Consistency

You can pick the consistency of your Cauliflower Soup.  If you want tender chunks of cauliflower in your soup, in addition to the garnish, only blend part of the soup. If you want a completely smooth Cauliflower Soup, then blend all of the soup.

For the smoothest, CREAMIEST Soup, use your blender and not an immersion blender. I was not satisfied with the texture of the soup when I used my immersion blender.

To puree the Cauliflower Soup in the blender, add soup to blender in batches, adding pureed soup to a separate bowl.

While using the blender, make sure you let some of the steam escape by lifting up a corner or it will explode. I leave a corner open and cover it with a paper towel so steam can escape but soup cannot.

Step 5:  Garnish

Taste your soup and season with additional salt, pepper and/or cayenne to taste.  Garnish with reserved cauliflower and something crunchy like pepitas, sunflower seeds or roasted chick peas.

Step 6: EAT!

Now dig into luscious, healthy, guilt free Roasted Cauliflower Soup!

Can Healthy Cauliflower Soup be made vegetarian, gluten free and dairy free?

EVERYONE needs the pleasure of slurping this velvety soup. As written, it is not vegetarian, gluten or dairy free, but with a couple easy swaps, it can fit everyone’s dietary needs:

• Gluten Free Cauliflower Soup: use gluten free flour.
• Vegetarian Cauliflower Soup: substitute the chicken broth with vegetable broth.
• Dairy Free Cauliflower Soup: thin soup with chicken/vegetable broth instead of milk and use oil instead of butter.

How do you thicken cauliflower soup?

If you puree all of your Cauliflower Soup then it is likely to be on the gorgeously thick side and you may want to thin it out with chicken broth, milk or half and half.

If you puree only part of your soup, then it will either be the perfect consistency or perhaps slightly thinner than you may like.  Don’t let this bother you though, because it is very easy to thicken Cauliflower Soup.

To thicken Cauliflower Soup, create a cornstarch slurry by mixing 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 3 tablespoons water until smooth.  Add to soup and simmer until thickened.   If you would like even thicker soup, then repeat.

Can you Make Cauliflower Soup in Advance?

Cauliflower Soup reheats beautifully, so it is perfect to make in advance. You can even meal prep by adding serving size portions into separate containers for the week (or up to 5 days).

You can reheat individual servings in the microwave or heat larger quantities on the stove until warmed through.

How long can you keep cauliflower soup in the fridge?

This Cauliflower Soup will last about 4-5 days in the refrigerator.  As always, use common sense and if it doesn’t smell right, then throw it out.

Can you Freeze Cauliflower soup?

YES!  Many soups with dairy or pasta in them don’t freeze well but this Cauliflower Soup freezes great.

If you know you are going to freeze, then thin your soup (if needed) with chicken broth instead of milk.

HOW TO FREEZE CAULIFLOWER SOUP:

1. Cool. Cool Cauliflower Soup completely before freezing.
2. Package:  Transfer soup to a freezer safe container.  You can use sandwich size plastic bags for individual soup portions, quart size bags or freezer bags.  To easy fill these bags, place them in a container that you can wrap the top around the edge of – for example, place a sandwich size bag in a mug then cuff the edges around the mug.  This keeps the bag open and prevents it from collapsing when you are pouring in your Cauliflower Soup. Squeeze out any excess air then seal and label.
3. Freeze. Freeze Cauliflower Soup for up to three months
4. Defrost/Reheat. The easiest way to thaw your soup is in your refrigerator overnight then reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.

Looking for more healthy Soup Recipes?

• Chicken Tortilla Soup
• Minestrone Soup
• Chipotle Sweet Potato Soup
• BBQ Chicken Chili
• Turkey Chili
• Curried Butternut Squash Soup
• Miso Soup

Want to try this Cauliflower Soup Recipe?

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©Carlsbad Cravings by CarlsbadCravings.com

Tools Used in This Recipe

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Baking Sheet 21 x 15 inches

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Dutch Oven 7.25 qt. (White)

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Liquid measuring cup (8 cups)

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Measuring Cups and Spoons Set

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BlendTec Blender

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Spatula Spoon

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Cauliflower Soup

Roasted Cauliflower Soup is SO creamy, healthy, easy to make and bursting with flavor – you won’t believe it’s low fat and low carb without any cheese or cream!  Most importantly, you won’t believe how delicious this Cauliflower Soup is.  It’s loaded with curry roasted cauliflower with nutty caramelized flavors, onions, garlic and my secret ingredient – fennel!  It’s guaranteed to satisfy your warm creamy soup cravings – without ANY guilt!  This Roasted Cauliflower Soup is also freezer friendly and reheats beautifully for stress free dinners or lunches throughout the week.

Servings: 6 -8 servings

Total Time: 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Prep Time: 20 minutes mins

Cook Time: 45 minutes mins

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Ingredients

Roasted Cauliflower

• 1 large head cauliflower (approx. 8 cups) chopped into florets
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon yellow curry powder *
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Cauliflower Soup

• 2 tablespoons butter may sub olive oil
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large white onion chopped
• 1 bulb of fennel chopped**
• 2 cups chopped celery
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 tsp EACH dried basil, dried parsley, dried oregano, salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• Pinch -⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Milk as needed to thin (use broth if freezing)

Instructions

Roasted Cauliflower

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking tray with foil and lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray.
• Add cauliflower to prepared baking tray and and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with seasonings. Toss until evenly coated, then spread out into a single layer.
• Roast at 425 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until starting to char on the edges. (I use this time to chop the onions, fennel and celery.)

Soup

• After the cauliflower has been roasting 10-15 minutes, melt 2 tablespoon butter with 1 tablespoon olive oil in a Dutch oven/soup pot over medium-low heat. Add onions, fennel, and celery and cook until translucent and tender, stirring often, about 10-15 minutes (we are sweating the vegetables- they will not turn golden).
• Increase heat to medium high and add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Sprinkle in flour and cook for additional 2 minutes, stirring often.
• Reduce heat to low and add chicken broth and all seasonings. Reserve about ½ cup roasted cauliflower for garnish and add the rest to the soup.
• Bring to boil, then reduce to a simmer for 5 minutes or until thickened.
• Puree desired amount of soup with an immersion blender or working in batches, puree in blender, taking care to let smoke escape or it will explode (I leave a corner open and cover with a paper towel). I find my blender gives a smoother, more desirable consistency.
• Stir in a little milk or half and half if needed to reach desired consistency. Taste soup and season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
• Garnish soup with reserved roasted cauliflower, and option freshly chopped parsley and roasted pepitas.

Notes

*Fennel: DON’T SKIP!  Fennel is crucial to the flavor of this Cauliflower Soup. If you aren’t familiar with cooking fennel, most grocery stores carry it or specialty produce stores such as Sprouts, Whole Foods, etc. definitely do.  Look for plump, round fennel bulbs as opposed to flat elongated ones because those won’t be as sweet. We want just the bulb for our Cauliflower Soup recipe, so chop off the fennel stalks at their base, where they join the bulb. You can discard the stalks and feathery fronds or use the fronds as a salad garnish.

Can Cauliflower Soup be made vegetarian, gluten free and dairy free?

EVERYONE needs the pleasure of slurping this velvety soup. As written, it is not vegetarian, gluten or dairy free, but with a couple easy swaps, it can fit everyone’s dietary needs:

• Gluten Free Cauliflower Soup: use gluten free flour.
• Vegetarian Cauliflower Soup: substitute the chicken broth with vegetable broth.
• Dairy Free Cauliflower Soup: thin soup with chicken/vegetable broth instead of milk and use oil instead of butter.

HOW TO FREEZE CAULIFLOWER SOUP

If you know you are going to freeze your  Cauliflower Soup, then thin your soup (if needed) with chicken broth instead of milk.

1. Cool. Cool Cauliflower Soup completely before freezing.
2. Package:  Transfer soup to a freezer safe container.  You can use sandwich size plastic bags for individual soup portions, quart size bags or freezer bags.  To easy fill these bags, place them in a container that you can wrap the top around the edge of – for example, place a sandwich size bag in a mug then cuff the edges around the mug.  This keeps the bag open and prevents it from collapsing when you are pouring in your Cauliflower Soup. Squeeze out any excess air then seal and label.
3. Freeze. Freeze Cauliflower Soup for up to three months
4. Defrost/Reheat. The easiest way to thaw your soup is in your refrigerator overnight then reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.

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