Roasted Cauliflower Soup
This comforting and creamy Roasted Cauliflower Soup is packed with flavor. Cauliflower florets are roasted with onion and garlic and then blended with chicken broth and a bit of cream.
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 32 ounces cauliflower florets about 1 large head
- 1 large onion chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt more to taste
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic
- 4 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 lemon amount of lemon juice will vary
- pinch ground nutmeg
- minced chives for garnish
Instructions
- Prep work: Preheat the oven to 400°F. If desired, line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup. In an extra-large bowl, toss cauliflower and onion with the salt in olive oil. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet.
- Roast: Arrange the oiled and salted cauliflower and onion pieces in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Roast in preheated oven for about 15 minutes. Then, add the garlic and flip the cauliflower and onion over. Continue roasting for another 15 minutes or so (total time in oven 25 to 35 minutes) until the cauliflower and onions are tender and golden brown on the edges. (Note: If using any pieces of roasted cauliflower as a garnish, be sure to separate them prior to adding to the soup)
- Heat soup: When the cauliflower is almost done, add the chicken broth to a large stockpot or Dutch oven and begin to heat over medium-high heat. When the roasted cauliflower mixture comes out of the oven, add it to the pot with the broth. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes, to give the flavors time to develop. Remove from heat.
- Blend: Either transfer everything in the pot to a blender or use an immersion blender to blend until smooth.
- Finish: Stir heavy cream into the soup. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice from one half into the soup. Stir and taste. The lemon should give the soup some zing but not taste like lemon. Add additional lemon juice and/or more salt to balance out the flavors. If soup is too thick, additional chicken broth can be stirred in to thin.
- Serve: To serve, ladle hot soup into bowls and add the smallest amount of ground nutmeg on top. Freshly ground is best but bottled will work. A little goes a long way. Garnish with roasted cauliflower pieces (if you set some aside) and minced herbs.
Notes
Substitution ideas:
Dry sherry can be used in place of lemon juice. You just need some kind of acid to cut the richness of the soup.
Garnish: Other herbs like rosemary or thyme can be used in place of chives. Paprika can be used in addition to or in lieu of nutmeg.
Nutrition
Calories: 323kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 38mg | Sodium: 1532mg | Potassium: 853mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 449IU | Vitamin C: 128mg | Calcium: 101mg | Iron: 2mg