Cauliflower Soup

It’s no secret that here at Delish, we love cauliflower. We’ve highlighted this underrated vegetable in countless recipes, from whole roasted BBQ cauliflower to grilled cauliflower steaks. If you’re looking for other ways to enjoy cauliflower besides simply roasting or grilling, then my cozy cauliflower soup should be your new go-to recipe. With a bare minimum of ingredients, I managed to coax TONS of flavor from this soup—it's even delicious without the cream (though it certainly doesn't hurt!). Read on for everything you need to know.

What People Are Saying:
"This recipe is absolutely delicious and SIMPLE! The first time I made it with a touch of cream, and it was fantastic. My dinner guests raved! This time I made it without the cream, and it was fantastic." - Red Umbrella

"Thrilled with this recipe. Have taken to making soups lately and this is one of my favorites." - BluePumpkin

How To Make Cauliflower Soup

INGREDIENTS

• Onion & Garlic: These alliums bring savory depth and a touch of sweetness to the soup. Cook them until soft and fragrant, but no browning please.
• Cauliflower: This snow-white crucifer is the star of our show, so make sure you've chosen a worthy specimen, with a firm, compact head, perky leaves, and no unpleasant odors or discoloration.
  
• Broth: Chicken or vegetable? Both are great. Either way, use low-sodium broth to give yourself plenty of room to season to taste.
• Thyme & Bay Leaf: These herbs are a well-established pair: As part of the herb bundle known as a "bouquet garni," they flavor countless French soups and stews to wonderful effect, adding complexity and aroma. If you're so inclined, do like the French and tie the herbs into a cheesecloth bundle before adding them to the soup—it makes removing them a piece of cake.
• Cream: Heavy cream gives the soup richness and heft as well as a lovely velvety texture.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

This soup, like most, starts with the aromatics. Gently cook the onion in the oil until softened and translucent. Medium heat is all you need, since we're not looking to put any color on the onion. Now add the garlic and cook just until fragrant. Okay, aromatics out of the way, add the rest of the soup ingredients except for the cream—I save the cream for the end to avoid the possibility of curdling. Season with salt and pepper, then bring everything to a simmer and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the cauliflower is very tender; a paring knife inserted into the florets should meet little resistance. Budget 15 to 20 minutes for this.

Pluck out the thyme sprigs and bay leaves (nobody likes rude surprises in a soup), then blend the soup with an immersion blender until smooth. If an immersion blender is not a part of your batterie du cuisine (French for "kitchen artillery," which, um…dudes, chillax), then purée the soup in a standard blender, working in batches to avoid potential burns. Stir in the cream and season the soup with additional salt and pepper if needed. Finally, divide the soup among bowls, drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, and sprinkle with thyme. Now ain't that pretty!

Full list of ingredients and directions can be found in the recipe below.

Recipe Tips

• How to thicken cauliflower soup: Nobody wants an overly thin soup, and nobody wants and overcomplicated soup. So, to thicken my cauliflower soup, I simply purée the soup with an immersion blender or in a standard blender. This, in tandem with the heavy cream, turns the soup velvety without the need for a roux, slurry, or some other starchy crutch.

Variations

As said before, you don’t have to add the cream to this soup for it to be delicious. If you’re dairy-free or would rather just skip the cream, feel free to leave it out! Want to add a little more complexity and nuttiness to the soup? You could roast the cauliflower before you add it to the soup. You won't even have to simmer it as long. Just add it and cook for an additional 5 minutes, then blend.

Like this recipe, but want more cheese? Check out our loaded cauliflower soup (think of a loaded baked potato…but cauliflower).

Storage

Stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, the soup will last up to 4 days—perfect for a speedy meal prep. I happen to think it tastes even better the next day!