Creamy Roasted Cauliflower Soup
A classic Breton recipe, this Cauliflower Soup uses a whole head of cauliflower, chopped and roasted, to create a thick texture that’s very satisfying and with an incredible depth of flavor. It requires staple ingredients and no cream, but tastes perfectly rich and creamy thanks to the blended cauliflower. Serve it as a side or a meal on its own, to keep you warm on crisp evenings. Cauliflower in Brittany Cauliflower are one of the flagship produces of Brittany, my home region, and are ubiquitous in the local cooking repertoire.…
- Prep time
- 10 min
- Cook time
- 50 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 1 large head of cauliflower (about 2 pounds), cut into bite-sized florets
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tbsp (7g) butter, unsalted
- 1 medium red onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- 4 cups (1L/32 ounces) vegetable broth (ideally low-sodium)
- 1 tbsp (15ml) fresh lemon juice
- ¼ tsp grated nutmeg
- For garnish (optional):
- freshly ground black pepper and thyme (stemmed), to taste
Instructions
- 1
Step 1 – Preheat your oven to 425˚F (220˚C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- 2
Step 2 – Toss the cauliflower florets onto the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle with salt and toss to coat the florets evenly. Arrange the florets in a single layer onto the baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes, tossing halfway until the cauliflower is golden and slightly charred on the edges.
- 3
Step 3 – When the cauliflower is almost done roasting, melt the butter in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until translucent and fragrant. Add the broth.
- 4
Step 4 - Reserve 4 or 6 of the prettiest roasted cauliflower bits for garnishing the soup bowls later. Add the roasted florets to the pot. Turn the heat to medium heat and bring to a simmer. Boil for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the florets are fork tender. Remove from the heat.
- 5
Step 5 - Blend the soup (with a hand blender or in a processor) until smooth. Add the lemon juice and stir. Season with nutmeg and stir again. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed, with salt.
- 6
Step 6 - For serving, ladle the soup into individual bowls. Top with reserved cauliflower florets, sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper and thyme.