Cauliflower Soup

By
Molly Watson
Molly Watson
An award-winning food writer and cookbook author, Molly Watson has created more than 1,000 recipes focused on local, seasonal ingredients.
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Updated on 11/1/19
Cauliflower soup

Molly Watson

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Total: 40 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
236 Calories
10g Fat
30g Carbs
11g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 236
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 10g 12%
Saturated Fat 6g 28%
Cholesterol 24mg 8%
Sodium 762mg 33%
Total Carbohydrate 30g 11%
Dietary Fiber 6g 21%
Protein 11g
Calcium 234mg 18%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This quick and warming cauliflower soup recipe uses the texture of sautéed onions and cooked cauliflower to make a creamy soup from just puréed vegetables and milk. It's a lovely start to a heavier meal, or serve it with crusty bread (and a salad, if you're so inclined) for a light dinner.

You can find cauliflower in your market year-round. But if you are eating local, seasonal food look for the peak to be in the fall. At a farmers market, you will begin to see it in June and then it will be available until the market ends late in the fall.

The amount of milk you add is to your preference. Use the lower amount for a thicker soup and the higher amount for a thinner soup. Want to kick it up a notch? Use homemade broth.

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon butter (plus 2 tablespoons for optional garnish)
  • 1 onion (roughly chopped)
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt (fine, plus more to taste)
  • 2 cloves garlic (chopped)
  • 1 head cauliflower (chopped)
  • 2 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
  • 1/4 teaspoon white pepper (freshly ground, plus more to taste)
  • 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg (freshly grated, plus more to taste)
  • 1 to 2 cups milk (low-fat or whole)
  • Optional: 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. In a large pot over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add the chopped onions and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally and adjusting the heat so the onions are cooking but not browning until the onions look starchy and a bit creamy, about 5 minutes. Add the chopped garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

  3. Add the chopped cauliflower, stir to combine, cover, and cook 3 minutes. Add the broth, bring the pot to a boil, and reduce the heat to maintain a steady simmer. Cook the soup until the cauliflower is tender to the bite, about 10 minutes.

  4. Purée the soup with a hand-held blender. Or, whirl in batches in a blender or food processor until smooth. Be sure to place a kitchen towel over the blender to prevent potential burns if you don't want to wait for the soup to cool down.

  5. Stir in the pepper and nutmeg. (Note: At this point, the soup may be cooled, covered, and frozen for up to four months.)

  6. Add the milk and warm over medium-low heat until the soup is hot. Taste and add more salt, pepper, and/or nutmeg to taste, if you like.

  7. Meanwhile, if you want to add a parsley-butter swirl, melt 2 tablespoons of butter and stir in the parsley.

  8. Serve the soup hot, with a swirl of parsley butter on top, if you like.

    Use Caution When Blending Hot Ingredients

    Steam expands quickly in a blender, and can cause ingredients to splatter everywhere or cause burns. To prevent this, fill the blender only one-third of the way up, vent the top, and cover with a folded kitchen towel while blending.

Storage

This soup will keep in the refrigerator for three days. You can reheat it in the microwave or on the stovetop. With cream soups, you should plan ahead if you want to freeze them. The cream can clump when being reheated after the soup has been frozen. Instead, freeze the soup after you have pureed it and before you add the milk. Then when you want to enjoy the soup, defrost the puree and add the milk, then heat it.

Recipe Variations