How to Make Cauliflower Soup Recipe

This Complete Cream of Cauliflower Soup Guide will answer all the questions you never knew you had about cauliflower soup, give you 10 tips on how to make the best cream of cauliflower soup, 5 variations to get you through the winter months, how to freeze it, nutritional information, and troubleshooting tips.

What does Cream of Roasted Cauliflower Soup Taste Like?

This soup is creamy and buttery with hints of roasted nutty cauliflower and notes of mellow garlic. It's pure comfort food but with a fraction of the carbs you get in potato soup! Simply put, it's heaven in a bowl.

How to Make the Best Cream of Cauliflower Soup Recipe

Cream of Roasted Cauliflower Soup Ingredients

• 2 pounds of cauliflower chopped into small pieces
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 large onion finely diced
• 2 small parsnips, (or carrot) finely diced
• 3 stalks celery finely diced
• ¼ cup flour
• 1 head garlic, cloves separated paper removed
• 8 cups chicken broth
• 1 bundle* (1 bay leaf, ½ teaspoon dried thyme or 1 sprig of fresh thyme, 1 teaspoon peppercorns, 4 sprigs of parsley)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup milk
• ½ cup heavy cream
• ½ teaspoon of ground nutmeg
• roasted cauliflower florets (optional garnish)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400℉ or 205℃.
2. Rub the cauliflower florets with olive oil, season with salt, and spread out on a baking sheet.
3. Roast cauliflower in the oven until golden brown, about 15 minutes.
4. While the cauliflower is roasting, melt the butter in a large soup pot over medium heat.
5. Add the onion, parsnip, and celery and sweat for 3-4 minutes over medium heat.  Do not brown.
6. Sprinkle flour over the onion mixture, lower the heat, and cook for 2-3 minutes to get rid of the raw flour taste.
7. Slowly whisk in the chicken stock, bring to a boil and add the bundle*.  Immediately reduce the heat after it starts to boil and bring it to a simmer.  
8. Take the cauliflower out of the oven and reserve several florets for optional garnish.
9. Add the roasted cauliflower and garlic to the soup.  Simmer for 1 hour stirring occasionally.
10. Take the bundle of thyme, peppercorns, parsley, and bay leaf out and discard it. 
11. Pass the soup through a food mill or puree it with an immersion blender.
12. Add milk, cream, and nutmeg.  Heat the soup again until it’s steaming. Do not let it boil.  Season with salt and white pepper.
13. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with a roasted golden brown cauliflower floret and fresh thyme if desired.

NOTES:

*The bundle: wrap the bay leaf, thyme, peppercorns, and parsley in a fine mesh cheesecloth and tie it with kitchen twine. Give it a long tail to drape over the edge of the pot for easy removal.

For an incredibly creamy soup, use an immersion blender and then pass it through a food mill once or even twice.

How to Freeze Cream of Cauliflower Soup

If you freeze soup with milk and/or cream, it will separate during the freezing process. To keep this from happening make the soup up to the point of putting the milk and cream into it. Then cool the soup, ladle it into airtight containers, and freeze for up to 3 months.

When you are ready to enjoy it, thaw the soup and bring it to a simmer. Then gently stir in the milk and cream and enjoy.

10 Pro Tips for Making the BEST Creamy Roasted Cauliflower Soup

1. Roast the cauliflower florets in the oven or a skillet first. This brings a whole new depth of flavor and richness to the soup.
2. Use the best and freshest ingredients you can.
3. Make your own chicken stock. This will ensure you have a deep robust flavor base in addition to the roasted caramelized cauliflower.
4. After you've added the milk and cream, make sure the soup does not boil.
5. Don't skimp on the butter. Sauteing the onions, parsnips, and celery adds tons of flavor and creates a smooth velvety soup once it's blended and strained.
6. Blend the soup really well. Then press it through a fine mesh strainer twice. This will give your soup a luscious texture that's incredibly smooth and creamy.
7. Make sure to add the nutmeg. This spice is a powerhouse of flavor!
8. Garnish with roasted cauliflower florets. You can even add a touch of ground nutmeg or a pop of green like chives or fresh parsley. These little details make this soup go from visually boring to beautiful.
9. Taste it and adjust the seasoning as you like it with sea salt and white pepper if you want to keep it from being speckled. If you like the look of black pepper, opt for freshly ground pepper.
10. Make it a day ahead. Soup is always better the next day!

Cream of Cauliflower Soup Troubleshooting Tips

• Why is my soup gritty? The cauliflower needs to be cooked down completely before blending. If it's not, the soup will be grainy or gritty. If this happens, simmer the soup on low for another hour, blend it again, then strain it through a fine mesh strainer.
• I put my soup in the blender and it EXPLODED!!! I have done this myself. Make sure your soup is completely cool before putting it in the blender or keep the top open a bit so the steam can escape.
• How do I fix a curdled soup? First, try adding a few ice cubes and whisk vigorously. If that doesn't work, blend it in the blender and strain it through a fine mesh strainer.

Cauliflower Soup Variations

Cauliflower, in general, plays well with others. Try these variations and you'll see what I mean!

1. Roasted Cauliflower Soup - Add the cauliflower in the beginning with the parsnips, onion, and celery. This time brown all the vegetables together in the butter. Then add the chicken stock, garlic, and herbs and simmer.
2. Cheezy Cauliflower Soup - Slowly stir in 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese after adding the milk and cream.
3. Creamy Broccoli Cauliflower Soup - Chop 1 crown of broccoli along with its stem into 1-inch cubes. Simmer it in the soup with the roasted cauliflower florets. Omit the ground nutmeg. Finish with a squeeze of lemon.
4. Garlic Cauliflower Soup - Increase the amount of garlic in the above recipe to 3 heads.
5. Spinach Cauliflower Soup - Sauté 6 cups of fresh baby spinach with onions and parsnips.
6. Creamy Butternut Squash Cauliflower Soup - Roast 4 cups of large diced butternut squash and add it to the soup with the roasted cauliflower.

This recipe was inspired by...

Several years ago, Jerry and took a cruise down the Danube River. The entire staff was lovely and incredibly friendly. One afternoon I followed my nose and wandered into the galley where the head chef was making cauliflower soup. He was very gracious and talked to me about how he was making it.

There's a lot of garlic in it, but it's very mild since it's boiled along with the cauliflower.  This is a creamy soup with deep flavors that are sure to warm you up on a chilly day.  I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Now every time I make it, I can't help but think of that chilly evening as we glided by Hungary's Parliament glowing golden lights reflected in the black water.

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