Thick and creamy roasted cauliflower is the perfect, comforting, vegetarian fall dinner. Ridiculously easy, and so rich you’d never guess it was packed with veggies!
I never thought I liked cauliflower. I mean I didn’t hate it, and it’s not like eggplant which I avoid at all cost (ew, weird, gross veggie–stay far, far away!), but I certainly didn’t go out of my way to seek it out. Then I had this ridiculously good fried cauliflower at Pita Jungle. Oooooomg, it’s like the stuff dreams are made of. But then I tried that cauliflower pizza crust that the entire internet seems to be in love with? Gag worthy. Seriously, just…no.
I was ready to give up on it again, but then I made this soup. I was craving broccoli cheese soup, and for some reason this seemed like a good alternative? Anyway, I was about to break up with cauliflower forever after that pizza crust, but (s)he? is back on my bff list because this soup? It’s totally dreamy–rich and creamy with not a single ounce of cream. It’s healthy, filling, and totally satisfying.
This is a simple, no fuss recipe that’s basically fool proof. Heat, stir, blend, serve, and voila! Oh, and don’t even get me started on the leftovers. Even THICKER, and the flavor develops more as the soup sits. This is a HUGE batch, so you will have delicious leftovers to keep your warm all week long. And I pinky promise–the veggie haters in your life will never know it’s cauliflower. I fooled a lot of people in my family with this one. 😉
Thick and creamy roasted cauliflower is the perfect, comforting, vegetarian fall dinner. Ridiculously easy, and so rich you'd never guess it was packed with veggies!
Ingredients
- 1 large head of cauliflower, chopped into small florets
- 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 4 tbsp olive oil, divided
- salt and pepper
- 4 shallots, finely minced
- 1 extra large onion, finely chopped
- 7 cups vegetable broth
- 5 yukon gold potatoes, quartered
- 1 tbsp honey dijon mustard
- 3-4 dashes of your favorite hot sauce (I use Chalulah)
- 1 1/2 cups freshly grated fontina cheese (or cheese of choice)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400. Add cauliflower and garlic to a very large baking dish. Drizzle with 1-2 tablespoons olive oil and season with a generous pinch each of salt and pepper. Bake until browned and softened, about 30 minutes.
- In a large pot, heat 1-2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and shallot, and season with a pinch each of salt and pepper. Cook until tender and fragrant, about 7 minutes.
- Add broth and potatoes. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.
- Add cooked cauliflower and garlic scraping baking dish well into the pot. Add mustard and hot sauce.
- Puree using an immersion blender, high quality stand blender (will likely need to do in batches), or food processor (will also likely require multiple batches. Return to heat and stir in cheese. Add extra salt and pepper if desired. Serve immediately. Leftovers may be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to one week
Notes
You could also make this in your crockpot--just add cooked cauliflower and garlic in addition to all remaining ingredients (except the cheese) to your crockpot and cook on low for 4-6 hours. Blend, then stir in cheese.
I’ve been seeing so many cauliflower soups recipes on the internet lately, and now yours – it’s like a sign that I have to make one! Your soup looks absolutely gorgeous, by the way. One of the best I’ve seen so far. Love the color!
Julia | JuliasAlbum.com recently posted…Asian salmon with rice noodles and asparagus
Thanks so much Julia!! You definitely have to try it. 🙂
This looks delicious!! I love cauliflower and so do my boys. Thanks for the inspiration. I think that I will have to make them soup soon!
Christine @ Love, Life, Surf recently posted…Plantar Fasciitis Cured
Wow your KIDS like cauliflower?? You must be doing something right in that house! 🙂
Ooh I would totally eat this. You are cracking me up- I had an eggplant wrap for lunch today! 😉 Haven’t given into the cauliflower crust but I do love it roasted and any other way really. I need to make this!
Melanie @ Nutritious Eats recently posted…Pregnancy Update: 31 weeks {Second Trimester Recap}
Haha, I know so many people love it, and I seriously love almost every single vegetable, but I just can’t get into it. Don’t do the cauliflower crust–trust me. It was such a disappointment, but after this soup and a roasted cauliflower dish I made that’s coming soon, the veggie is back on my good list. 😉
I’m all about soup right now. Give me more!
Angela @ Happy Fit Mama recently posted…20 Life Lessons Running Has Taught Me
With how cold it is where you are, I don’t blame you!
cauliflower is my ABSOLUTE FAVE.
raw.
Ive never souped.
yet 🙂
MIZ recently posted…Get into character for a healthy Halloween!
Raw??? That’s awesome! I wish I was more of a raw veggie lover, but unless it’s carrots or cucumber I’m just…not. If you love it raw, you will totally love the soup!
Confession: I’m not a huge fan of cauliflower either, but seeing as you and I seem to share a hatred for the smooth purple “vegetable” that they call eggplant, I may have to just trust your tastes on this one… it certainly does look amazing.
Amanda @ .running with spoons. recently posted…. gluten-free snickerdoodle truffles .
I really wasn’t either until I had it cooked well, and I am still particular about it. Honestly, with enough fontina cheese, I will love just about anything, but I think roasting it and then pureeing it with the other ingredients helps make the flavor less prominent if that makes sense? You’ll have to let me know if you give it a shot!
i totally need to make soup!!
Linz @ Itz Linz recently posted…appetizers for dinner
Doooo it! 🙂
Yay for hearty vegetarian meals! I love the spice added on top, and I was the same way, I wasn’t usually a big fan of cauliflower unless it was loaded with cheese sauce but I grew to love it. Love what you’ve done here.
Thanks Katy!! It’s the Trader Joe’s every day seasoning, and I literally put it on almost everything–so good! Ooooh CHEESE SAUCE–that will make me eat just about anything. 😉
Even though I am not the hugest cauliflower fan, I have been dying to try cauliflower soup for the past YEAR. Haven’t gotten around to it yet. Now I have no excuse to keep stalling. You’ve convinced me Ari!
sally @ sallys baking addiction recently posted…Iced Raspberry Danish Braid.
YAY!! You’ll have to let me know what you think! I couldn’t believe it when I found myself craving it, but I think soup is my new favorite way to eat it! Well, after the deep fried one covered in tahini sauce, but that’s a whole other story… 😉
Cauliflower and I are on shaky terms. It almost always smells like old man farts so I have a hard time getting on board. I like that you roasted it first tho – I think that might be the secret to delicious cauliflower! 🙂
Nicole @ The Marvelous Misadventures of a Foodie recently posted…Drink & Dish: Devils Food Cake Martini
IT DOES SMELL LIKE OLD MAN FARTS!! Hahaha as it was cooking I was kind of cringing (like brussels sprouts–love them, but the smell of them cooking–yuck), but I swear once it’s done cooking and pureed into a creamy soup, old man farts will be the last thing on your mind. 😉
Yum! I am a cauliflower addict and it’s one if the few veggies my kids will eat!
Lisa @ RunWiki recently posted…Rock n Roll Los Angeles Half Marathon Race Recap
That’s awesome! I would have never eaten it as a kid, but I was pretty anti-vegetable in those days.
This cauliflower soup is a quick, easy, and comforting dish. I made this creamy cauliflower soup last night. Loved it! Very tasty and so easy to make!
Yay!! So glad to hear you enjoyed it, Amy!
Wow, this soup looks and sounds delicious! It’s perfect for cool day like today.
I’ve seen that cauliflower pizza crust and have been meaning to try it, but something keeps telling me it’s just not right.
Have you tried the cauliflower “alfredo” sauce? Same deal, want to try it but am kinda afraid.
Tina @ Tina’s Chic Corner recently posted…Chicken Enchiladas
No, I’ve been wanting to try that because Pinch of Yum is one of my faaaaavorite blogs and she wrote an entire ebook about it! I trust in her taste, so it’s still on my list. I’ll be sure to let you know how it is when I finally make my way to it! Thanks Tina! 🙂
This looks yummy! I’m surprised you don’t like eggplant, huh, I guess I just thought you would!
Jamie @ couchtoironwoman recently posted…Bike Training Motivation
I know!! I love almost every single vegetable, but I just can’t get into it. I think it’s a texture thing?
I’m always looking for ways to eat vegetables without actually eating the veggie itself (does that even make sense?! ) haha so this soup looks awesome! Yum.
Emily @ More Than Just Dessert recently posted…Easy Pear Sauce
YES! So much sense! I love veggies, but any way I can sneak ’em in is always a winner for me. 😉
I’m with you Ari. Sometimes I love cauliflower and sometimes I hate it. This soup looks like a real winner though. Love me some fontina cheese!
Christin@SpicySouthernKitchen recently posted…Chipotle Pork and Sweet Potato Posole
I just recently discovered fontina cheese, and I am totally obsessed. I can’t believe I’ve been missing out on it for so long!
This was very good. I cut the recipe in half. I might add a pepper to this next time. I doubled the mustard and added a shake of cayenne pepper.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Mine came out more like mashed potatoes than soup 🙁 what did I do wrong? Sure it’ll still be yummy but I was really looking forward to soup!
Hi Becky, I’m surprised to hear that with 7 cups of broth it came out like mashed potatoes! Are you certain you added enough liquid? Also, did you sub a different type of larger potato? Yukon gold potatoes are typically very small. The soup does have a very thick consistency intentionally, but if you’d like it to be thinner, feel free to add more broth.
what are your thoughts on freezing leftovers?…that is IF there are any !!
can you freeze leftovers for later