If you happen to’ve been round right here awhile, you understand that we think about the very first chill within the air to be synonymous with the kickoff to soup season. A pair weekends in the past, I hosted a cocktail party to have a good time the primary day of fall (I shared all the main points over here on Substack), and this creamy cauliflower soup was the opening act. It set a comfortable, comforting tone for the meal whereas nonetheless feeling elevated. The very best half: I made it solely the day earlier than—then simply gently reheated when visitors arrived.
That is a kind of recipes that proves you don’t want hours within the kitchen to create one thing particular. It’s creamy and soul-warming, with layers of taste thanks to a couple easy upgrades. The recipe itself is impressed by Whole Food Cooking Every Day (one among my favourite cookbooks for its “base recipes” that invite experimentation). I began with that model, then swapped in hen broth for extra depth, added a splash of cream, and completed with a swoosh of herby oil and a sprinkle of dukkah. The outcome? A silky-smooth soup that’s so addictively scrumptious, you virtually don’t consider that you just’re downing a giant bowl of greens.
Why You’ll Love This Creamy Cauliflower Soup
- Make-ahead magic: Good for entertaining, since you’ll be able to prepare dinner it the day earlier than and easily reheat.
- Velvety texture: Mixing cauliflower with a contact of cream makes it luxuriously {smooth} with out feeling heavy.
- Contemporary, flavorful end: The drizzle of herb oil and crunch of dukkah take it from weekday dinner to restaurant-worthy.
- Cozy fall vibes: That is precisely the sort of warming dish you’ll wish to curl up with on a cold night.
Keys to Soup Success
- Mix in batches in case your blender isn’t large enough for the entire pot without delay. Simply remember to let it cool barely earlier than mixing to keep away from steam splatters. (I’ve had a couple of sizzling soup explode out of the blender—whole bummer.)
- Don’t skip the toppings. The soup itself is creamy and gentle, however the drizzle of herby oil (or only a good extra-virgin olive oil) plus dukkah, toasted seeds, and even chopped nuts, provides freshness and crunch. I think about them musts.
- Modify the consistency. If you happen to like your soup thicker, cut back the broth barely. For a looser texture, add an additional splash when mixing.
- Make it vegetarian, vegan, or dairy-free. Use vegetable broth as a substitute of hen broth for a lighter, plant-based possibility. Be happy to swap the cream with oat milk to maintain this dairy-free.
Suggestions for Serving
I really like ladling this soup into wide, shallow bowls, swirling on the oil, then topping with dukkah and flaky sea salt. It’s a sublime first course for a cocktail party, but it surely additionally makes a comfortable weeknight dinner with a easy inexperienced salad and crusty bread. And the leftovers are one thing you’ll sit up for warming up for lunch all week.
This easy soup is the sort of dish that warms you from the within out. I’ll be making it on repeat all season lengthy. If you happen to make it, I’ve a sense it’ll shortly develop into a comfortable season favourite for you, too.
Description
A soul-warming, make-ahead soup that’s creamy, nourishing, and completed with an herby drizzle and crunchy dukkah. Good for cozy nights.
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1 tablespoon coconut oil
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1 yellow onion, chopped
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3 garlic cloves, chopped
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Leaves from ~6 stems recent thyme
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2 teaspoons kosher salt
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Freshly floor black pepper
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2 small heads cauliflower, minimize into florets
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6 cups hen broth (or vegetable broth)
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1/4 cup heavy cream
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Dukkah (or sub with a mixture of sunflower + sesame seeds)
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Herb-infused oil, or high-quality extra-virgin olive oil
- Sauté aromatics. Heat the coconut oil in a big Dutch oven over medium-high warmth. Add the onion and prepare dinner for five minutes, till softened. Stir in garlic, thyme, salt, and black pepper; prepare dinner till simply starting to show golden.
- Prepare dinner the cauliflower. Add cauliflower florets and broth. Carry to a boil, then cowl and cut back warmth to low. Simmer for about quarter-hour, till the cauliflower is tender and a knife slips in simply.
- Mix till silky. Take away from warmth. Rigorously switch soup to a blender (in batches if wanted). Enable to chill barely, then purée till {smooth} and velvety. Add cream and mix as soon as extra till mixed.
- Serve or retailer. At this level, the soup may be refrigerated for as much as 2 days and reheated gently earlier than serving.
- End with toppings. Divide into bowls and prime every with a swoosh of herby oil and a sprinkle of dukkah. Serve heat.
Notes
- Make-Forward Pleasant: Soup may be made the day earlier than and reheated gently earlier than serving.
- Dairy-Free Choice: Skip the cream or swap for coconut cream.
- Vegetarian Choice: Use vegetable broth as a substitute of hen broth.
- Topping Variations: Attempt toasted pumpkin seeds, crispy chickpeas, or a drizzle of chili oil.
- Prep Time: 15
- Prepare dinner Time: 25
- Class: soup
Key phrases: cauliflower soup
