The Best Creamy Cauliflower Soup (For Two!)
So. What exactly makes this “the best” creamy cauliflower soup?
It’s made in just 30 minutes with only SIX ingredients!
Not to mention, it tastes freakin’ delicious.
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I love a good soup for any number of reasons, be it snowy weather (expected), a lazy Sunday (reasonable), or wanting to inhale an entire loaf of bread (obvious). Unfortunately, soups have a bad rap for taking WORK, and not in the good, RuPaul kind of way. But while some soups are definitely a laborious nightmare, this one certainly isn’t. So no matter when a soup craving hits, this neat little recipe has you covered.
And it’s wonderfully low-carb, too.
You start by warming olive oil in a large skillet, then add garlic and sauté until fragrant. Next add cauliflower florets and a pinch of paprika to the mix, then cover and let everything cook until the cauli is tender. Since cauliflower stems are bitter I chop them off, but if you happen to enjoy them (is that a thing?) leave ’em in. In just 20 minutes the cauliflower will be soft and slightly caramelized, at which point you’ll mash it with a potato masher into utter mush. Now at this stage, things admittedly look bleak. Your skillet may resemble a prison meal (spoiler: it does), but hang in there!!
It won’t stay this ugly for long.
Add vegetable broth and a pinch of salt and pepper to the mashed, mushed cauliflower, then cover and simmer for 5 minutes more. The appearance here is still atrocious, but the smell? Fantastic. Lastly puree your cauli mixture in a food processor or high-powered blender — blender is best — then return to the skillet and stir in half & half. The half & half’s couleur blanche (I’m working on my french) isn’t just creamy, it’s cleansing. Leaving you with a soup that FINALLY looks as good as it smells.
And then?
Then you eat.
This soup is obviously smooth, creamy, and cozy as a sweater. But the flavor is surprisingly striking for so few ingredients. The pungent garlic flavor mixed with hearty vegetable broth brings out the cauliflower’s earthy, nutty notes, creating a soup that’s dramatically more dynamic than the process that makes it (this is good, btw). The half & half also lends a hint of sweetness, making this silky smooth soup an utter delight.
Serve with drizzles of hot chili oil, fresh thyme, and extra-crisp bread for the ideal finish. xo
The Best Creamy Cauliflower Soup
Ingredients:
- 3 1/2 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp crushed or minced garlic
- 24 oz cauliflower florets, stems removed
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- 1 3/4 cups vegetable broth
- a few pinches of salt & pepper
- 3/4 cup half & half
- fresh thyme to garnish
- chili oil for serving
- toasted bread for dipping
Directions:
- In a large skillet warm the olive oil over a medium-high flame, then add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Next add the cauliflower and paprika, stirring well to combine. Cover the skillet and cook for 20 minutes until tender, stirring occasionally.
- Once the cauliflower has tenderized, thoroughly mash it with a potato masher. Next add the vegetable broth and a few pinches of salt & pepper, then cover once more and allow everything to simmer for 5 minutes. When ready, transfer mixture to a food processor or high-powered blender, then blend until smooth. Pour the soup back into the skillet, then lastly stir in the half & half (add more salt here if needed as well). Keep warm over a low flame until needed, serving with thyme, chili oil, and toasted bread.
