Cauliflower Cheese Soup
Weather: 43 unseasonably warm and slushy degrees
What I’m listening to: laughter and the rumble of kids home for the MLK holiday
Cauliflower was a formidable trendsetter in 2013 and I don’t see the versatile vegetable losing any steam in 2014. I enjoy it mashed (as a potato alternative), roasted, and raw in salads. It’s a popular option as a gluten free pizza crust and perhaps just as popular as a lightened up creamy pasta sauce a la Alfredo.
I’ve gone back to basics with this velvety Cauliflower Cheese Soup made with a good, sharp white cheddar cheese. Saute some onions, add cauliflower florets and chicken stock and bring to a boil. Simmer until the cauliflower is super tender so that, when you transfer it to a blender, it purees until it’s perfectly smooth and luscious. By the texture and color, you automatically assume there’s heavy cream in there, but there isn’t. Not a drop. Return it to the pan, toss in the sharp white cheddar and stir until smooth. Adjust the consistency and seasoning to your liking, then serve.
It’s elegant and beautiful, but comforting at the same time. Hit it with a pinch of cayenne pepper or smoked paprika and fresh chives to finish.
Cauliflower Cheese Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 small yellow onion peeled and chopped
- 1 head cauliflower core removed, chopped into small florets
- 4 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 6 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese grated
- salt and pepper to taste
For serving:
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper or smoked paprika on top of each bowl
- chopped chives
- grated white cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Heat the butter in a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat until melted. Add the onions and sauté until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the cauliflower florets and the chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer, uncovered, at least 20-25 minutes, or until the cauliflower is quite tender (if the cauliflower still has a bite to it, your soup will be grainy).
- Working in smaller batches, transfer the mixture to a blender (or use an immersion blender), hold down the top of the blender with a kitchen towel, and whirl until smooth and creamy. Return the soup to the pot over medium heat and stir in the cheddar cheese. If your soup is too thick at this stage, add more chicken broth or water to reach desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve while quite hot with a pinch of cayenne pepper or smoked paprika, fresh chives, and grated cheddar.
Nutrition
I just made this for lunches this week and it is to DIE FOR! It’s so smooth and rich and creamy. I was the one who cooked it and I can’t believe there isn’t heavy cream in it! Another wonderful recipe, thank you so much for posting!
@Akbippy Oh I’m thrilled to hear that you loved this recipe! Thank you so much for letting me know!
I am addicted to this soup! When
I first made it, I didn’t have enough cauliflower, so I added a couple handfuls
of shredded cabbage (from bagged coleslaw). It added a lot of bulk and so
much flavor. In my second batch, I added curry and Indian spices – holy
cow, so very awesome. This is the easiest and tastiest soup!
This recipe is AMAZING, thank you for sharing! I added jalapeno, bacon, and green onion in the soup for flavor as well!
Love this recipe, thank you for share
has anyone tried freezing this soup and re-thawing to serve at a later date? I am wondering if the consistency or flavor would be altered from being frozen? thanks for the input.