Creamy Roasted Cauliflower Soup
- 1 head cauliflower
- 1/4 cup olive oil, divided
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste
- freshly ground pepper
- 1 medium onion, chopped (approx 1 cup)
- 1 large stalk of celery, chopped (approx 1/2 cup)
- 1 medium carrot, diced (approx 1/2 cup)
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- pinch of cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- 1/4 cup sour cream (regular or light, non nonfat) plus more for garnish
- cilantro, chopped
Makes 5-6 servings
Break the cauliflower into uniform pieces, toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt and a couple of grinds of black pepper. Roast in a 450 degree F oven for about 18-20 minutes, tossing the florets once midway through. It’s done when the cauliflower is still firm, but golden brown on a couple of sides.
Meanwhile, add the chopped onion and the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a medium-size stock pot.
Sauté over medium high heat until translucent, about 6-7 minutes. Add the chopped celery, carrots and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Cook until the vegetables are beginning to soften, about 10 minutes. Next, add the spices and garlic. Sauté for 2 more minutes, taking care not to burn the garlic.
When the cauliflower is done, add it to the pot with the chicken stock. Bring all this to a boil, then down to a simmer. Simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes or until the cauliflower is quite soft.
Now it’s time to puree this deliciousness. Add 1/4 cup sour cream and puree. I like to use an immersion blender (sometimes called a stick blender). If you don’t have one, you can transfer the soup in batches to your blender and puree that way.
Garnish with more sour cream and chopped cilantro. Would also be wonderful with hot Cheese Gougères. Delish!