Easy recipe of the week: cauliflower cream soup
“What are we eating today?” It is probably the most frequently asked question in the world. After a hectic day, running from place to place and a packed diary, you really don't feel like spending hours in the kitchen. We understand that. You want to conjure up something tasty that is not just a quick snack, but does not have to take hours. Because while we all crave a quick meal from time to time, you don't want to settle for a boring, quickly made meal every day either. Luckily, I have something for you! In the section Easy recipes of the week every Monday, we look for the quickest, easiest and most delicious recipes that you can put on the table in no time. This week: the easiest and most comforting cauliflower cream soup.
Are you really not in the mood for a salad right now either? Yes, now that it is white outside (pff, we just missed a white Christmas after all) and you could end up in another minuscule snowstorm at any moment, I do understand. Personally, I'd love to be on the couch with a blanket all day watching movies, so yes, what do you crave? Something comfortable. Something nice and warm that doesn't take a lot of effort. Oh yes, and also healthy, because you could use that with all those disease-causing agents in the air. Or am I the only one with a cold? Well, anyway, we want something warm - and what could be more soothing than a nice cup of soup on the sofa? Exactly. So I've picked out another good soup for you that you make in no time.
The shopping list (for 4 to 6 people)
- 1 large cauliflower
- 1 yellow onion
- 1 large potato
- 1 tablespoon of butter
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
- 1 litre of vegetable stock
- 250 ml of cooking cream
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast/dairy yeast (optional)
- Handful of chives
- Splash of olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
The preparation
Step 1: all the prep work
To make it so easy for yourself, start by preparing everything. Remove the leaves from the cauliflower. (Tip: you can eat these and roast them as a snack!) Next, cut the cauliflower into florets; you do this by first cutting it completely in half and then cutting it in half again. Then you can cut the florets off like this. Chop the stem into small pieces and keep these separate for garnish. Next, finely chop the onion and the potato into small cubes. Finally, finely chop the garlic cloves, thyme and chives. Keep these in separate containers while you get started with the soup.
Step 2: you put the soup base all together like this
You wanted to make it easy on yourself, right? Then this really is a great recipe. You don't even need an oven to roast the cauliflower - you can just do it in one pan. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a soup pan over medium-high heat. Once this is hot, add the butter. Once this is melted, add the onion and potato. Sprinkle with salt and let it soften for 5 to 10 minutes. Then add the garlic and thyme. Fry this for a while until your whole kitchen starts smelling nice; that's when you can add the cauliflower. Stir this through and let it sauté for at least 5 minutes.
Then fill the pan with the vegetable stock until all the vegetables are submerged. Bring to the boil and then simmer on a low heat until the cauliflower is soft. Add the cooking cream (and the nutritional yeast, if needed) and stir well.
Step 3: and then... blending away
Is everything so soft you can swallow it in one go? Then pour the whole soup into a blender or grab the hand blender. Blend it until you have a creamy and smooth whole. The goal is a super tasty, creamy soup. Want it to be even more liquidy? Then you can always add some extra vegetable stock.
Step 4: the finishing touch
Remember those cauliflower stems you had sliced? You can sauté these with some butter in a small pan until they caramelise. Pour the soup into a large deep plate or soup bowl and garnish with the hard cauliflower pieces, chives and a little ‘swirl’ of cream. For extra spice, you can add some chilli oil, and you're done.
Like this. With a little bit of effort and a cold trip to the supermarket (yes, you really do have to), you now have a hot cup of soup. And be honest: there is nothing better than soup on such a cold winter day, right? Exactly.
@alfiecooks_ CREAM OF CAULIFLOWER 🍂 SOUP SEASON 2 welcome back to SOUP SEASON 2, my new series, where I show you how to make the best soups in town 😍 for EPISODE 2, I've made my CREAM OF CAULIFLOWER SOUP. it's hearty, comforting + a soup guaranteed to keep you warm this autumn 🍁 I've written my full recipe for you below - so enjoy! and as always, let me know if f you give it a go 👇 Alfie x INGREDIENTS (serves 4-6) 1 large cauliflower 1 white onion 1 medium potato 1 tbsp butter 4 garlic cloves 1 tbsp fresh thyme 1l vegetable stock 250ml cream 2 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional) Chives Chilli Oil Olive oil Salt Pepper METHOD 1. Remove the leaves from the cauliflower (roast as a snack for later), then pick the florets + roughly chop the stalk. 2. Dice the onion + potatoes, then warm 1 tbsp olive oil in a saucepan at a medium high heat. Add the butter + melt. 3. Add the onions + potatoes with a pinch of salt. Allow to soften for 5-10 mins. 4. Chop the garlic + thyme leaves, then add + mix, frying until fragrant. 5. Add the cauliflower florets (reserve a few for garnish) + stir, cooking for a further 5 mins. 6. Prepare the vegetable stock + add enough to the pan to cover the veg. Bring to a boil, then reduce + simmer until cauliflower has softened. 7. Add the cream + nutritional yeast if using, stirring well. 8. Get everything into a blender + blitz until cream + smooth. Season to taste with salt + pepper, adjusting consistency with a splash more stock if required. 9. Slice the leftover cauli in half, then fry in a pan until caramelised. Ladle the soup into bowls, top with the cauli pieces, chopped chives, a swirl of cream + chilli oil. 10. Serve with hot buttered toast + enjoy! #cauliflower #soup #soupseason #homemadesoup #comfortfood
