Roasted Cauliflower Soup Recipe

Picture this: you walk outside and feel a crisp, cool breeze. A small shiver runs through you, but in a nice way. You go about your day in a big, cozy sweater and then return home, the chill of the outside still fresh in your mind, to find the thing you want most waiting for you on your kitchen table. Can you picture it? Sitting there, all piping hot and delectable. Could it be? Is it ... soup? Yeah! It's totally soup and we totally nailed your autumnal fantasy. You're welcome.

To make all your chilly weather dreams come true, registered dietitian and recipe developer Hayley MacLean created this cozy roasted cauliflower soup recipe. In fact, she calls this dish, "the perfect light but cozy dish for these cool Autumn days!" 

MacLean says she especially loves, "how warming and comforting this dish is — the rich flavors of the caramelized cauliflower and earthy herbs are perfect with the cream and hint of nutmeg." Yum! If that sounds like your ideal cozy vibe, read on to make this comforting dream your kitchen reality.

Before you can begin making your roasted cauliflower soup, you will naturally need to gather your ingredients, though chances are good that you'll have some of them already in your fridge and pantry. For this recipe, you will need 1 medium head of cauliflower, 4 tablespoons of olive oil (divided), ½ a medium yellow onion (chopped), and 4 cloves of garlic (minced).

To go with that, you also need to procure 4 cups of vegetable broth, 2 fresh thyme sprigs, 1 bay leaf, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, ½ cup heavy cream, and salt and pepper. You may also want some parsley or chives for garnish. If you can't find fresh thyme, MacLean says that the dried version will work too — just be sure to lower the amount to ½ tablespoon, as dried herbs tend to be more potent.

The first step to this cozy dish is preparing the cauliflower for the oven. Before you do anything else, don't forget to preheat the oven to 425 F. That way, it'll be ready to go by the time your cauliflower is ready to start roasting Next, line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.

Cut the cauliflower into smaller florets, then toss those in 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread the florets out on the lined baking sheet in a single layer and roast for 20 to 25 minutes, tossing the florets halfway. When they are done, they should be tender and caramelized on the edges.

You can start this next step before your florets are done roasting, so make sure you're thinking ahead and taking advantage of a bit of multitasking. 

As the cauliflower is finishing in the oven, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a Dutch oven or other sturdy, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the onion and cook until translucent. This should take about 5 minutes and turn the onions fragrant. Next, add the garlic and saute for another minute, stirring constantly to make sure that these aromatics don't burn or stick to the bottom of the pot.

Once the aromatics have been sauteed and the cauliflower is roasted, you can start combining all the ingredients together in the pot. To the onion and garlic, add the roasted cauliflower, vegetable broth, thyme sprigs, and bay leaf. 

Bring this mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for 18-20 minutes. This step will both reduce the veggie stock, giving you a more dense and less watery soup, and help incorporate the flavors of the herbs, onions, and garlic into the soup.

Once the soup is done simmering, take the pot off the heat. Carefully remove the sprigs of thyme and the bay leaf. 

Next, you will need to blend the soup until smooth, either by using an immersion blender directly in the pot or by pouring the soup in batches into a standing blender. We recommend sourcing an immersion blender if you can, as that's safer and easier than trying to transfer the hot soup ingredients into a standard blender.

Once the soup has been blended smooth, stir in the nutmeg and heavy cream. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then take heart — you're almost done!

Finally, it's nearly time to enjoy all your hard work! Now that you've finished your soup, plate it immediately to enjoy its full warmth and flavor. This recipe makes four main or six side-sized servings, so keep that in mind when choosing your bowl. Feel free to garnish it with fresh herbs like parsley or chives, which will only add to the fall vibes while also adding a bright pop of color to the finished soup. 

If you only have dried herbs, MacLean says that works too, but just be sure to adjust the quantity. "I would just add a light sprinkle of dried parsley or chives, about ¼ to ½ a teaspoon," she recommends, "as they have a much more concentrated flavor!"