Creamy Roasted Cauliflower Soup

Nothing is quite as comforting as a warm bowl of roasted vegetable soup on a cold day.

Creamy Roasted Cauliflower Soup

Cook time: 55-65 minutes. Prep time: 15 minutes. Inactive prep: 20 minutes. Yields: 6-8 cups of soup or 3-4 servings.

Ingredients:

2 pound head of cauliflower, cut into 2" florets 1 medium yellow onion or 2 large leeks, cut into medium dice 2 large ribs celery, diced 6 sprigs fresh thyme, whole stems (reserve one sprig for garnish) 3 large cloves of garlic, minced 4 tablespoons butter 2-4 tablespoons olive or canola oil 4 cups vegetable or chicken broth or stock

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice 2-3 teaspoons kosher salt

1/4-1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

2 ounces bread for croutons (such as French or Italian or even stale white sliced bread) Optional: 1 medium golden potato, diced (if you don’t have 4 cups of cauliflower after roasting, add the potato to the sauté to make up the difference)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450° F and line a cookie sheet with foil or parchment.

2. Cut cauliflower into 2” florets and transfer to a large bowl, toss with 2-3 tablespoons of canola or extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon diamond crystal kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon of cracked black pepper, and 2 sprigs of fresh thyme leaves.

3. Transfer cut and seasoned cauliflower to the lined cookie sheet and roast for 25-35 minutes until tender, tossing halfway through.

4. While cauliflower roasts, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large saucepan or stock pot over medium heat. Add 1 medium diced onion and 2 ribs diced celery. Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of salt. Sauté until softened about 5-7 minutes. Add in minced garlic.

5. Once the cauliflower is done, remove it from the cookie sheet and measure it out to ensure you have 3-4 cups. Reserve small pieces of cauliflower for garnish later. If you are shy of 3 cups, add the peeled and diced gold potato to the celery and onion, season with more salt and cook over medium heat for 5-7 more minutes.

6. Add the roasted cauliflower and 3 cups of vegetable or chicken stock or broth. Toss in 2 more sprigs of thyme and turn up the heat to high. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 20 minutes.

7. Once the soup has been simmering for 20 minutes, taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

8. Transfer the soup to a blender in 2 batches, or use an immersion blender in the pot. Add the last 2 tablespoons of butter a squeeze of lemon juice and the last cup of liquid for a smoother texture.

9. In a sauté pan, heat up 2 tablespoons of canola or olive oil and add the last garlic clove (smashed or minced) and some thyme leaves. Tear the bread into crouton-sized pieces and toast in fat until golden brown.

10. Garnish the soup with reserved cauliflower florets, croutons and thyme leaves, enjoy.