Mediterranean Cauliflower Soup (Printer-friendly)
A luxurious velvety soup featuring roasted cauliflower blended with Mediterranean herbs and citrus. This comforting bowl comes together in under an hour.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 1 large head cauliflower, cut into florets
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 medium carrot, peeled and sliced
05 - 1 celery stalk, sliced
→ Liquids
06 - 4 cups vegetable broth, low sodium
07 - 1 cup water
08 - 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
→ Flavorings & Seasonings
09 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
10 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
11 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
12 - 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
13 - 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
14 - Zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
→ Garnishes
15 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
16 - 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
17 - Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
# How-To Guide:
01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Toss cauliflower florets with 1 tablespoon olive oil, half the salt, and black pepper. Spread on baking sheet and roast for 20-25 minutes, turning once, until golden and tender.
03 - Heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery; sauté for 5 minutes until softened. Add garlic; cook 1 minute more.
04 - Stir in cumin, smoked paprika, and oregano; cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
05 - Reserve a few roasted cauliflower florets for garnish. Add the rest to the pot along with vegetable broth and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
06 - Remove from heat. Use an immersion blender or transfer carefully to a blender to purée until smooth and creamy.
07 - Stir in lemon zest and juice. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt or pepper as needed.
08 - Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish with reserved cauliflower, parsley, pine nuts, and a drizzle of olive oil if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The roasting step creates restaurant level depth without any fancy techniques
- It comes together in under an hour but tastes like it simmered all day
- Perfect for meal prep and actually tastes better the next day
02 -
- Letting the cauliflower get deeply golden during roasting is the difference between good and great
- The soup will thicken as it sits, so thin with extra broth when reheating leftovers
03 -
- Work in batches if using a countertop blender, filling it only halfway to prevent hot soup splatters
- Room temperature cauliflower roasts more evenly than cold from the fridge