Wedding Cauliflower Soup

Let’s talk about cauliflower soup. I know. I know. When someone says “cauliflower soup,” it probably sounds like something an evil lunch lady would serve to poor elementary school kids as a torture device. I would have thought this, too. But my world was changed in 2008 when I was fortunate enough to be a bridesmaid for my sister-in-law (my husband’s brother’s wife, got that?).

After a fantastic, but exhausting, day of the ceremony, schmoozing, and photography, we landed at the reception to a nice warm bowl of beige at the head table. I had heard mention of this cauliflower soup throughout the weekend, but thought for sure it must be sheer folly. For no bride would serve cauliflower soup at her wedding! Especially not one as elegant as Kim. BUT SHE DID. And I’m glad she did. (I, on the other hand, was supremely classy and served barbecue on trash can lids at my weddingโ€”true story.)

Creamy Cauliflower Soup - Ingredients

Creamy Cauliflower Soup

The soup was creamy and cozy and smooth AND elegant. So comforting on a throat that was sore from talking and mingling so much. I immediately grabbed the Bride and told her how amazing it was. The soup was a thing of glory. So special, that after a few too many tequila shots, on the ride back to our beds on the aptly named “party bus,” my thoughts immediately went to how good a food the soup would be for a hangover.

Creamy Cauliflower Soup - Finished

When I made mac and cheese with cauliflower awhile back, I remembered the infamous cauliflower soup and was suddenly sparked to remake it.

The key to the รผber creaminess without all the dairy? A great immersion blender. If you donโ€™t own one, you definitely shouldโ€”they are the perfect โ€œentry-levelโ€ blender with entry-level pricing ($25!) and entry-level storage needs (just throw it in a drawer). I have this Cuisinart one, and itโ€™s greatโ€”although they tend to burn out after few years of use. If anyone has a suggestion of a lifetime quality immersion blender, Iโ€™m all ears!

Feel free to serve this up at your own wedding…or maybe just on a random Tuesday night.

Wedding Cauliflower Soup

Creamy Cauliflower Soup

Yield: 4 main dish or 6 appetizer servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes

This creamy and comforting Cauliflower Soup is packed with vegetables, but has all the delicious flavors of a loaded baked potato.

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1 small yellow onion, diced
  • 1 medium carrot, diced
  • 2 medium celery stalks, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 medium head of cauliflower, chopped
  • 1/4 cup lightly packed fresh parsley, chopped
  • Sea salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
  • 3/4 cup half and half
  • 1/4 cup sour cream, plus more for serving
  • 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Instructions

  1. Warm the olive oil and butter in a Dutch oven or large stockpot over medium heat.
  2. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened somewhat, about 8 minutes.
  3. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant.
  4. Add the cauliflower and parsley, season lightly with salt and pepper, and stir. Add the stock, bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat so the soup simmers. Cook for about 15 minutes, or until the cauliflower is very tender when pierced with a fork.

  5. Turn off the heat and stir in the half and half and sour cream. Puree the soup thoroughly with an immersion blender. Taste the soup and add additional salt and pepper if desired.

  6. Serve hot, topped with shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, and fresh chives.

Notes

This soup reheats well, so it makes a great packed lunch. Bring the garnishes in a separate container and add them after reheating the soup.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 appetizer servings Serving Size: 1 serving
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 369Total Fat: 25gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 115mgSodium: 392mgCarbohydrates: 10gFiber: 3gSugar: 5gProtein: 28g

At Wholefully, we believe that good nutrition is about much more than just the numbers on the nutrition facts panel. Please use the above information as only a small part of what helps you decide what foods are nourishing for you.

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12 Comments

  1. I am such a huge fan of substituting cauliflower! One of my favorite go-to recipes is cauliflower fried rice. The only recipe I haven’t had success with is using it as a pizza crust, but that’s okay because I have some pretty strong feelings about saying no to bread. lol I will definitely have the try this over the colder months. With such a creamy base, my hubby might not even notice it’s vegetables. ๐Ÿ™‚

  2. I made your broccoli cheddar soup yesterday – it was sooooo good! My three year old loved it too. Might try this recipe too! Thanks xx

  3. AH!! I came across this blog and I did the exact same thing today! It felt so natural and I couldn’t stop myself.. I had to run! Felt awesome especially from gaining shin splints with my regular running shoes. Happy running!

    ๐Ÿ™‚

  4. Well… it’s me again. I just ordered my first pair of VFFs! It’s all because of you!!! I have to stop reading this Blog ๐Ÿ˜‰ Downloading E-Books and ordering shoes is really expensive for a poor student. But I discovered many similarities and maybe that is why some little voice in my head is whispering: “You’ll like those shoes” ๐Ÿ™‚ I needed an idea for a great gift for myself (rough exam) anyway ๐Ÿ˜‰

    Thanks for the “sorry” to the international Blogreaders. Sad that I cannot take part of your giveaways.

    Well have a nice weekend, your serious FAN ( ๐Ÿ˜‰ ) from Germany
    Katrin

    PS: At the moment I struggle with searching those Chia seeds no one seems to know in Germany! Is there any other term for it?

  5. I just bought a pair of Vibram’s this past weekend. They fit too snugly right now. The salesperson said that they should be uncomfortable until you break them in for a while. How cool that you could run right away. I can’t wait until my Vibrams and my feet like each other enough to handle running!

  6. I’m sure those shoes are super comfortable, but they freak me out. I hate feet and these come a little to close to toe-sock territory for me.
    I totally want to try this soup though.

    1. Ha! I LOVE toe socks! And sorry for all the feet shots then, this blog probably totally freaked you out. ๐Ÿ˜›

      And try the soup! It’s a good one!