This is one of our favorite soups and is so easy to make.
Note: it is also extremely frugal. When I can get cheap cauliflower, a recipe like this costs me under $1.50–and that’s in Canada! We only make it when I’ve bought several inexpensive cauliflowers and then I usually double or triple the recipe and make enough soup to last for several days.
Simple, scrumptious, frugal, and healthy. What more could you ask?
- Wash a medium cauliflower and cut into large florets. Add water almost to cover and cook until tender.
- Meanwhile, sauté a medium chopped onion, a minced clove of garlic, and two chopped stalks of celery in about 2 T of butter or oil using a large pan. (This is the pan you’ll be cooking your soup in.)
- Add 2-4 cups stock. We usually use homemade chicken stock, but last Monday I used sausage drippings and gravy instead. Yum! (You could also add a commercial organic soup base mixed with water.) Exactly how much you’ll need to use depends on the flavor intensity of your stock.
- When the cauliflower is tender, remove from heat and mash using a potato masher. Small chunks will remain. (If you don’t want any chunks, you can use a blender.)
- Pour the mashed cauliflower and its cooking liquid into the pan with the sautéed vegetables and stock and cook for a few minutes longer.
- Season with salt (the amount depends on the stock you used), pepper, and a choice of oregano, sage, or curry. Sometimes I also add parsley or paprika, and obviously you can add whatever you like.
Optional: After cooking the soup a bit more, we sometimes thicken it with cornstarch, using about two tablespoons per gallon of soup. It gives the soup a more finished look, but is not necessary.
Variation: If your family eats flour and milk, you can prepare cauliflower soup with a traditional white sauce, making a rich and scrumptious soup that is perfect for celebrations. Use ¼ cup of butter in step 2, and blend in ¼ cup of whole wheat flour before gradually whisking in 2 cups of stock and 2 cups of milk in step 3.
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You know what, it does sound yummy. I’ll have to pick up some cauliflower and try it soon. Thank you so much for putting the recipe out there for me. 🙂
You’re welcome!
I love cauliflour soup and so definitely will try this recipe!
(Or talk my wife into doing it !)
When you say stock are you talking about the juice that’s left over after cooking a roast? Sorry I’m not much of a cook!
Ally
No, that would be the beginnings of gravy…and it would be a good addition to this soup too, if you had enough of it.
Chicken stock is what you get after you simmer chicken bones for a day or two in the slow cooker. I wrote a bit about it here: http://anniekateshomeschoolreviews.com/2010/11/turkey-or-chicken-soup/
I hope that helps.
Right now cauliflower is top on my list of favorite vegetables. I need to make this soup.
You’ll love it! 🙂
I love cauliflower in soup too, its always tasty and goes with so many different things. I’m hosting a weekly blog carnival specifically for soups, stocks and chowders, every Sunday! I would love you to come and post this recipe. Just stop by my blog on Sunday – the link will be up!
http://www.easynaturalfood.com
I hope to see you there:)
Debbie
Sundays are internet-free at our house, but if the link is still open on Monday, I’d love to post it. Thanks for letting me know!
Annie Kate
Sausage drippings for a stock… decadent. Your soup looks to rich and comforting. We rarely see fresh cauliflower here unless it is wee and sprayed to death. We might just have to give this a whirl with frozen. We don’t see sausage much, but we are soon due to make bone broth.
We rarely see inexpensive ones here, too, but we visited an upscale store and it had beautiful, huge ones for 99c (regularly $4 or so). In the summer I try to grow them, but they are tricky to grow.
The sausage drippings made excellent soup, but my husband prefers chicken stock. LOL
This looks SO good! We just love a good bowl of soup here on a cold, winter day. (especially my poor hubby who works outside!) 🙂 I host a weekly linkup called “Try a New Recipe Tuesday.” Feel free to link this up, or any other recipe that is a favorite. 🙂 Many blessings, Lisa
Thanks for the invitation, Lisa, I’ll be sure to do that!
[…] YES! I’ve actually had broccoli a couple of days straight plus I plan on getting some cauliflower soon and trying this yummy recipe. […]
Ok, I had to let you know, I’ve printed this out and I”m getting ready to make it. With the milk and flour of course! 😀
[…] on my website I’ve been busy with home life, lessons, work and being with my family. I made cauliflower soup today and it actually tasted pretty good. Of course I had to add some cheese , and I only had a […]
Hey, for a veggie hater to say it’s pretty good is high praise! Thanks! 🙂
Thanks so much for sharing this recipe with Sunday Night Soup Night! I’ll be hosting weekly through fall and winter, so I’d love to see you again with your next soup/stock/chowder recipe.
You’re welcome.