Roasted Cauliflower and Garlic Soup
Updated March 1, 2024
- Total Time
- 1 hour 10 minutes
- Prep Time
- 10 minutes
- Cook Time
- 1 hour
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
Yield:4 to 6 servings
- 2½pounds cauliflower (1 very large head), cut into 1-inch florets, leaves reserved
- ¼cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- Salt and pepper
- 1head garlic
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
141 calories; 10 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 7 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 13 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 4 grams sugars; 4 grams protein; 481 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Powered byPreparation
- Step 1
Heat the oven to 425 degrees. On a sheet pan, toss the cauliflower florets and leaves with the olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Cut off the top ¼ inch of the head of garlic to expose the top of the cloves, then place on a piece of foil, cut side up. Sprinkle exposed cloves with salt, then drizzle lightly with oil. Wrap the garlic in the foil and place on the sheet pan. Roast until the cauliflower is browned and tender and the garlic is soft and fragrant, 30 to 35 minutes.
- Step 2
Meanwhile, in a large pot or Dutch oven, bring 6 cups of water and 1 teaspoon salt to a simmer over medium. Reserve about 1 cup cauliflower for the topping, then add the rest to the pot, including any browned bits on the sheet pan. Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves from their skins into the pot. Cover and simmer until the cauliflower is very soft, 7 to 10 minutes.
- Step 3
Off the heat, using an immersion blender (or working in batches in a traditional blender), purée the soup until smooth. If thick, add water to taste. If thin, simmer, uncovered, for 5 to 10 minutes to reduce slightly. (The soup will also thicken as it cools.) Season to taste with salt.
- Step 4
Serve the soup topped with the reserved roasted cauliflower, a drizzle of olive oil and more black pepper.
Private Notes
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Cooking Notes
Anne
I wonder if using a few cups of chicken broth in exchange for some of the water would make for an even more savory soup? I know it would obviate the vegan-ness, but for non-vegans it might be tasty...
Ana
This soup was awesome. So simple and so delicious. I didn’t have quite enough cauliflower so I added some chickpeas to both the roasting and blending steps and it was a nice consistency.
lissa
Throw in a handful of raw, unsalted cashew pieces with the broth - before puréeing, to add a bit of protein and keep it vegan.
David Morris
I never understood why beets and garlic get wrapped in foil when one is roasting them. Can they really caramelize wrapped up in foil and steaming in their own evaporating liquid? I roast beets with olive oil, salt and pepper, uncovered, and they come out delicious and caramelized. Similarly, I would be inclined to roast the garlic uncovered. Any thoughts?
Rachel S
very yummy and simple! Some modifications: - I didn't use the cauliflower leaves. - my cauliflower head was not "very large". To make up for this, I used only 4c water, but the soup was still pretty watery in the end. - used veggie broth instead of water. Next time I make this soup, I think I will use 2 heads of cauliflower (no leaves), the full 6 cups of liquid (veggie broth), and also I would roast the florets and garlic for longer -- at least 45 mins.
Lydia Sugarman
Yes, adding some Great Northern, cannellini, or navy beans or a potato or two will add creaminess. Along with the olive oil, they add an unctuousness to the soup. Is there any reason not to use stock inplace of water? Vegetable stock would still keep it vegan, no?
Sue
Add Parmesan Rinds!
Daniel
Put the garlic in before you prepare the cauliflower. It needs closer to an hour to really get golden brown and tender.
Beth
To the person who said browning cauliflower makes it bitter: I have been cooking professionally for almost 40 years and I have never experienced caramelized cauliflower to be bitter.
sarah
There is a great vegan “no chicken” base by “Better than Bouillon” in a jar that we have used for years in Chinese and veggie recipes instead of chicken stock and it is terrific. Adds the depth we want. Easy way to keep it plant-based and delicious.
Kate Disney
Consider white pepper and a bit of horseradish to add a twist to this.
Vanessa
How are the cauliflower leaves supposed to be used?
Court
I like adding silken tofu or a can of beans to soups like this to bump up the satiety. Will be trying this!!!
Sherherazade
I garnished this with dry roasted cumin and cayenne. Delicious.
Jen P
I added a couple of teaspoons of dijon mustard- yum!
Tracy
I made this for dinner tonight. Very tasty. The cauliflower did not have any leaves. I roasted the garlic for an extra 20 minutes. I only used 4 cups of liquid (2 water & 2 chicken broth). I added 1/2 cup of raw, unsalted cashews to the broth. Perfect creamy soup.
Rosey
This was wonderful. I made it twice. First time per the recipe, second with some modifications. Added tbs of white miso paste and a can of cannellini beans.
dan
This seemed straight out of Oliver Twist. Please Sir, I want more!
Mary
Someone else suggested adding silken tofu, and I do this with pureed veggie soups to add some protein and creaminess, it's delicious and doesn't interfere with the flavor.
Adelaide
Used chicken broth. Regular salt swanson broth comes out correctly salted at the end (which is important since I taste "salty" as "sweet" until way past where anyone else can stand it. It needed something, so I boiled four largeish carrots in four cups of broth and pureed that in along with an ice cube made of grated ginger and lemon juice and the juice of one lemon.
Petrariv
I added a mix of sauteed baby bella and shitake mushrooms as garnish. Next time, I will try adding chickpeas, tofu, cannellini beans, or even lentils for more protein. I've also used Greek yogurt for creaminess, if that is something one can try.
Scout
This was fabulous as written. I only changed the water to Imagine no-chicken broth low sodium (vegetarian broth that tastes like chicken stock). Very rich and filling and delicious. I am so glad I didn't add beans or potatoes. I did have some home-made croutons on hand and they made a nice addition.
JeannieM
This soup was absolutely positively delicious. I’m really not sure how that’s possible with 2 basic ingredients + olive oil, salt and pepper and water! Insane! So oh oh good! Don’t forget the drizzle of OO and the pepper for each bowl prior to serving. Perfect finish.
JayZee
I didn’t have a 2 lb cauliflower but I did have a 1 lb bag of frozen cauliflower. I let it thaw out in the refrigerator and drained out any excess water from thawing. It worked just fine and took less time to soften. Nice recipe. I’ll make it again for sure.
Natalie Smith
5/1/24 Also added the juice of one lemon. I salted this too much and it was a little thick, but good.
Leah
I added carrots to the cauliflower (no leaves) and used pre-peeled garlic cloves. Then, I simmered in six cups of veggie broth, pureed, and served over wild rice. Garnished with avocado and served with grilled cheese. Delicious!
Zizi
Didn’t love the lack of spice, so I added in sesame oil, soy sauce, honey, turmeric, and paprika to assist. That helped♥️
nk213
Roasted potatoes along with the cauliflower and added it to the soup along with peas after blending. Spiced it up a bit with turmeric, paprika, cumin powder, and topped with roasted pumpkin seeds. A complete meal.
Julia
Delicious. I added ~10 raw cashews to make it creamier but other than that, followed the recipe as written.
yum so creamy
I can’t get over how creamy the texture is. Personally, I think using water not stock is the way to go. Stock would muddy the cauliflower flavor. So good.
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