Creamy Cauliflower Soup

Name: Creamy Cauliflower Soup
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4-6 serving(s)
Ingredients: 1 head cauliflower (2 pounds); 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces; 1 leek, white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise, sliced thin, and washed thoroughly; 1 small onion, halved and sliced thin; salt and pepper; 4 1/2 cups water; 1/2 teaspoon sherry wine vinegar; 3 tablespoons minced fresh chives

Submitted by NVirginian

"From America's Test Kitchen. It can be made vegan by substituting the butter with coconut oil. I made it this way for a Winter Detox I'm doing this Winter. Very delicious!"

Download

photo by NVirginian

Ready In:: 45mins
Ingredients:: 8
Serves:: 4-6

ingredients

1 head cauliflower (2 pounds)
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
1 leek, white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise, sliced thin, and washed thoroughly
1 small onion, halved and sliced thin
salt and pepper
4 ¹⁄₂ cups water
¹⁄₂ teaspoon sherry wine vinegar
3 tablespoons minced fresh chives

directions

1. Pull off outer leaves of cauliflower and trim stem. Using paring knife, cut around core to remove; thinly slice core and reserve. Cut heaping 1 cup of 1/2-inch florets from head of cauliflower; set aside. Cut remaining cauliflower crosswise into 1/2-inch thick slices.
2. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add leek, onion, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt; cook, stirring frequently, until leek and onion are softened but not browned, about 7 minutes.
3. Increase heat to medium-high; add 4 1/2 cups water, sliced core, and half of sliced cauliflower; and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer gently for 15 minutes. Add remaining sliced cauliflower, return to simmer, and continue to cook until cauliflower is tender and crumbles easily, 15 to 20 minutes longer.
4. While soup simmers, melt remaining 5 tablespoons butter in 8-inch skillet over medium heat. Add reserved florets and cook, stirring frequently, until florets are golden brown and butter is browned and imparts nutty aroma, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and use slotted spoon to transfer florets to small bowl. Toss florets with vinegar and season with salt to taste. Pour browned butter in skillet into small bowl and reserve for garnishing.
5. Process soup in blender until smooth, about 45 seconds. Rinse out pan. Return pureed soup to pan and return to simmer over medium heat, adjusting consistency with remaining water as needed (soup should have thick, velvety texture but should be thin enough to settle with flat surface after being stirred) and seasoning with salt to taste. Serve, garnishing individual bowls with browned florets, drizzle of browned butter, and chives and seasoning with pepper to taste.

Questions & Replies

Got a question? Share it with the community!

Reviews

Have any thoughts about this recipe? Share it with the community!

RECIPE SUBMITTED BY

NVirginian

Manassas, VA

I live in an interesting area that is a mix of cultures and has great grocery stores.The stores here are stocked with items that used to be difficult to find and even health food.There are Asian markets,Mexican grocery and Indian markets. I love ethnic foods of all sorts and love to try all sorts of new tastes.We try to eat light and healthy most of the time but once in awhile... I began my love for cooking and eating good quality foods as a young child. My mom loved to cook for us and since she came down with juvenile diabetes when I was 4 years old,she taught us all about nutrition. Both of my older brothers have a passion for great food as well and are terrific cooks.She never taught me to cook though! She said since she had to learn it on her own so should I.I started with baking and mastered it pretty well. I also made my first Thanksgiving dinner at 17. I became obsessed with nutrition and healthy eating as a teenager and managed to teach my mom a thing or two. As her tastes and cooking techniques changed so did mine. We spent a lot of our time together talking about food, trading recipes or eating.My parents always encouraged us to broaden our horizons and try any new food that came our way.I now have her recipe collection and plan on posting them here soon. I always told her they should be published! My other passions are gardening/landscaping, home improvement, decorating, antique collecting,fitness, my pets and my family to name just a few. I recently became fascinated with orchids much to my husband's dismay. The picture here is of one of my cats, Grady, and a phaleanopsis. I'm always working on a project for our home and my New Years resolution is to finish some of them. A little more paint and a little more fabric and I'll just about be there. Unfortunatly, working full time gets in the way of having more fun with this.

View Full Profile