Description
Ina Garten’s comforting cauliflower soup blends creamy textures with rich, earthy flavors. Smooth ingredients create a luxurious bowl perfect for warming winter meals you’ll savor with each delightful spoonful.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 medium head cauliflower (2 lbs / 907 g)
- 4 cups (960 ml) vegetable broth
- 3 tbsps (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 2 shallots, peeled and quartered
- 4 garlic cloves, unpeeled
- 5 thyme sprigs (leaves only)
- ½ tbsp white miso paste
- ½ tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Microgreens (optional)
Instructions
- Preparation: Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper, ensuring even roasting of vegetables.
- Vegetable Prepping: Chop cauliflower into uniform pieces, including the core. Spread on baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and black pepper. Create a foil packet for shallots and garlic, adding olive oil and salt.
- Roasting Phase: Place vegetables in the oven, roasting for 30-35 minutes until cauliflower develops golden-brown edges and shallots and garlic become caramelized and soft.
- Broth Integration: Warm vegetable broth in a large pot over medium heat. Remove shallots and garlic from foil, peel, and transfer roasted vegetables into the simmering broth. Add thyme leaves, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes to blend flavors.
- Blending Process: Transfer hot mixture to blender, allowing slight cooling. Incorporate miso paste, mustard, olive oil, and lemon juice. Puree until achieving a velvety smooth texture.
- Final Touches: Adjust seasoning with additional salt or lemon juice. Serve in bowls, garnishing with delicate microgreens for an elegant presentation.
Notes
- Roast with Care: Golden-brown edges on cauliflower create deeper, more complex flavor profiles that elevate the entire soup’s taste.
- Temperature Matters: Allow hot mixture to cool slightly before blending to prevent dangerous steam pressure and potential kitchen accidents.
- Flavor Balancing Act: Taste and adjust seasoning at the end, using salt and lemon juice to create a harmonious and bright flavor profile.
- Texture is Key: Blend thoroughly to achieve a luxuriously smooth consistency, ensuring no chunky bits disrupt the soup’s silky texture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 120
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg