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To my beloved immersion blender: it’s been too long. I know, I know, we used to have great times in the kitchen, blending up any and everything from butternut squash soup to spicy marinara sauces…then I got a little, uh, inattentive.
Making up for it now!
Roasting cauliflower is a game changer. I’m still not a huge fan of raw cauliflower (although with the right dip, I can be convinced) and steamed? Absolutely not. If it came down to steamed cauliflower or none at all, it’s be a pretty easy choice…none at all. Ami right?
But roasting veggies is one of my favorite ways to infuse some fantastic flavor. The best part is that it’s a hands-free cooking method, which means I can set it and forget it and walk away to more productive things. That may or may not involve sitting on the coach cuddlin’ up with Wrigley, but hey, productivity can be whatever you say it is. Either way, I don’t have to tend to a pot on the stove and the result is cauliflower that tastes SO MUCH BETTER.
If you haven’t toyed around with an immersion blender yet, you gotta check it out. If you think chopping veggies or mashing some taters is a great way to blow off some steam from a crazy day, you’re really going to love how an immersion blender makes you feel.
I picked mine up via Amazon and it hasn’t let me down since. Here’s the model I like, which is easy to hold and handle without it getting too squirrelly for me. I like that it has adjustable speeds on a dial on the top and I can easily reach it to adjust without lifting the blade and creating a crime-scene mess in my kitchen with splatters.
If you don’t have one of these, you can also use a blender or food processor. Do it in batches so as not to overfill the container. It’s always a good idea to leave the lid slightly lifted for steam to escape, otherwise you’re building up pressure and that can lead to a dangerous kitchen situation. Pre-immersion blender days, I relied on my Vitamix (affiliate link) and still use it on occasion. But the immersion blender is much less of a hassle to clean afterwards and can easily be stored away until the next time I need it.
This method can be used for any blended soup or sauce – here’s a few other examples of recipes I’ve done with mine:
For this recipe using roasted cauliflower, I wanted a little spice and lots of flavor. Whenever I’m not sure where to start with that goal, I turn to one of my other favorite kitchen tools, The Flavor Bible (affiliate link). There’s also a veggie-friendly version called, you guessed it: The Vegetarian Flavor Bible. I cannot say enough good things about these books – they have inspired so many amazing meals and encouraged me to try flavor combinations that I never would have guessed would pair so well together.
Bold statement, I know. I fully stand behind that, I love these books that much.
So that’s why this recipe includes flavoring ingredients like cumin, roasted garlic, and thyme. There were a lot of other ingredients I wanted to try too, but I resisted the urge to dump the entire spice cabinet in there. Next time I try a roasted cauliflower soup I plan to experiment with curry blends or garam masala to throw in some other interesting tastes. Maybe also a sweet potato or carrot in the soup itself? Who knows, but with these book as a guide it’s sure to taste amazing!
OK, so here’s the recipe itself – although roasting time is longer than I usually do, the goal is to have the cauliflower nice and soft so it can blend to a really smooth, creamy texture. You can also have your oven pull double duty and roast up the crispy chickpeas at the same time.
Creamy Roasted Cauliflower Soup
Ingredients
- 1 medium to large head of cauliflower
- 3 to 4 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- Fine sea salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 yellow onion
- 3 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 package, ~14 oz. silken tofu
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1/4 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- fresh thyme
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with nonstick spray. Cut the head of cauliflower into florets, including the stalks if desired. Toss with garlic cloves, olive oil, salt, pepper, cumin, and crushed red pepper. Arrange in a single layer and bake 30 minutes, flipping once if desired for even browning.
- Line a second baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with nonstick spray. Toss the drained chickpeas with cumin and crushed red pepper, than arrange in a single layer. Add to the oven on a different baking rack and roast 20 minutes, or until crispy and toasted on the outside.
- While the cauliflower and chickpeas are roasting, roughly chop the onion and add to the bottom of a large saucepan. Add the chicken or vegetable broth and bring to a simmer.
- When the cauliflower and chickpeas are finished, remove from the oven. Set the chickpeas aside along with a small reserve of roasted cauliflower florets (for garnish). Add the remaining cauliflower and silken tofu to the simmering broth. Reduce heat and stir to combine. Using an immersion blender, blend until a thick, creamy consistency is reached (about 2 minutes). Add the heavy cream and blend again until smooth.
- Serve each bowl with 1/4 of the crispy chickpeas and roasted cauliflower florets, along with fresh thyme and additional red pepper flakes if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
And be sure to check out recipes from other dietitians and read about their favorite kitchen tools and gadgets. The Recipe ReDux is the first and only recipe challenge created by registered dietitians, and the recipes never fail to impress!
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Questions & Reviews
YUM! gorgeous soup, and I need this in my life right now
Thanks Rebecca!
I’ll admit I’m not a fan of cauliflower. I’ve tried it many ways, but never like this. This looks so tasty!
I wasn’t a fan either until I tried it roasted! Total game changer for me, and now it’s pretty much the only way I like to eat it!
I am a big fan of cauliflower but have never had in a soup. I am looking for a good vegetarian recipe so this one seems perfect.
Go for it! This could easily be made fully vegan depending on the stock/broth used.
That book sounds wonderful! And your recipe looks delicious as always.
Those books are my absolute favorites! I rely on them so much they’re almost always out on the counter or table and never on the shelf!
Yea! A white soup! This sounds like a weird thing to get excited about, but I’m testing out courses for a white food dinner party and I need a tasty soup like this.
Oh how fun! Theme parties like that are a great way to mix up the routine! And yeah, I hate how white foods always get shunned or shamed when in reality they can be full of nutrition and flavor!
I will definitely give this a try!! Look and sounds delish!!
Thank you!! 🙂
I had cauliflower for the first time recently, I liked it. This must be good as well
Awesome, I’m glad you hear you enjoyed it!
I love the flavors that come into play in this recipe. It’s perfect for making sure that your cauliflower is very tasty. It’s also the perfect soup for the weather! I wouldn’t mind making this!
This looks amazing and I just got an immersion blender for Christmas and I have yet to even take it out of the box. I’m hitting up the grocery store this week and trying this out!!
Ooh that’s a great holiday gift! I hope you enjoy using it as much I love mine – it’s so convenient to use for these creamy blended soups!
Yum! It has been super chilly here lately so I’ve been looking for good soups like this! I can’t wait to try it out!
I like roasted vegetables, I think it brings out their flavor and makes them more tasty! I wouldn’t mind giving this soup a try, it looks really comforting and good.
OH wow what amazing flavors in this soup! I never tried to make anything like this, but I bet my husband and I would love it!
I have never used an immersion blender but I have always been curious. The flavor bibles are something I totally want. I love discovering new ways of blending flavors. My husband would totally love this soup!
These books are fantastic! I can’t recommend them highly enough, they became my go-to resource as soon as I got my copies
I have had an immersion blender on my need to get list for so long. I absolutely will get one this year because it’s recipes like this that make me realize I need one. Great soup recipe.
Thrifting Div
http://www.thriftingdiva.com
Well luckily I am a huge fan of chickpeas, cauliflower and soup so the thought of that all together in one dish has got me salivating. I probably shouldn’t want to lick my screen but I am kind of tempted to haha.I have a question for you, I am a vegetarian and am looking to put more weight on, what foods would you recommend I should try?
I am 100% making this this week!! I love everything cauliflower and soup is the perfect winter dish. This looks delicious and you have beautiful pictures as well! Thanks!!
We love cauliflower soup in my family. What’s new for me is the crispy chickpeas. I know this would be a big hit at my house.
you had me at soup! I love cauliflower soup but I have never roasted it before. I’m going to have to try this!
I definitely need to make this roasted cauliflower soup! It looks amazing… especially with the addition of the crispy chickpeas!!! And I couldn’t agree with you more about the immersion blender… such a fantastic kitchen tool.
What an amazing recipe, and what a gorgeous end product! This is a healthy meal I could definitely see my entire family enjoying.
I definitely need to check out an immersion blender…that and a spiralizer are my two food related must-buys for 2018!!
I love,love,love cauliflower! It is so hearty, but good for you! I love putting blended or riced cauliflower in dishes too. This looks really tasty!
I love a good cauliflower soup. I usually make mine with coconut milk and veggie broth. It’s a great comfort food for those cold nights. Roasting the cauliflower just makes the soup even more flavorful.
I have been wanting an immersion blender. I always say I don’t need it, but then I find so many ways I can use it. Also, that soup looks AMAZING! I am totally going to make it soon.
First, the soup looks absolutely amazing. I can’t wait to make it. Second, I love my veggie flavor bible. It’s a great resource to have on hand.
I’m so excited to hear you have a copy, too! I love mine so much 🙂
This looks so dang good! I love the addition of the crispy chickpeas. I bet they add a nice texture to the soup!
Confession: I’ve never had cauliflower! I know. I don’t even know why exactly. I just never thought I’d like it BUT this recipe has my attention. I think I may need to give it a try.
Wow this would be a hit in our house! Our kids are loving all kinds of soups right now and this looks incredible!
I always do cauliflower soup but yours is different in a good way. It looks super appetizing! I would be doing this soon too!
I have an immersion blender that I just don’t use often enough. I had such intentions of making soups all the time. I will have to try this recipe out.
Though i used to like cauliflower as a part of my diet, i heard some advises to abstain from it.Seems it does not suit some health conditions.
This looks like a wonderful soup! We have had strep throat in our home for two weeks and are finally starting to feel better. But we are still eating nothing more than soup so I’ll definitely try this for dinner! AND wow, I need that immersion blender!
This roasted cauliflower soup crispy chickpeas recipe seems to taste so good! Like this is perfect for an awesome night!
I love my immersion blender too! Perfect for soups and so much easier than transferring everything to a blender. This soup sounds amazing! I’ve never used silken tofu before, but I can imagine it adds a great texture!