I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season! But isn't it nice to be back in a normal routine? From record breaking high temperatures in the northeast on Christmas Eve (in the 70's), to 20°F today (brrrr), it seems that maybe...just maybe...winter has arrived. That means it's time for soup!
After my fair share of indulgences these past few weeks, it feels good to be cooking healthier meals again. Did I mention the traditional Nutella pizza we eat every New Year's Eve? Holy moly! Let's not go there now.
If it's cold where you are, then I've got the perfect recipe to help warm your body and soul and get you back into the swing of healthier eating.
I created this soup a few weeks ago when I was craving something warm and creamy but without dairy. The result was this rich, garlicky, vegan cauliflower soup!
They key is roasting cauliflower and garlic together to bring out it's sweet caramelized flavor. Most of the cooking for this soup is done in the oven. So after you roast, the cauliflower, garlic and beans simmer in some vegetable broth for a short time, just to get all happy (now I'm getting all Emeril Lagasse on you)! Blending the ingredients together creates a thick, creamy consistency. *(Note- if there is any kitchen tool I would highly recommend it has to be the immersion blender. It allows you to puree the soup right in the pot and that is a huge plus! Check it out here: Immersion blender)
Although the soup is perfect by itself, I thought it would be fun to add a little green and a touch of texture. The light, airy, slightly salty crunch of the kale chips is actually quite addictive. I used lacinato kale, ripped the leaves off the stems, washed and dried them. But, for convenience, next time I'm going to use the pre washed bagged kale and call it a day. The kale is baked in the oven until crisp. **(see tips)
Here's to a fresh start in 2016 and to a soup that won't interfere with any of your new year's resolutions! 😉
**Tips for making great kale chips:
- make sure kale is dry before baking. wet leaves make for mushy kale.
- spread out the leaves and be sure not to overcrowd your baking sheet with kale. (they will not cook evenly)
{Vegan} Roasted Cauliflower, Garlic and White Bean Soup with Kale Chips
Ingredients
- 5-6 cups cauliflower florets from 1 large head or 2 small
- 1 small bunch lacinato kale leaves removed from stems, washed and dried thoroughly
- 4 garlic cloves left whole
- 1 onion chopped
- 4 cups low sodium vegetable stock
- 15 oz. carton cannelinni beans
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil for soup pot + more for drizzling
- coarse salt
- pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 F.
- On a large baking sheet, spread out cauliflower and garlic and lightly drizzle with oil and a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Roast for 20-25 minutes until soft and golden.
- Reduce oven temp to 350 F to prepare for kale chips.
- Heat a olive oil in a medium soup pot over medium high heat.
- Add the onion and cook 4-5 minutes until translucent.
- Add the roasted cauliflower and garlic, beans and broth.
- Bring to a boil and simmer 10-15minutes.
- In the meantime, while soup cooks, make the kale chips.
- Spread out kale leaves on a large baking sheet with toss with a pinch of salt and light drizzle of oil.
- Bake about 20 minutes until leaves are crisp. (note cooking times may vary so keep an eye on them).
- Allow the soup to cool slightly.
- Puree the soup using an immersion blender or carefully transfer soup, a few batches at a time to a blender.
- Transfer to bowls and top with a few of the kale chips, drizzle of olive oil and freshly ground pepper.
I prefer to focus on quality ingredients from a variety of sources that work in tandem to promote optimal health. Nutrition calculations may not reflect these valuable interactions. However, I understand certain values can be helpful to some. Please note these calculations are merely estimates. Values will vary depending on modifications, brands used, and portion size. Should you require specific information, it's best to consult with a dietitian or qualified healthcare provider.
Julia | Orchard Street Kitchen says
What a beautiful soup, Donna! We have had chilly and rainy weather here in San Francisco, so it's the perfect time for soup. I love making soups from roasted vegetables - and I am also a massive fan of my immersion blender! It has to be one of the greatest inventions of all time 🙂
Donna Castellano says
Thanks Julia! We've all been having such crazy weather! Hope you enjoy the soup! And yes, I agree. Greatest invention ever!! haha!
Valerie Feltman says
We love this soup. I work at a hospital, and I am a new vegan. The hospital offers very healthy food options and includes a vegan soup daily along with other menu choices for those of us on plant based diets. Recently, they had a cauliflower and white bean soup. I loved it! I wanted to create one at home and Google gave me some choices and yours was vegan and looked easy! Well, we love it! The only change I've made is to blend only a portion of the soup. It thickens the soup and you still have some pieces of cauliflower and onion in it. Thanks for the great soup recipe!
Donna Castellano says
You are so welcome Valerie! Thank you for sharing that with me! I think you're idea about blending only a portion of it is a great idea! I've have done that with many other soups and that sounds like it would work nicely with this one too! I'm going to give it a try! I applaud you for going vegan. Such a wonderful thing! xoxo Donna
Catina Cooper-Rogers says
I am curious how this delicious soup will freeze ? Have you tried to freeze ?
Donna Castellano says
Catina,
No I haven't but my guess is I think it would freeze well (minus the kale chips of course). Let me know if you try it. 🙂 Donna