Roasted Cauliflower Soup with Curry – Vegetarian and Nut Free
Today I’ve got another delicious soup recipe for you. This roasted cauliflower soup with curry is sure to hit the spot on a cold night.
Don’t let the name scare you away. I know roasted cauliflower soup with curry can seem like a lot. But even people who don’t like cauliflower have be known to ask for seconds with this soup. True story. The cauliflower caramelizes in the oven and becomes a sweet, savory, spicy veggie that become the base of the creamiest cream-free soup you’ll ever eat!
Why You’ll Love It:
This soup is naturally vegetarian and nut free. It’s also easy to make vegan if you opt the butter in the puree phases. But if you aren’t vegan or don’t need a vegan dish, please don’t omit this step. The butter brings a rich. velvety taste to this roasted cauliflower soup with curry that you won’t want to miss!
The soup is easy to prepare. Even the ingredient list looks long, it’s really a lot of spices. If you have a well-stocked spic cabinet you probably have lots of these ingredients already: salt, pepper, cinnamon, garlic, turmeric,.
Let’s talk about the curry powder for a minute. Curry powder is usually made up of turmeric, cumin, ginger, and black pepper. Some blends also incorporate garlic and cinnamon. You can find yellow or red curry powder. The red is usually spicy. My family is decidedly in the we like things mildly spicy category, so I use yellow. And to be honest, I don’t use this delicious spice nearly enough. Especially since every time I do I marvel at its deliciousness.
All curry powders share a sweet warmth and pleasant pungency that adds a toasty depth to everything from chicken to veggies to soup. This is the curry powder I usually use.
How to Make Roasted Cauliflower Soup with Curry:
The first step in making roasted cauliflower soup with curry is to prepare your spice blend. You are going to use part of this spice blend to season your cauliflower before roasting, and add some of it to the soup pot.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl combine 2 teaspoons yellow curry powder, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1 ½ teaspoons ground turmeric, 1 ¼ teaspoons salt, ¾ teaspoon ground pepper, ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper, and 1 teaspoon garlic powder and whisk together.
Then, in a large bowl, toss your cauliflower florets with 2 tablespoons oil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and 1 1/2 tablespoons of the spice mixture you just made. Gently use a wooden spoon to stir to evenly coat the cauliflower.
Spread the cauliflower in a single layer on your parchment lined baking sheeting roast in the preheated oven until nicely browned, about 25-30 minutes. You can toss the cauliflower about half way through (bit don’t worry if you forget). Set aside.
When the cauliflower is done, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add a diced onion and cook, stirring often, until the onion starts to brown, about 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and continue cooking, stirring often, until the onion is soft. This will be about another 3 to 4 minutes. Then add 2 minced garlic cloves (or 2 heaping teaspoons of minced garlic) and the remaining spice mixture. Cook for 1 minute, stirring the whole time.
Add the roasted cauliflower to the pot and cover with 8 cups vegetable broth. Bring the mixture to a boil. Then reduce the heat to a simmer and allow to cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Once the roasted cauliflower soup with curry is finished cooking, remove the pot from the heat and let it cool for a few minutes. Then, carefully transfer the hot soup to a blender, working in batches if necessary. Do not fill past the maximum fill line or the soup could overflow! Be sure to leave the lid vented so the mixture does not explode. Trust me, you don’t want roasted cauliflower curry soup all of your kitchen ceiling.
You can also use an immersion blender. This is less dangerous and less messy, but it will likely take longer. You really want to make sure all the cauliflower is pureed so the soup is velvety and smooth. Don’t rush this part.
Once the soup is pureed, add the butter and blend again until smooth. Finally, add the lemon juice and blend again. Add additional salt and lemon juice to taste.
Serve roasted cauliflower soup with curry hot garnished with parsley, cilantro, chives, or chilies, if desired. If the soup is too hot, you can also add a scoop of yogurt (but this will also make the soup non-vegan).
Enjoy!
This roasted cauliflower soup with curry make a generous six serving. But feel free to double the recipe if you are serving a crowd.
It’s delicious with a crisp green salad. Or some water pitas or naan. My favorite grocery store staple when I don’t have time to bake bread are these Stonefire garlic naan breads. Pop them in the oven, or even the toaster and slather them with butter or some hummus for a yummy addition to any soup. But they compliment this roasted cauliflower soup with curry beautifully.
Like so many soups, this cauliflower soup also tastes even better the second day once all those flavors have had a chance to meld together.
Let me know if you try it!
Happy Eating!
PS: Want more yummy soup recipes? Check out these delicious recipes. I love the vegetarian posole!!
Roasted Cauliflower Soup with Curry
Equipment
- Small and large bowls
- Roasting pan
- Parchment paper
- oven
- soup pot
- Stove
- Blender or immersion blender
Ingredients
- 2 tsp yellow curry powder
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 ¼ tsp salt
- ¾ tsp ground pepper
- ⅛ tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 small head cauliflower, cut into small florets (about 6 cups)
- 3 tbsp lemon juice, divided
- 4 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 3 tbsp butter
- Chopped fresh cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F and line a large roasting pan with parchment paper.
- Combine 2 teaspoons yellow curry powder, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1 ½ teaspoons ground turmeric, 1 ¼ teaspoons salt, ¾ teaspoon ground pepper, ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper, and 1 teaspoon garlic powder in a small bowl.
- Toss cauliflower with 2 tablespoons oil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice in a large bowl, and 1 1/2 tablespoons spice mixture and stir to coat evenly.
- Spread in a single layer on parchment lined baking sheet. Roast the cauliflower until nicely browned, 25-30 minutes. Set aside.
- Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add a diced onion and cook, stirring often, until starting to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and continue cooking, stirring often, until the onion is soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Add 2 minced garlic cloves and the remaining spice mixture. Cook for 1 minute, stirring the whole time.
- Add the roasted cauliflower to the pot and cover with 8 cups vegetable broth. Bring to a boil. And then reduce the heat to a simmer and allow to cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Once the soup is finished cooking, remove the pot from the heat and let it cool for a few minutes. Then, carefully transfer the hot soup to a blender, working in batches if necessary. (Do not fill past the maximum fill line or the soup could overflow!) Be sure to leave the lid vented so the mixture does not explode. You can also use an immersion blender, but take your time and make sure the soup is smooth.
- Add the butter and blend until smooth. Add the lemon juice and blend again. Add additional salt and lemon juice to taste
- Serve hot garnished with parsley, cilantro, chives, or chilies, if desired.
Notes
Freeze individual servings in freezer bags for up to 3 months.
