Pasta e Fagioli (One Pan!)
February 9, 2023
Roasted Cauliflower Soup
let me tell you the secret to great soup
If you’re struggling with watery-tasting soups, even while adding what feels a whole spice rack, you need to know this one thing: nearly all vege soups, and especially this roasted cauliflower soup are improved by roasting the veges before you make soup from them. This is because roasting evaporates some of the moisture concentrates the flavours. Try it and thank me later, or leave me a comment to let me know that everyone knows that, Sara. Roast me. (LOL)
From a nutritional standpoint, soups are often low in protein, meaning that they don’t keep you full for long. To overcome this, it’s a good idea to add a protein source. This could be some meat, beans or in this case, crispy tofu. The crunch of the tofu also adds that chew factor that makes a meal sensory and satisfying.Â
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Ok, let's make some roasted cauliflower soup
If all you need is the recipe, I’ll put that next, but if you’d like some extra tips and a few in-process shots, read on!
Roasted Cauliflower Soup with Crispy Tofu
The easiest and most flavourful roasted cauliflower soup you'll find, and with a protein boost from delicious crispy tofu.
Servings: 2
Equipment
- Soup pot
- Oven tray
- Stick blender or soup blender
Ingredients
For the Soup
- 1 large Cauliflower
- 1 large Red onion
- 4 cloves Garlic (crushed)
- 1 stalk Spring Onion For garnish
- 1 Litre Soup stock We used storebought vegan 'chicken' stock powder dissolved in warm water. Add more stock for a thinner soup.
- tbsp Lemon juice
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Nutmeg
For the Crispy Tofu
- 300 Grams Firm tofu
- 3 tbsp Cornflour
- Olive oil
- Salt and black pepper
Instructions
Press your Tofu (if you're using it)
- Unwrap your tofu, give it a quick rinse and then wrap it in a clean tea towel and place a weight of at least 2kg on top of it. I use a full jug of water.
Roast the Cauliflower
- Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F)
- Cut the cauliflower into bite sized pieces and put on an oven tray. Drizzle with 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil and then 'toss' the pieces so that they are evenly coated. I use my hands for this.
- Pop the cauliflower in the oven, sprinkle with salt then let it bake while you get the rest of the soup ready. You want them to be tender with some crispy brown bits around the edges (see pic in blog post), this takes about 20 minutes, but keep checking them.
Prepare the Soup
- While the cauliflower is baking, prepare the soup. Dice the red onion, place it in the pot, sprinkle with salt and sweat it in a little oil (soup pot on a moderate heat) for about 5 minutes, it should be soft but not burning.
- Add the crushed garlic for 30 seconds then add the stock.
Add the Cauliflower
- When the cauliflower is ready, add it to the soup. Lid the pot and let it simmer while you prepare the tofu. Leave the oven on.
Prepare the Crispy Tofu
- Unwrap your tofu and cut into bite-sized cubes.
- Place tofu in a bowl and sprinkle with the cornflour. Toss with a fork to ensure the tofu is evenly coated.
- Oil an oven tray and place the tofu on it. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Bake for 10 minutes then turn the tofu cubes and bake until the tofu is crispy and golden.
- Chop the spring onion finely
Blend the Soup
- When the cauliflower is soft, take the soup of the heat, add a pinch of nutmeg and blend to smoothness using your stick blender or soup blender. If it is too thick you can add more water or stock 1/4 cup at a time. Taste and add more salt if necessary. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and taste. Add more if you like your soup to have that acid tang.
Serve
- Return the soup to the stovetop and heat through.
- Serve with the spring onions as garnish and add crispy tofu to each person's preference.
Notes
This soup freezes and reheats well. Let it cool completely before freezing.
notes and tips for cauliflower soup
When I first made this soup I was a bit concerned about how much to roast the cauliflower and how that would affect the flavour outcome. I would suggest not overthinking it, just turning brown around the edges is the right amount. Like this:
The amount of liquid in this soup is just enough for two generous serves if it is a main meal and you might stretch it to four people if it’s a smaller serve, say an appetiser. You could add more stock if you are feeding more people, bearing in mind that this will affect the flavour density.
The blending process is very important as you want a smooth soup, not one with cauliflower chunks (ew). I always use a metal stick blender as this does not require cooling the soup so much before blending. Of course I do manage to distribute soup all over the wall and myself while blending it, but that’s my flamboyant style.
the roasted cauli soup nutrition buzz
The star of this soup is choline. In one serving you will get 150mg of choline, or 1/3 of the RDI. This is stellar for a vegetable, with choline being one of the hardest nutrients to get from plant sources. Choline is an essential component of the neural membrane, vital for brain health, and we could all do with a bit of that as time passes.
You’re also getting a boost of folate, vitamin K and, if you add the tofu, around 15 grams of protein.
On the flip side, this soup is probably out for most people with FODMAPs issues. Even the pictures probably gave you a sore tummy. Sorry.
can i freeze it?
Yes, absolutely. Let it cool completely before freezing. This soup freezes very well, so in cauli season you might want to think ahead and make your future self a nourishing soup for days when the cooking mojo is missing.
Any questions? Please ask in the comments and I will do my best.
x
Sara
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