Roasted Cauliflower Soup

Name: Roasted Cauliflower Soup
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Cuisine: middle eastern
Ingredients: 1 large head cauliflower (about 2 pounds), stem discarded, florets cut into 2-inch pieces, leaves reserved (if available); 2 medium white onions, halved and thinly sliced; 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin; 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander; Sea salt and ground black pepper; 2 tablespoons salted butter; 4 garlic cloves, crushed; 1 large potato (about 14 ounces), skin on, cut into 1-inch pieces; 1 teaspoon ground turmeric; 1 quart vegetable or chicken stock; 2 tablespoons sliced almonds; Coarsely chopped fresh parsley leaves, for serving

Recipe from Yasmin Khan

Adapted by Mayukh Sen

Roasted Cauliflower Soup — Johnny Miller for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Susan Spungen

Total Time: 45 minutes
Rating: 4(3,337)
Comments: Read comments

The color of sunflowers, this gently spiced soup comes from Yasmin Khan’s “Zaitoun: Recipes From the Palestinian Kitchen,” in which Ms. Khan explains that cauliflower is elemental in Palestinian cooking. Here, cauliflower florets and leaves are roasted in the oven with cumin and coriander until browned, the vegetable’s deep, nutty flavors coaxed out by the heat. Reserve some roasted florets and leaves for garnish, then simmer the remaining cauliflower mixture with turmeric and potato, which adds creamy texture to this thick, velvety soup. Sprinkle the soup with any remaining cauliflower, crunchy toasted almonds and as much fresh parsley as you’d like. —Mayukh Sen

Featured in: A Writer Describes Palestinian Cuisine, and the World Around It

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings

1large head cauliflower (about 2 pounds), stem discarded, florets cut into 2-inch pieces, leaves reserved (if available)
2medium white onions, halved and thinly sliced
3tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1½teaspoons ground cumin
1½teaspoons ground coriander
Sea salt and ground black pepper
2tablespoons salted butter
4garlic cloves, crushed
1large potato (about 14 ounces), skin on, cut into 1-inch pieces
1teaspoon ground turmeric
1quart vegetable or chicken stock
2tablespoons sliced almonds
Coarsely chopped fresh parsley leaves, for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Arrange the chopped cauliflower, any cauliflower leaves and the onions on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with cumin, coriander, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Use your hands to mix everything together, then arrange in an even layer. Roast until the cauliflower is browned and cooked through but still has some bite, about 25 minutes.
Step 2
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large saucepan over low heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Stir in the potato and turmeric, add the stock and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cover and cook until the potato is soft, about 10 minutes.
Step 3
When the cauliflower is done, reserve about 1 cup cauliflower for the topping (including leaves, if you have them) and add the remaining cauliflower and onions to the soup. Return the soup to a simmer and cook until flavors meld, about 5 minutes. Blitz with an immersion blender until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
Step 4
Toast the almonds in a dry skillet over low heat, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 4 minutes. When you are ready to serve, ladle the soup into warmed bowls. Top with the reserved roasted cauliflower and a scattering of almonds and parsley.

Ratings

4 out of 5

3,337 user ratings

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Comments

Mary6 years ago

Very good. Agree that I would double the amount of cumin and coriander, and mix it in with the oil before tossing with the cauliflower. Also substituted a sweet potato for the white potato as suggested by another reviewer. As is, the recipe is too thick - I added somewhere between 1 and 2 cups of additional broth to get it to a reasonable consistency. Will definitely make this again.

Spatchcock6 years ago

DELICIOUS! I upped the cumin and coriander by a teaspoon for each, and added it to the oil. Made tossing a lot easier. You might also consider a pinch of cayenne, to brighten and add a little heat. Also added some salt and garam masala to the toasted almond slices. Made them a bit more interesting. Do not leave these out! They add to the complexity of the soup. Finally, if you can, use home made chicken stock. I happened to have some frozen stuff made from a fire roasted bird. Deep and rich!

RS6 years ago

I found this a little bland in terms of the cauliflower/potato taste but too heavy on the onion flavor. I added a bunch of the fresh parsley before using the immersion blender for color and taste, and squeezed a lemon for acidity. It helped.

Barbara3 weeks ago

This soup is delicious and so easy to make! I love the spices in this recipe.

Jay B2 months ago

Excellent!

Susigaj3 months ago

This was good. I had trouble with the white onions. This is the first time I used them. I thought I peeled them well enough before slicing them. But I ended up with a lot of onion strips that I couldn't chew even after I used the immersion blender on the soup. Many strips of onion got stuck in the blades of my immersion blender. I'd use yellow onions if I make this again.

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