Roasted Cauliflower Soup with Spicy Pumpkin Seeds

 This roasted cauliflower soup is naturally rich and creamy, without the addition of cream or cheese. It’s a warm bowl of velvety soup for a cool day. Keto. 

This roasted cauliflower soup is a warm hug on a cool day! It’s velvety smooth, thick and creamy without any cream!  You’re going to love this low-carb soup that’s full of essential vitamins and minerals.

It was a little cooler out on market day this week, and the thought of colder days on the horizon made me think it was time to get out the soup pot.

With farm markets overflowing with seasonal produce, I decided it was time to scoop it up and preserve it. These huge heads of cauliflower were calling to me, so I bought two and lugged them around the rest of the market while I filled my bags with fall produce.

You’ll love this creamy dairy-free soup and wonder why you don’t make it more often! So easy, so good! Here’s what you’ll need to make it.

Ingredients for Roasted Cauliflower Soup

• cauliflower:  a large head
• olive oil: extra virgin, as always
• onion: yellow
• leek: white and light green parts only
• garlic: because everything is better with garlic
• celery: a couple of stalks for that natural salty flavour
• chicken broth:  or vegetable broth

You don’t need an Instant Pot to Make this Cauliflower Soup

This soup does not take long to make. Here are the simple steps.

1. First, wash the cauliflower, remove the outer leaves, but leave most of the core. Separate it into florets, toss with a little olive oil and spread it out on a baking sheet. Roast it in the oven.
2. While it’s roasting, chop the onion, garlic, leek and celery. Sauté it in a heavy-bottomed pot until translucent but not browned.
3. When the cauliflower is fork tender, remove it from the oven and add it to the soup pot, stirring to coat with the sautéed aromatics.
4. Next, add the broth and water (or use all broth) and simmer for 5 minutes or so. Check the seasoning and add salt if it needs it.
5. Transfer in batches to a blender and purée until smooth and velvety. Ladle into bowls.
6. Finally, garnish with spiced pumpkin seeds, toasted sage leaves, or bacon bits and chives. Try it with pesto and fresh basil leaves!

Choose local cauliflower for this Roasted Cauliflower Soup if you can

Choosing to purchase in-season, locally grown vegetables for your soup will provide more nutrients than those that were picked days before and shipped long distances.

Eating seasonally usually means that your produce has the most vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

Fresh produce picked in season simply tastes better, too.

And don’t forget:  you’re supporting local farmers and producers at the same time.

Besides reducing your food bill, you can get yourself organized and stock your freezer for those busy weeknights ahead. Double the recipe and freeze half for another day.

Is it really necessary to roast the cauliflower before tossing it in the soup pot?

YES. Roasting makes the cauliflower in this soup is delicately sweet. Science explains this sweetness easily. Roasting at a high temperature causes the natural sugars in vegetables to caramelize and the proteins to brown.

You can increase the caramelization by increasing the surface area of the vegetables exposed to the heat. More simply put, don’t pile the veggies on top of each other.

Space them out.

Make sure they aren’t touching their neighbour. (It reminds me what I used to tell my first graders: respect each other’s personal space. Remember your bubble. Move away from your neighbour a little).

You can also increase the browning by increasing the heat. In this case, you don’t want the cauliflower to brown too much, as you want the soup to have a creamy colour, so it’s best to use a moderate oven.

Enjoy this Roasted Cauliflower Soup as is, or try these options:

• make it a meal by stirring in some crab meat or smoked salmon.
• make it vegetarian by substituting vegetable broth for the chicken broth. In this case, you may want to add a teaspoon or so of dried thyme to increase the depth of flavour.
• keep it dairy-free by omitting the parmesan and cream.
• make it Keto by using bone broth, garnish with crispy bacon bits
• garnish it by adding some crunch with spiced pumpkin seeds and/or toasted sage leaves.
• make it fun! Try these Roasted Cauliflower Soup Shooters as a party appetizer!

Spice it up! Try this Slow Cooker Moroccan Harissa Cauliflower Soup, too. With exciting flavours from warm North African spices, it’s vegan, paleo, Whole30 and keto approved.

Roasted Cauliflower Soup with Spicy Pumpkin Seeds

This roasted cauliflower soup is naturally rich and creamy, without the addition of cream or cheese. It's a warm bowl of velvety soup for a cool day.

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Course: Soup

Cuisine: Canadian, American

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Servings: 4

Calories: 146kcal

Author: Flavour & Savour

Ingredients

• 1 head cauliflower sliced, including the core
• 2 tbsp olive oil extra virgin, divided
• 1/2 yellow onion diced
• 1 leek white and light green parts only, sliced thinly
• 1 clove garlic chopped
• 2 stalks celery diced
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup organic chicken broth or vegetable broth or bone broth
• 2 1/2 - 3 cups water
• 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds toasted, then tossed with 1/2 tsp smoked paprika for garnish
• fresh thyme or sage leaves for garnish

Instructions

• Heat oven to 350°F. Place the cauliflower florets on a baking sheet, drizzle with a little olive oil and roast until tender, about 15 - 20 minutes. Watch carefully to prevent too much browning.
• In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, heat the oil until hot. Sauté the onion, leek, garlic, and celery until soft but not browned.
• Add the salt, then add the roasted cauliflower and toss until it is completely coated with the onion mixture. Cook for another 2 minutes.
• Add the chicken broth and water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes or until cauliflower is starting to break down. Purée in a blender until smooth.
• Pour back into the pot and reheat to a simmer. If desired, gently stir in crab or smoked salmon OR add optional parmesan cheese and cream. Serve hot. Garnish with spicy pumpkin seeds, toasted sage leave, bacon bits, a swirl of pesto, or fresh basil.

Notes

Optional additions:

• 1 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tbsp heavy cream
• 3/4 to 1 cup fresh crab meat or smoked salmon

I tested this recipe using coconut oil instead of olive oil. I could definitely taste the coconut oil in the finished soup. If this wouldn't bother you, feel free to substitute. I preferred the olive oil option.

Nutrition

Calories: 146kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 895mg | Potassium: 591mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 461IU | Vitamin C: 74mg | Calcium: 66mg | Iron: 2mg

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This recipe was originally published in 2014. It has been updated with new information and photos.

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