Plant based gourmet? That’s a thing! You’ll be a believer after a single dive into this creamy and indulgent Curried Cauliflower Soup. This cozy bowl of sunshine is richly spiced with just the right kick of sweet, and it’s 100% vegan and Whole30 compliant.
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This creamy, dreamy bowl of goodness is liquid gold, veggie-style. I’m talkin’ sweet roasted cauliflower, all of the curry, a punch of turmeric, and your very best non-dairy, feel-good-fats friend coconut milk.
Huzzah! Curried Cauliflower Soup is All. Of. The. Healthy. Swoony. Feels. Just in time for cozy sweater weather, you’re so totally welcome.
Is Curried Cauliflower Soup Healthy?
Let’s get a little down and dirty on the nutrition in this plant based soup. Cauliflower boasts an impressive nutritional profile with a wide range of vitamins and minerals. One full serving of this soup is going to give you:
- Over a full serving of Vitamin C
- 7g fiber
- Generous doses of calcium, iron, and potassium
- Big anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant boosts from curry and turmeric
It’a also vegan, dairy free, gluten free, Whole30 and on the low carb spectrum (19g of net carbs per serving).
This soup is calorie dense (about 350kcal/serving), but that’s mostly due to using full-fat coconut milk. You can easily substitute low-fat coconut milk if you’re mindful in that dietary arena.
If any of these points ring your healthy bell, then you’re in luck! For more information about the nutritional value and health benefits of my beloved cauliflower, see this link for an in-depth profile.
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- Dutch Oven: Dutch ovens are the BEST for making soup. You’re veggies will have plenty of room to saute nicely, and the cast iron retains the heat well for even simmering.
- Immersion Blender: I love my immersion blender for perfectly blended soups, plus the clean-up is a breeze. If you don’t have one, you can simply transfer the soup to a regular blender – just be sure to blender in batches and vent the steam while blending via the cap on the lid or you’re doing to have a big ol’ mess on your hands.
How to Make Curried Cauliflower Soup
The addition of a diced apple highlights the robust caramelized cauliflower and perfectly balances the spiced notes in this curried cauliflower soup. Loaded with good-for-you vitamins, minerals, and fats, this soup is totally plant based, but feels indulgent and gourmet.
Dice a medium head of cauliflower into florets (about 4 cups), toss with olive oil, spread onto a baking sheet, and roast in a 425°F oven until the florets are soft and the tips and edges start to caramelize.
Reserve about a cup of the roasted florets for garnish.
In a dutch oven or large soup pot, sautee a diced sweet onion and a diced sweet apple over medium heat in a splash of olive oil.
Add minced garlic, curry powder, cumin, and turmeric to the onion and apple. Stir the spices and garlic with the onion and apple until the spices are intensely fragrant – about a minute.
Add the roasted cauliflower to the pot, along with a can of full-fat coconut milk, a couple cups of broth (vegetable for vegan, chicken bone broth for Whole30), and salt and pepper. Increase the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes to meld the flavors.
Turn off the heat and stir in a teaspoon or two of rice vinegar. Puree the soup with an immersion blender, or in a regular stand blender. If you use a regular blender, be sure to vent with the blender cap to avoid a big mess! Add more broth if the soup is too thick for your liking.
Taste for seasoning. You’re looking for a balance of sweet and spice with just a kick of acidity. The flavor should POP! Adjust with salt or rice vinegar, just a little bit at a time, if needed.
Portion the soup into bowls, then garnish with the reserved roasted cauliflower and fresh cilantro.
Do I Have to Roast the Cauliflower?
Look my friends, you don’t have to do anything, so while roasting the cauliflower isn’t necessary, it is highly recommended. Roasted cauliflower caramelizes and becomes sweeter, and those natural sugars bring depth and flavor to the finished soup. If you’re short on time, simply skip the roasting and simmer the raw cauliflower until tender (about 20 minutes).
What’s The Best Way to Add More Protein to Curried Cauliflower Soup?
- If you’re paleo or Whole30, add shredded pork.
- If you’re vegan or vegetarian, add about half a cup of crispy roasted chickpeas as a garnish in place of the cauliflower florets, or add 1 can (or 2 cups cooked) chickpeas along with the roasted cauliflower in step 4. If you’d like to add crispy roasted chickpeas, this recipe is great – you can roast them at 425°F with the cauliflower on a second baking sheet, but check on them after 15 minutes. If you’re adding them to the soup before pureeing, increase the broth to 4 cups.
More Healthy Soup Recipes for Cool Weather
- Healthy Roasted Pumpkin Soup with Coconut Milk
- Chicken Zoodle Soup
- Nourishing Potato Onion Soup
- Carrot Apple Soup with Pecans and Thyme
- Veggie-Packed Whole30 Hamburger Soup
Did you make this Curried Cauliflower Soup? I’d love to know how it turned out! Leave a comment and a rating below.
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Recipe
Curried Cauliflower Soup
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Ingredients
- 1 medium head cauliflower, about 4 cups, sliced into florets
- 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1 medium onion, diced to ½"
- 1 medium sweet apple, like gala, cored and diced to ½"
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 ½ tbsp curry powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 2 c vegetable or chicken broth
- 1 14-oz can full fat coconut milk
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 2 tsp rice vinegar
- cilantro, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Heat oven to 425°F. Toss cauliflower with 2 tbsp olive oil and a pinch of salt. Spread onto a baking sheet, the transfer to the oven. Roast the cauliflower, stirring once halfway through, until the florets are golden brown and tender, 25-30 minutes. Reserve 1 cup florets for garnish.
- Heat a dutch oven over medium heat. Add the last tablespoon olive oil and heat until it shimmers. Add diced onion and apple and toss to coat in the fat. Sautee, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, 6-7 minutes.
- Add the garlic and spices to the onion and apple; sautee, stirring continuously, until the spices are fragrant, about a minute.
- Add the roasted cauliflower florets to the dutch oven, along with the broth, coconut milk, salt, and pepper. Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce to low/medium-low and simmer 10 minutes.
- Stir in the rice vinegar, then puree using an immersion blender. Taste for seasoning and adjust with additional salt, pepper, or vinegar.
- Ladle into bowls and garnish with the reserved roasted cauliflower and cilantro. Serve immediately. Store leftovers in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Notes
- Be sure to taste for seasoning after pureeing the soup. You want a balance of sweet and spice with just a kick of acidity. Adjust with salt, pepper, or rice vinegar, just a little bit at a time, as needed.
- You can substitute light coconut-milk for full-fat for a less calorie-dense recipe.
- This soup is strong on the curry – just the way I like it! If you’re only curry curious, start with 1 tablespoon.
Sarah
Good! I like a bit more spice to curry. I added some ginger, chili powder and cayenne. Not sure if those are the right spices. Would love to hear from you on what to add to give it some more heat. Thank you!
Kirsten McNeal
My daughter and I are picky, health conscious, soup loving people and this is our new FAVORITE soup ever of all times! My husband and son don’t love soup, but they used this as a sauce for their baked tilapia and it was amazing!!!!!!
Desiree
Please please tell me a substitute for the coconut milk! Coconut is so hard on my body!
Danielle
Nut milk will work, like almond or cashew milk. It will change the flavor slightly, but will still be creamy.
Betty Ramirez
We made this warming soup according to the recipe. Excellent flavor! Perfect for chilly days. We recommend it highly.
Tamara G.
Tastes fab! Perfect recipe for when you’re not sure what to do with that head of cauliflower you bought! Great nutritional option with healthy fats, cruciferous veggie, etc.