This cozy bowl of sunshine will brighten any day! Curried Cauliflower Soup is creamy, dreamy, and totally plant-based. Roasted cauliflower, apple, and everyone’s favorite non-dairy, feel-good fat – coconut milk – are blended into a silky puree that’s warmly spiced by fragrant curry and turmeric. This rich, decadent vegan soup is total liquid gold.
As much as I love a chunky stew, when sweater weather is consistently in the forecast, what I crave most is a steaming bowl of thick, creamy soup. there is something very hygge about tucking into a bowl of “cream of insert-any-veggie” when the leaves are orange the nights are 40°F. Per-fect-ion.
But it’s gotta be the right soup, and the right soup is all about balance. There are the classic combinations – there is no creamy tomato soup without basil. No cream of crab without sherry. No black bean soup without cumin. And an unloaded baked potato soup? I weep at the thought of it.
Then there are the surprising combinations. Roasted cauliflower soup with a whole head (or two?) of roasted garlic. Butternut squash soup with pomegranates. Creamy carrot soup with fresh ginger.
Curried cauliflower soup falls into the latter. If you’ve tried my cauliflower curry, you’re already aware that this particular combo is enticing. But what makes this a real pot of liquid gold is in the balance between sweet and spice. Sweet, caramelized oven roasted cauliflower and a crisp apple bring just enough sweetness to balance the curry powder and turmeric.
I could eat a bowl of this silky, smooth healthy curried cauliflower soup with a wedge of crusty bread for lunch every. single. day. once the temperature drops below 60 degrees. It’s an incredible feast for the senses and soul.
Is Cauliflower Soup with Curry Healthy?
Our favorite versatile veggie boasts an impressive nutritional profile. One full serving of curried cauliflower soup is going to give you:
- More than your daily recommended dose of Vitamin C
- 7g fiber
- Generous doses of calcium, iron, and potassium
- Big anti-inflammatory and antioxidant boosts from curry and turmeric
It’s also vegan, dairy free, gluten free, and lower in carbs than other creamy soups with added thickeners.
Cauliflower curry 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 minding fat and calories.
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 healthy Curried Cauliflower Soup. Loaded with good-for-you vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats, this cauliflower soup with coconut milk is totally plant based, but still tastes incredibly creamy and indulgent.
- Roast the cauliflower until the stems are tender and the edges are golden brown. Reserve one cup of florets for garnish.
- Saute an onion and an apple in a splash of olive oil or coconut oil until soft.
- Add fresh garlic, curry powder, cumin and tumeric and saute until the aroma is very fragrant and the spices are worked into the onion and apple.
- Add the roasted cauliflower, broth, and coconut milk and give everyingn a good stir.
- Simmer 10-15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
- Stir in the rice vinegar, then puree using an immersion blender until the soup is very smooth. Don’t forget to taste for seasoning and adjust until the flavor really pops!
- Ladle into bowls and garnish with the reserved roasted florets and fresh cilantro. Enjoy!
Chef’s Tips!
- An immersion blender works best to puree right in the pot. If you use a regular stand blender, be sure to vent with the blender cap to avoid a big mess!
- Taste for seasoning after pureeing. 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 goes heavy on the curry – just the way I like it! If you’re only curry curious, start with 1 tablespoon.
- Spice it up! Add 1-2 tablespoons of Thai red curry paste instead of curry powder if you prefer a spicier soup. Alternatively, keep the curry powder and add cayenne pepper – start with ½ teaspoon and increase to taste. Remember, cayenne pepper gets spicier the longer it cooks!
- Want some plant-based protein? Garnish with half a cup of crispy roasted chickpeas. This recipe is terrific.
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. Roasting the cauliflower causes it to caramelize and become sweeter, and those natural sugars bring depth and flavor to the finished soup.
If you’re short on time, simply skip the roasting, cut the head of cauliflower accordingly, and simmer the raw florets until tender (about 20 minutes).
Can I Use Frozen Cauliflower?
You can! But the recipe will be slightly different. Skip the roasting step, and add the frozen cauliflower florets (about 4 cups) right to the pot in step 4. Saute, stirring frequently, until the cauliflower is mostly defrosted, then proceed with the rest of the recipe. You won’t have florets for garnish, but you will save some time.
Storing and Reheating
Store in the fridge in a tightly sealed contained for up to 4 days. Reheat single portions in microwave in 30-60 second intervals, or larger portions in a pot on the stove over medium heat until the soup just barely comes to a simmer.
Store curried cauliflower soup in an airtight container the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight, then reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave as directed above.
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.
Dana
Do you have any recommendations for making this soup low carb or keto? Also can you use other versions of curry? I’m not a fan of the taste of traditional curry. Thank you for sharing your talents with us! Your recipes are amazing!