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Cauliflower Soup

A silky-smooth, ultra-creamy cauliflower soup with sautéed onion, garlic and a swirl of olive oil. Light, cozy, and naturally vegetarian - this 35-minute blended soup is comforting, healthy, and finished with fresh thyme for a restaurant-style touch.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Soup
Calories: 170
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • - 1 large head cauliflower ~2 lbs / 900g, broken into small bite-size florets, stalk roughly chopped
  • - 1 medium yellow onion roughly chopped
  • - 3 garlic cloves roughly chopped
  • - 2 tablespoons 30ml olive oil
  • - 4 cups 960ml vegetable broth or chicken broth (UK: vegetable stock; or 1 stock cube dissolved in 4 cups / 960ml hot water)
  • - 1 tablespoon 14g unsalted butter (dairy-free: use 1 tablespoon extra olive oil)
  • - 1 tablespoon 15ml fresh lemon juice
  • - Fine salt and black pepper to taste
  • **Optional add-ins:** a small pinch of ground nutmeg or 3–4 fresh thyme sprigs add with the broth; remove thyme before blending
  • **To garnish:** drizzle of olive oil fresh thyme leaves or sliced chives, cracked black pepper

Method
 

  1. **Get the broth ready.** Using carton broth? Measure out 4 cups (960ml) and set it aside. Using a stock cube? Dissolve it in 4 cups (960ml) of hot water, stir until the cube has fully dissolved and the liquid is clear and golden. Set aside.
  2. **Sweat the onion.** Warm the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over low heat. Add the chopped onion and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8–10 minutes, until the onion is completely soft and translucent — not brown, just pale and glistening. Add the garlic and cook 1 more minute until fragrant.
  3. **Add cauliflower and broth.** Add the cauliflower florets and pour in the broth (plus any optional thyme or nutmeg). Raise the heat to medium-high and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 15–18 minutes, until you can slide a fork through the thickest piece of cauliflower with no resistance. The pieces should be very soft.
  4. **Blend safely.** Take the pot off the heat and let it cool for 3–5 minutes. Then blend until completely smooth: use a stick (immersion) blender right in the pot for 60–90 seconds, OR carefully ladle into a stand blender no more than halfway, hold a folded kitchen towel firmly over the lid, and blend in batches. Add the cold butter and blend for 20 more seconds — this makes the soup silky.
  5. **Season and serve.** Stir in the lemon juice. Taste and add salt gradually, stirring and tasting after each addition, until the soup is bright and savory. Add black pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls, garnish, and serve.

Notes

Storage: Keeps in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 4 days. Reheat gently over medium-low heat; add a splash of broth or water if it's thickened.
Freezing: Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat gently and stir well; the texture comes back. A quick immersion blend after reheating makes it perfectly smooth again.
If too thin: Simmer uncovered for 5–10 minutes to reduce, or blend in one small cooked potato.
If too thick after sitting: Stir in a splash of hot water or broth until it reaches the right consistency.
Key tip: Don't rush Step 2. The slow-sweated onion is where the flavor lives.

Nutrition (Estimated per serving, 1 of 4)

Calories: ~170 | Carbohydrates: ~14g | Protein: ~4g | Fat: ~12g | Fiber: ~5g | Sodium: ~520mg (varies with broth used)
These are estimates based on standard ingredient amounts. Sodium will vary significantly depending on the broth used. Values are not measured.