Creamy Curried Cauliflower Soup
My P.S. bought a case of canned coconut milk and I’ve had them on the back of my mind ever since. I do love foods made with coconut milk. In the past I’ve mainly used it in curries and soups, and Indian dishes. When I found a recipe for a curried cauliflower soup with coconut milk I was charmed. It had to happen.
I love pureed soups and making them with roasted vegetables adds to their flavor in a satisfying way. There is a comforting feeling in roasting vegetables to be used in various recipes. I cut the head of cauliflower into smaller pieces and placed it in a large bowl.
After drizzling it with olive oil I mixed the spices together and tossed them with the cauliflower and minced garlic.
I covered a baking sheet with foil and spread the cauliflower out. Then I realized I’d forgotten the onion! Of all things, I was out of onion but had 1/2 a red onion in the fridge. I diced that and spread it over the cauliflower on the baking sheet and put the sheet into my preheated oven. I set the time for 30 minutes.
I removed the pan from the oven after 30 minutes and really should have let it roast 10 or 15 minutes longer. Some of the larger pieces weren’t softened yet I realized as I stirred them into the soup pot. I’d need to simmer them a bit longer than suggested to make up for the firmer pieces.
I added tomatoes and vegetable stock to the pot. I finally found a use for the vegetable broth I’d made a few months ago and posted! I added the cashews and the can of coconut milk and stirred well. Over medium heat I let the pot come to a boil, then turned it down to low and let it cook for 30 minutes.
At 15 minutes I tested to see how soft my cauliflower was and let it simmer another 15 minutes because it was still fairly firm. I was thinking I must have bought the crispest cauliflower ever, it was taking so long to soften! Eventually it was all softened and I used my immersion blender to puree the soup. I taste tested for seasoning, added more salt, and it was ready to serve.
I served the soup drizzled with sesame oil and with pita bread filled with meatballs in a marinara sauce.
The soup was very different from our usual soups, having warm flavors like curry and coriander. The coconut milk gave it a super creamy texture and only a very slight flavoring of coconut. You would almost miss it if you didn’t know it was there.
Creamy Curried Cauliflower Soup
My P.S. said it could have used a bit more curry powder but I was happy with the depth of flavors. I’d thought it needed a pop of acid, one of my pet peeves, and had added a glug of rice wine vinegar to the pot at the end.
Creamy Curried Cauliflower Soup
The soup is a good one for cooler seasons, where you want to curl up and sip on a hearty cup of soup. You could add a sandwich or not, depending on how much of a meal you’re in the mood for.
Creamed Curried Coconut Cauliflower Soup
1/4 cup of olive oil
1 head of cauliflower, chopped fairly small
1 small white onion chopped (I used a red onion since I was out of white)
2 large cloves of garlic (I used a tablespoon of minced garlic)
1/2 tsp. curry powder
1/4 tsp. turmeric
1/2 tsp. coriander
1/2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 cup cashews
1 can coconut milk
6 cups of vegetable stock
glug of rice wine vinegar (about a tablespoon?)
1 tsp. sesame oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 375° F
In a large bowl, toss cauliflower and onion with olive oil.
Measure garlic, curry, turmeric, coriander, cumin, sea salt and pepper into a small bowl and mix. Sprinkle over cauliflower and toss well.
Roast for 30 minutes in preheated oven until cauliflower is softened.
In a soup pot, place the roasted cauliflower mix with vegetable broth, coconut milk, and cashews. Bring to boil for 5 minutes, then simmer for another 15 minutes.
Blend with an immersion blender or carefully with a regular blender until creamy. Taste test for seasoning, adding salt and pepper if desired.
Serve hot with a light drizzle of sesame oil in each bowl.
Serves 6-8
Adapted from Gosh and Knots
