Is this Potato Soup...No it is Cauliflower!

A while back I discovered an incredibly simple and versatile cauliflower soup that you can make in under thirty minutes…tonight’s dinner was yet another rendition of a favorite healthy standby.

The soup itself is simple:

1 head cauliflower broken into florets. Use the whole head except for the greens

3-4 cloves garlic

¼ cup olive oil

1 sweet onion -sliced

1 tablespoon Herbs de Provence and or fresh herbs 

Salt and pepper to taste

1 32oz box of Chicken or Vegetable broth

1 cup dry white wine (optional – I skipped it tonight)

 

Place the onion and garlic in soup pot and cook onion until soft and translucent.  Then add the cauliflower and cook with onions and garlic for a few minutes before adding the broth.  You can use either chicken or vegetable, I prefer Safeway store organic generic brand.  Once you add the broth cook at medium with herbs in a covered pot until the cauliflower is soft – not mushy. 

Move soup to blender in and puree until smooth and creamy – don’t try to do it all at one time.  Return the soup to your pot and put on simmer.  Add salt (garlic or celery salt can add variety to the taste) and pepper to taste.

Now this is where you can start having fun.  In the past I have added everything from bay shrimp and chimichurri sauce, croutons and shredded cheddar cheese, smoked turkey, crumbled bacon, shredded chicken and diced chilies, a drizzle of truffle oil to really dress it up.  You can let your imagination and taste buds run wild or you can have the soup as is.

 

Tonight I browned some ground turkey with paprika, cumin, herbs provenience, garlic salt, and pepper.  I placed a spoonful or so in the middle the ladled soup and garnished with fresh hot and spicy oregano from my herb garden.  Jacque added a little Parmesan cheese to hers, and I added my new favorite hot sauce – Trader Joe’s Green Dragon Sauce.

This is a super fun, versatile soup that some might mistake as potato soup.  The big positive is, it is just as filling but lacks the calories. 

Note: I have also served this a chilled soup.