I got a real taste of what most of you have endured this winter.
I was in New York City most of last week and… whoa. ย Weather is real. ย The snow! ย The slush! ย A snow plow scared me half to death. They go so fast! ย Why did I think they operated at the speed of a zamboni? The shovel and footwear requirements are remarkable. Lastly… freezing rain is 100% unacceptable.
All of this is to say that you deserve a reward, a medal of honor, extra hot fudge on your sundae… something, everything, whatever you want you should have it.
I’m back in California nearly buried in packing boxes, but at least they’re not frozen. ย To honor you, I’ve made soup. ย It’s roasty toasty cauliflower with earthy cumin and happy curry. ย Totally comforting. ย You might consider pairing with some sort of cheesy bread situation. ย Also ear muffs. ย You’re a champion. Stay warm!
The start! ย Cauliflower cut into florets, olive oil, cumin seeds, curry, coarse sea salt, and crushed red pepper flakes. ย Pretty simple, right?
The oven will pull the flavors and lovingly concentrate them for our soup. ย It’s all about building flavors and the oven really does make a difference.
While the vegetables roast, I sautรฉedย onions and garlic and heated the chicken broth. ย They all get married in a big soup pot, plus a bay leaf. ย Simmering softens the cauliflower further making it perfect for a puree.
After the soup is pureed, I added a splash more water to thin it out, and then stir in some yogurt. ย The added creaminess works well with the toasty cumin and curry. ย The soup is totally comforting. ย It feels like it comes from winter and was made to keep us (mostly you, I’m afraid) warm.
Roasted Cauliflower Soup with Cumin
serves 4 to 6
adapted just slightly from Food and Wine Magazine February 2014
1 large head cauliflower (1 1/2 to 2 pounds), halved, cored, and cut into 1 1/2-inch florets
1 heaping teaspoon cumin seeds
1 heaping teaspoon curry powder
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
salt and crushed red pepper flakes
1 small onion, diced (about 1 cup)
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 bay leaf
4 cups chicken broth, vegetable broth, or water
1/4 cup plain yogurt
Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 375 degrees F. ย Spread cauliflower florets on a large rimmed baking sheet and sprinkle with cumin seeds and curry powder. ย Drizzle with 3 tablespoons olive oil and toss to coat. ย Season with a big pinch of salt and crushed red pepper flakes. ย Place in the oven and roast until just tender, about 25 minutes.
In a large saucepan over medium heat, warm the last tablespoon of olive oil. ย Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and browned, about 5 minutes. ย Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more. ย Add the roasted cauliflower to the pot along with the butter, bay leaf, and broth (or water). Simmer over medium heat until liquid has reduced some and the cauliflower is very tender, about 15 minutes. ย Pick out and discard the bay leaf.
In a blender, carefully puree the soup in two or three batches until very smooth. ย Return the soup to the saucepan and stir in the yogurt.
Rewarm over medium heat, adding more water to create a thinner consistency if you’d like. ย Season with olive oil, salt, and pepper for serving.
Soup can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
63 Responses
This is a great recipe! Joy, you blow my mind! Thank you for entertaining me and providing me with delicious recipes to feed my family!
Just made this recipe…. it’s creamy and heartwarming! I love it! Thanks!! =D
made this tonight! i cut out half the olive oil and butter, and it was still delicious. Will be making again :D
Can we use ground cumin? How much if so.
It won’t have that same punch in flavor, but you definitely can. I’d scale back a bit since ground cumin can be potent. Start off with half a teaspoon and give it a taste!
As a New Yorker recovering from a c section and completely over this brutal winter your words of recognition about the weather bring tears of joy to my eyes (admittedly hormonal)! Most of my friends have fled to southern California this February. Thanks for thinking of those of us left behind by posting the tasty soup recipe!! Best of luck with your move!
always curious what a person uses when a recipe calls for “curry powder” as there are so many different kinds including the nasty yellow stuff that used to be what people thought a curry was made with. when I make curries I always use separate spices which come together to make different kinds of curry…so what do you use for your “curry powder” in this particular soup?
Hi Joy! I am making this soup right now. My kitchen smells amazing! Thanks for the recipe and good luck in New Orleans!!
I made this soup last week and, so so good! I paired it with some parmesan crisps (shredded parmesan melted in the oven on parchment paper) and I’m surprised I had the will-power to freeze a serving for later. Bravo!
Made this soup tonight and it is completely perfect. Just a touch of heat, and so creamy!!!
I totally just made this with carrots instead of the cauli for my work lunches this week. YUM. With cauli was great, but some days I need the bright colour of carrots in the middle of my day.
Wow! This soup is wonderful and low carb. Perfect to help keep my New year resolution going. Thank you
I have made cauliflower soup before, but decided I wanted to include, our favorite cumin and tumeric roasted cauliflower instead! This almost looks exacrly what I had in my mind. Saw a suggestion on another recipe that said, to set aside some of the roasted cauliflower to garnish. I think it is genius! Plus, I like your idea of yogurt to finish. Makimg right now.