Enjoy My Healthy and Delicious Caramelized Cauliflower and Curry Soup
It’s winter time, so I am going to do one of my favorite soups. Red Curry Cauliflower Soup. A cozy and comforting soup that is perfect for the cold weather. It’s a lite red curry cauliflower soup that is creamy, spicy, and full of flavor. It’s also vegan, gluten-free, and low-carb, so you can enjoy it without any guilt.
This soup is delicious on its own, but you can also serve it with some bread, rice, or quinoa for a more filling meal. It’s also great for meal prep, as you can store it in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Just reheat it on the stove or in the microwave when you’re ready to enjoy it.
I hope you’ll give this lite red curry cauliflower soup a try and let me know what you think. It’s one of my go-to recipes for a quick and easy dinner that is satisfying and flavorful. It’s also a great way to use up any leftover cauliflower you might have in your fridge. Trust me, you’ll love this soup as much as I do.
caramelized cauliflower and Curry soup Ingredients:
- Cauliflower, broken into small florets, stems chopped
- Coconut oil or olive oil
- Onion, diced
- Curry paste (depending on preferred spice level)
- Vegetable broth or chicken broth
- Sea salt
- Black pepper
- Cconut milk
- Lemon juice
- Fresh herbs for garnish (chives and cilantro work best)
preparing caramelized Cauliflower:
Start with a fresh head of cauliflower. It should be white, and green without black or brown discolorations. Rinse it in cold water, and turn it upside down.
Make 4 downward cuts into the center at an angle, to get rid of the leaves and core. It should look like the photo above when you are done.
Cut into florets, and then slice the florets and put into a mixing bowl.
Here you have two choices. I like to add about 1/4 of olive oil to the cauliflower. I think it enhances the cauliflowers nutty flavor, but if you are opting to cut calories, you could just put them directly on the sheet pan and spray some olive oil on them. But do use some oil. The cauliflower won’t caramelize without some fat, and it will taste of sadness.
Put into your preheated oven with the convection fan on, if you have one. 230C 445F
So after about 30 minutes your cauliflower will have some color. A little bit of black is normal, but ideally you want to see dark brown and golden colors. Add a little salt, and garlic powder and you have a delicious snack!
But if you are making the soup, now is a good time to “mise en place’ and gather everything you will be using.
Preparing caramelized cauliflower and Curry soup:
This is a really easy soup that comes together fast. Here I have some onion, coconut milk – full fat, and curry paste, and my cauliflower.
Sauté your onions, until soft 7-10 minutes over medium heat. If you LOVE onions feel free to add a whole onion. The cut is not important because we will puree everything at the end.
Best practices with curries, is to add the curry paste to the hot pan and oil to “bloom” it adds more depth to the curry flavor, but after years of testing this recipe, I have found that it does not have a noticeable flavor change in soups.
So add your broth, coconut milk, curry paste, and 90% of the cauliflower – reserving 10% for garnish in the final plating.
After the soup comes to a boil, you can pull out your stick blender and puree it. taste to season, add salt if necessary. A squeeze of lemon will brighten up the flavor nicely. Red pepper flakes if you want to add some heat. And Voilà .
Now, add the reserved cauliflower to your bowl, ladles in the soup and I like to garnish it with chopped arugula, but cilantro or chives are nice as well. Serve it with some rice, or crusty bread, and enjoy!
Why Caramelized cauliflower and Curry soup Works:
Here are some of the reasons why this recipe works:
- Cauliflower is a versatile vegetable that can take on different flavors and textures. Roasting the cauliflower brings out its natural nuttiness and caramelization, which balances the spiciness of the curry paste.
- Curry paste is a key ingredient that adds a lot of flavor and heat to the soup. It’ creates a complex and aromatic blend. It’s also vegan and gluten-free, unlike some other curry pastes that may contain shrimp paste or fish sauce.
- Coconut milk adds creaminess and richness to the soup, as well as a subtle sweetness that complements the curry paste.
- Lemon juice adds a touch of acidity and brightness to the soup, which cuts through the richness and creaminess of the coconut milk. It also enhances the flavor of the curry paste and the cauliflower.
caramelized cauliflower and Curry soup Tips and Tricks:
- PRO TIP: The secret to making this soup creamy and smooth is to blend it with a immersion blender after the broth comes to a boil.
- Use whatever curry you want, red, yellow, green… They all work perfectly.
- Prefer the Curry Cauliflower Soup to be more spicy? Add more curry paste, some red pepper flakes, or some fresh chili peppers to the pot. You can also drizzle some sriracha sauce over the soup before serving.
- Want the soup to be more more creamy? Use full-fat coconut milk instead of lite.
- Like it chunky? Reserve some of the cauliflower florets before blending, and add them back to the pot after blending. You can also add some roasted chickpeas, tofu, or tempeh for more texture and protein.
- Add some veggies if you want to make the Curry Cauliflower Soup more colorful. Feel free to add chopped carrots, bell peppers, or tomatoes to the pot along with the cauliflower. You can also garnish the soup with some roasted pumpkin seeds, coconut flakes, or pomegranate seeds for some crunch and contrast.
- More flavorful? You can add some fresh ginger, lemongrass, or kaffir lime leaves to the pot for more depth and freshness.
Caramelized Cauliflower and Curry Soup Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 large head of cauliflower broken into small florets, stems chopped
- 2 tablespoons of coconut oil or olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 2 to 3 tablespoons curry paste depending on preferred spice level
- 4 cups of vegetable broth or chicken broth
- 1 cup of water *optional for a thinner soup
- 1/4 teaspoon of salt *Taste it, every broth has a different level of sodium
- 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper
- 1/2 cup of coconut milk full fat has the most flavor
- 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
- Fresh herbs for garnish chives, cilantro, arugula, etc.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425F or 230C, cut cauliflower into slices, and spray with olive or vegetable oil and roast until the cauliflower start to caramelize and turn black. About 30 minutes (Reserve 1/3 to garnish with add 2/3 to the soup)
- In a large pot over medium-high heat, heat the oil and sauté the onion for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden.
- Add the garlic and curry paste and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant.
- Add the cauliflower, broth, salt, and pepper and bring the mixture to a boil. Then reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes to let the flavors come together.
- Carefully transfer the soup to a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. You may need to do this in batches, depending on the size of your blender. Alternatively, you can use an immersion blender to blend the soup in the pot. (Less cleanup)
- Return the soup to the pot and stir in the coconut milk and lemon juice. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with fresh herbs. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Caramelized Cauliflower and Curry Soup Pairs well with:
I like cauliflower. It’s healthy, and takes on whatever flavor you add to it. I only had yellow curry, and it came out delicious. I also added some cilantro, and served it with basmati. Will make again.
The whole family enjoyed this soup. I will make it again