Description
Hearty roasted garlic cheddar cauliflower soup delivers creamy comfort with robust flavor profiles. Sharp Wisconsin cheddar and caramelized garlic elevate this silky blend, drawing you into warm culinary satisfaction.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 large head cauliflower (4–5 cups florets)
- 1 head garlic
- 3 tbsps (45 ml) olive oil, divided
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 4 cups (960 ml) vegetable broth or chicken broth
- 1 heaping cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- ½ tsp salt, plus more to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Green onion (for garnish)
- Extra shredded cheddar cheese (for garnish)
- Croutons or toasted sourdough bread (optional)
Instructions
- Roasting Preparation: Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Distribute cauliflower florets evenly, drizzle with olive oil, and season generously with salt and pepper.
- Garlic Preparation: Remove outer layers of garlic head, trim top quarter-inch to expose cloves, drizzle with olive oil, and wrap loosely in aluminum foil. Place garlic alongside cauliflower on the baking sheet.
- Roasting Process: Roast vegetables for 30-35 minutes, rotating midway to ensure uniform caramelization and deep flavor development.
- Sautéing Base: In a pot, warm olive oil over medium heat and sauté diced onions until they become soft and translucent, creating a flavorful foundation.
- Blending Stage: Transfer roasted cauliflower and garlic to blender, squeezing roasted garlic cloves from their skins directly into the blender. Add sautéed onions, broth, salt, and pepper, then purée until completely smooth and creamy.
- Simmering and Cheese Integration: Return blended mixture to pot, heat over medium, and bring to a gentle simmer. Gradually incorporate shredded cheddar cheese, stirring consistently to create a rich, velvety texture. Allow soup to simmer for 10-15 minutes.
- Final Touches: Adjust seasoning to taste, ensuring a perfectly balanced flavor profile. Serve in individual bowls, garnishing with sliced green onions, additional cheddar cheese, and crispy croutons or toasted sourdough bread for added texture and visual appeal.
Notes
- Optimize Roasting: Ensure cauliflower florets are evenly spread and not overcrowded to achieve perfect caramelization and prevent steaming.
- Garlic Technique: Expose garlic clove tops fully and wrap loosely in foil to allow even roasting and easy extraction of soft, sweet cloves.
- Blending Strategy: Purée soup until completely smooth for a silky texture, using high-speed blender for best results.
- Cheese Melting Tip: Add cheddar gradually and stir consistently to prevent separation and achieve a creamy, rich consistency.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 500 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 14 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg