Cream of Cauliflower Soup

Ok, ok, don’t turn your nose up just yet. Yes, it’s cauliflower. Yes, it stinks when you cook it…really stinks. But this Cream of Cauliflower Soup is incredible. I was flipping through my Taste of Home archives before bed (some read novels, I prefer cookbooks), found this recipe, and had to convince myself to wait until morning to start making it. I was that excited about it.

So, how’s it taste?

Nom, nom, nom! I don’t know where to begin. It’s so creamy and FULL of flavor from such a simple list of ingredients. It’s a very rich soup with the cream and all that glorious cheese. I used sharp cheddar and it was outstanding. One bowl of this will definitely fill you up. I plan to experiment with the added potato flakes though. I found the soup to be just a bit on the thick side. I’m going to make my next batch with 1/2 of the amount of potato and see how it turns out. I’ll update this post with my findings.

I made this soup a few weeks back, when it was still fairly warm here in Tennessee. Now that it’s officially cold weather, I’ll be making this soup again soon. I can’t explain in words how good it is. I froze several servings and it held up very well. It looks odd while you’re reheating it, but a few stirs and it’s back to normal. I was so bummed when I ate my last bowlful. This should be at the top of your list of comfort foods.

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Cream of Cauliflower Soup

Ruth Worden, Taste of Home October/November 2006
8 servings

Ingredients:

1 large head cauliflower, broken into florets
2 cups chicken broth
2 tbsp. chicken bouillon granules (or 6 cubes)
2 cups half-and-half cream
2 cups milk
1 medium carrot, shredded
2 bay leaves
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 cup mashed potato flakes
2 cups (8 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese
paprika

Directions:

1. In a large saucepan, combine the cauliflower, broth, and bouillon. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook for 20 minutes or until tender. Mash cauliflower.

2. Transfer to a 3-qt. slow cooker. Stir in the cream, milk, carrot, bay leaves, and garlic powder. Cover and cook on low for 3 hours. Stir in potato flakes.

3. Cook 30 minutes longer or until thickened. Discard bay leaves. Cool slightly.

4. In a blender, process soup in batches until smooth (or use an immersion blender in the slow cooker - much easier). Return to the slow cooker; stir in cheese. Cook until soup is heated through and cheese is melted. Garnish with paprika.