Creamy Roasted Cauliflower Soup with Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

Creamy roasted cauliflower soup.jpg

Serves 4

This soup is the best!  It’s rich and comforting, yet there isn’t any cream involved!  Roasting the cauliflower first makes it taste so good and a little bit of ghee makes it luxuriously creamy. Definitely give this easy recipe a try, it’s just as delicious as it is healthy!

 

Ingredients:

  •  1 large head cauliflower

  • 3 cloves garlic, pressed or minced

  • 1 medium red onion, chopped

  • 3-4 tbsp. olive oil

  • 2 tablespoons ghee

  • 4-5 cups vegetable broth

  • 2 tsp. sea salt

  • 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

  • 1–2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

  • ¼ tsp. ground nutmeg

  • ½ cup raw pumpkin seeds

  • 3 tbsp. chopped parsley for garnish

 

 Preparation:

 ·       Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

·       Toss the cauliflower with the 2 tbsp. of the olive oil, season with salt and pepper and spread on a baking sheet.  Roast for about 25-35 minutes, tossing halfway, until the cauliflower is tender and the edges are lightly browned.  Remove from the oven when done.

·       Heat the rest of the olive oil in a Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat.  Add the onion and sea salt.  Cook, stirring often until onion is softened and beginning to caramelize about 7-8 minutes. 

·       Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds, then add the broth.

·       Reserve a few cauliflower florets to use as a garnish and transfer the remaining cauliflower to the pot. Increase the heat to medium-high and then bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.  Cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes to give the flavors time to meld.

·       While the soup is cooking, preheat oven to 200 degrees.  Toss pumpkin seeds with a little olive oil, spread on parchment-lined baking sheet and sprinkle with sea salt.  Bake for about 5-7 min until lightly toasted and remove from oven.

·       Once the soup is done cooking, remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes.  To blend the soup either use an immersion blender or carefully transfer the hot soup to a blender, working in batches if necessary.  Be sure not to fill to the top because it is hot and can overflow.  Blend on low and increase speed slowly.

·       Add the butter and continue to blend.  Finally, add the lemon juice and nutmeg and blend until smooth. 

·       Season with additional salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

·       To serve, ladle soup into bowls and top with a couple of florets, toasted pumpkin seeds and a sprinkle of chopped parsley. 

·       Enjoy!

·       This soup will keep well covered in the refrigerator for a few days or for several months in the freezer.