Name: Creamy Roasted Cauliflower, Broccoli, and Garlic Soup
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1 whole head cauliflower, cut into florets; 2 cups broccoli florets; 1 large garlic head (not clove!); 1 Tbsp olive oil; 1/2 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp black pepper; 1 Tbsp unsalted butter; 2 stalks celery, diced; 1/2 onion, diced; 1 large carrot, peeled and diced; 1/4 tsp paprika; 1/4 tsp dried thyme leaves; 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour; 1/3 cup dry white wine; 1/3 cup water; 28 oz (4 cups) low-sodium vegetable broth; 1 bay leaf; 1/3 cup half-and-half

Jump to Recipe

Pureed to velvety perfection, this smooth, garlicky soup is full of earthy cauliflower and broccoli flavors that are accented with a bit of thyme, paprika, white wine, and butter. Something so wholesome is rarely THIS satisfying. Mmmm!

WHAT’S NEW?

A long weekend, blessed, blessed thing. Between watching MLK’s I Have a Dream speech with my oldest and playing tennis for 90 minutes, I am thankful in many ways for this Monday. Even though it is COLD and RAINY. And GREY. SO grey.

Even though I didn’t personally have the 11pm hockey game last night, it was a late night…as are most nights lately. Little night owls, Mark and I. Our bedtime has pushed back a solid hour in the past 1-2 months and with things easing back to status quo after the holidays, we need to readjust.

My mom recently gushed over this recipe that I posted back in 2012 from the one and only Biz of My Bizzy Kitchen (aka the only blog I continue to follow). Love Biz, love her recipes. It was long over-due to return and while it was lost, it was not forgotten. As soon as my mom started listing off the ingredients and result I was like, “Yep, yep…this week, MAKING.” Here we are!

ROLL CALL FOR THIS RECIPE

Always looking for ways to add more vegetables to your life? Me too. This soup is FULL of cauliflower, broccoli, onion, carrot, and celery. Garlic, too. There’s no shortage of wildly healthy ingredients that puree into a masterpiece.
GARLIC LOVES, STAND UP IN THE BACK! This recipe calls for a BULB of garlic, not just cloves. Wrap up that whole bulb and roast to perfection. The roasting process reduces the edge of garlic that can be off-putting and over-powering. Not ready to commit to a whole bulb? I urge you to roast the whole bulb and add as you go with the puree process.
Comfort food to the MAX, this bowl of soup launches you into the new year with health and comfort front and center.

KEY INGREDIENTS AND SUBSTITUTIONS

Want to make this soup gluten-free? Swap in a gluten-free all-purpose flour or omit altogether.
Prefer a dairy-free option? Use coconut milk or soymilk in lieu of half-and-half, no problem!
I’ve made this recipe with varying amounts of cauliflower and broccoli – you can truly use whatever ratio or amount you have on hand. If your broth amount is kept the same as what the recipe calls for, your soup may end up a little thicker or thinner but delicious nonetheless.
If you don’t have white wine or want to add it, omit or use additional broth in its place.
To make this recipe vegan, use olive oil in place of butter and coconut or soy milk in lieu of half-and-half – easy peasy!

NUTRITIONAL MERITS

A serving of this soup offers more than 2 servings of vegetables per serving!
Cauliflower and broccoli are members of the cruciferous vegetable family, a group of veggies rich in nutrients, including several carotenoids, folate, and vitamins C, E, K.
Preparation and consumption of cruciferous vegetables yield glucosinolates that are broken down into components that are frequently studied for their anticancer effects for several cancers, including bladder, breast, colon, liver, lung, and stomach.

TIPS & STORAGE

For a quicker meal, prep all of your veggies ahead of time. The broccoli and cauliflower can be stored together, as well as the onion, celery, and carrot.
Store covered in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove top until hot throughout.