Cheesy Cauliflower Soup

I love cauliflower so much…I'm so obsessed with it. But I haven't blogged many cauliflower recipes…not sure why! At parties, when there's a vegetable tray, I eat all of the cauliflower. I love to roast it and I love to have it in stir fries. Curtis on the other hand, he kind of turns his nose up at it. I don't know why…I can't understand it. He LOVES vegetables but he doesn't get my obsession with cauliflower!

I was so excited to receive a copy of Ree's cookbook…The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Dinnertime: Comfort Classics, Freezer Food, 16-Minute Meals, and Other Delicious Ways to Solve Supper. I actually contribute to her blog too…check out my posts here.

But she didn't ask me to review the cookbook, I requested a copy from her publisher and was thrilled to start making recipes from it!

skillet lasagna for dinner tonite! From Ree's @thepioneerwoman cooks dinnertime (latest cookbook!) ???????? #thepioneerwoman #dinner #instagood

A photo posted by Julie Deily (@thelittlekitchn) on Oct 15, 2015 at 7:19pm PDT

Back to this soup…with tons of cauliflower in it!

First cook some bacon!

Then, the onions.

Add the cauliflower.

In a separate pot, melt butter.

Make a roux.

Then add in milk, here's where I changed it up a little bit. I used almond milk instead.

Back in the other pot with the cauliflower.

Use an immersion blender to blend the soup.

Be careful and don't get soup all over your kitchen! 🙂

It's just the two of us so whenever I make soup, we have a ton leftover, I always freeze it for quick lunches and dinners!

And guess what? I couldn't get over how much Curtis loved this soup! I think he was as surprised as I was! I loved it too. And I love that almond milk works in this soup! I'm going to keep trying to cook and bake more and more with it!

Recipe

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Cheesy Cauliflower Soup Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Total Time 55 minutes

Ingredients

• ▢ 4 thin slices bacon cut into small pieces
• ▢ 1 large onion finely diced
• ▢ 1 cauliflower head cut into small florets
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon Cajun spice more to taste
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon black pepper more to taste
• ▢ 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• ▢ 4 Tablespoons 1/2 stick butter
• ▢ 1/4 cup flour
• ▢ 2 cups whole milk I used almond milk!
• ▢ 1 cup half-and-half
• ▢ 1/4 cup sour cream
• ▢ 3 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese more to taste
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons minced parsley
• ▢ kosher salt to taste optional

Instructions

• In a large pot, fry the bacon pieces over medium-high heat until crisp.
• Remove the bits from the pan and drain on a paper towel. Pour off the grease and return the pot to the stove, leaving the bacon bits to the side for now.
• Add the onion to the pot and cook over medium-high heat, stirring continuously, for 3 to 4 minutes, or until translucent.
• Add the cauliflower, sprinkle with the Cajun spice and pepper...
• And cook for 3 to 4 minutes more, or until the cauliflower starts turning golden brown.
• Pour in the broth, stir, and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes.
• Next, use an immersion blender...
• To puree the soup slightly, or all the way, if you prefer. (Or use a regular blender and puree the soup in batches; don't fill more than halfway when the soup is hot!)
• In a separate saucepan or skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Sprinkle in the flour...
• And whisk to form a roux for about 2 minutes...
• Then pour in the milk. Cook, whisking continuously, until the mixture becomes thick, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the half-and-half.
• Pour the white sauce into the partially pureed soup.
• Turn the heat to medium-high and bring the soup back to a boil for 3 to 5 minutes to thicken it.
• Reduce the heat to low and add the sour cream and cheese. Stir until fully melted.
• Finally, stir in the parsley. Taste and adjust the seasonings, adding salt if desired.
• And serve it piping hot in a bowl!

Notes

from The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Dinnertime: Comfort Classics, Freezer Food, 16-Minute Meals, and Other Delicious Ways to Solve Supper! by Ree Drummond

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Disclosure: I was sent a review copy of Ree's cookbook for the purpose of review. All opinions are my own and I only share with you what I love. There are affiliate links in this post.