Creamy Cauliflower Soup With Rosemary Olive Oil

By Lidey Heuck

Updated January 11, 2023

  • Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Monica Pierini.
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Total Time
40 minutes
Rating
5(10,783)
Comments
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This soup turns a short list of vegan ingredients into a sublimely silky soup. Infusing olive oil with fresh rosemary is a trick you’ll want to keep up your sleeve: The results are delicious brushed on roast chicken, drizzled over roasted winter vegetables or even just sopped up with a nice piece of bread. The croutons here are optional, but they transform an elegant and delicate first-course soup into a satisfying lunch.

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Ingredients

Yield:6 servings

FOR THE ROSEMARY OIL

  • 1 cup olive oil

  • 4 (4-inch) sprigs fresh rosemary

FOR THE SOUP

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped (about 1 cup)

  • 2 garlic cloves, minced (about 1 tablespoon)

  • 1 quart low-sodium vegetable stock, plus more as needed for reheating

  • 1 medium head cauliflower, cored and broken into 1 ½-inch florets (about 2 ½ pounds)

  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal), plus more to taste

  • 1 teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste

  • Freshly grated zest of 1 lemon, for serving

FOR THE CROUTONS (OPTIONAL)

  • 3 cups diced rustic country bread (¾-inch pieces)

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

23 grams carbs; 5 milligrams cholesterol; 499 calories; 31 grams monosaturated fat; 5 grams polyunsaturated fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 43 grams fat; 5 grams fiber; 940 milligrams sodium; 5 grams protein; 8 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Make the rosemary oil: In a medium skillet, combine the olive oil and rosemary sprigs. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes, lowering the heat if the oil reaches a full simmer. (You want to cook it at a very gentle simmer to avoid frying the rosemary.) Carefully pour the oil and rosemary into a small bowl, leaving a slick of oil in the pan if you plan to make croutons. Allow the rosemary to cool completely in the oil while you make the soup.

  2. Step 2

    Make the soup: In a heavy pot or Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-low. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and translucent, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. (Be careful not to let the garlic scorch!)

  3. Step 3

    Add the stock, cauliflower, salt and pepper, and bring to a boil over high. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer until the cauliflower is tender when pierced with a fork, about 10 minutes.

  4. Step 4

    Meanwhile, make the optional croutons: Heat the reserved skillet with the residual rosemary oil over medium. Add the bread cubes, sprinkle generously with salt and pepper, and cook, tossing often, until toasted all over, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the croutons to a plate or board to cool.

  5. Step 5

    Strain and discard the rosemary stems from the rosemary oil. Working in batches if necessary, carefully transfer the vegetables, stock and ¼ cup rosemary oil to a blender and blend on high until creamy. Add more rosemary oil to taste, and blend to combine. Return the soup to the pot and bring to a simmer. If the soup seems thin, let it simmer for 5 to 10 minutes to reduce slightly. (Remember: The soup will continue to thicken as it cools.) Season to taste with salt and pepper.

  6. Step 6

    Serve hot. Garnish each serving with a swirl of rosemary oil, a few croutons, and a sprinkle of lemon zest. The soup will thicken as it sits; add more stock as necessary when reheating. Leftover rosemary oil will keep in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
10,783 user ratings
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Comments

SB

An immersion blender works well to get the creamy consistency and is easier than putting batches in a standing blender.

Melissa

I made the rosemary oil early and used it for sautéing the onions and garlic (which I doubled).Didn’t want to waste the oily rosemary so I pulled the leaves and chopped with more garlic and preserved lemon to use as a paste to rub on tomorrow’s chicken (will use more of the leftover oil as well!)

Lydia Sugarman

I've got a fresh head of cauliflower in the refrigerator that is calling out to be made into this recipe. The only thing I'll probably do is add a potato or two. When pureed along with the cauliflower, the potato/s add a creamy unctuousness without using cream, as many recipes include.

GEORGE FRAZIER

I used a large cauliflower and followed the recipe. It processed to become thick. Putting it vigorously through a fine sieve and tossed what didn’t go through. Excellent recipe to work with. The croutons are de rigueur.

Brett

This is a great recipe as is, though I’ve modified by adding 1/2 cup of heavy cream and some grated Parmesan. The result adds some richness that I think is lacking in the original.

Terry

I’ve made this twice, once with homemade stock and the 2nd time with store bought stock. The homemade stock version was delicious and a unanimous hit. The store bought stock version was terrible and even I didn’t finish it. There may have been other variables (ie., mistakes) but the moral of the story is to always have homemade stock in the freezer.

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