Creamy Cauliflower-Cashew Soup
Published Feb. 18, 2025
- Total Time
- 1 hour 10 minutes
- Prep Time
- 10 minute
- Cook Time
- 1 hour
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 6tablespoons olive oil, plus more for serving
- 1large head cauliflower (about 1½ pounds), cut into 1-inch pieces
- Salt and pepper
- 1small tart apple, peeled, cored and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 3medium shallots, thinly sliced
- 6large garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
- 1teaspoon ground coriander
- ⅔cup roasted, unsalted cashews
- 6cups vegetable stock or water, plus more if needed
- Chives, for serving
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
283 calories; 21 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 14 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 22 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 8 grams sugars; 6 grams protein; 1001 milligrams sodium
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
- Step 1
Heat 4 tablespoons olive oil in a large, heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high. Add the cauliflower and cook, without stirring, until the layer of cauliflower in the bottom of the pot is browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and stir the cauliflower. Again, cook the cauliflower, without disturbing it, until the layer at the bottom of the pot is browned, another 2 to 3 minutes. Keep repeating until the cauliflower is uniformly browned, up to 15 minutes total.
- Step 2
Add another 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pot, then add the apple, shallots and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine and cook until the shallots are golden on the edges, 5 to 6 minutes.
- Step 3
Add the coriander and cashews and toss to combine. Add 6 cups stock, then bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Once the mixture is boiling, adjust the heat to medium-low, partially cover the pot and simmer until the cashews are softened, about 30 minutes.
- Step 4
Blend the soup with either an immersion blender or in a blender for a smoother texture. (If the soup feels too thick, stir in more stock or water to thin to your desired consistency, and season with salt to taste.)
- Step 5
Divide the soup among bowls, drizzle with additional olive oil and sprinkle with chives.
Private Notes
Comments
Healthful and tasty, this soup has a soft, velvety mouthfeel that makes it nice to eat. To cut cooking time, I boiled the cashews in 3 cups of broth (plus the coriander) while the cauliflower was cooking, then added the remaining 3 cups of broth when I combined all the ingredients in step 3.
Great as this is, don’t limit yourself to just cauliflower. Fact is, using cashews to make soups creamy is a power tool technique!
Soup tasted a little gritty when blended with immersion blender. When I put it in the countertop blender, the color lightened, the texture smoothed and the result was excellent.
I followed the recipe and used an immersion blender, thinning it with some apple cider. Even then I wouldn’t call it a soup, but I can see it as a sauce over pasta, like a multi-colored spiral. I’m contemplating if it could be used as a “white sauce base” for Mac and Cheese as well.
I didn’t have any vegetable broth and instead I used red miso, about 2 tablespoons. I also used a cup of coconut milk and it made it very creamy. Finally, I added a lot more coriander than the recipe called for. I find that the coriander really brought out the other flavors. Finally, I didn’t have as many cashews as I would’ve liked for the size of the cauliflower head that I had and so I used 2 tablespoons of almond butter. Like others, I found a stick blender didn’t make it creamer, but I didn’t mind having a little bit of texture. This came out so nice!
We tried this last night. This simple, easy soup. We didn't have great expectations. O MY! It is wonderful in every way. Cooking was so easy and quick. Cooling and blending were a breeze. And reheating to blend again was a treat when we added the last stream of olive oil & parsley on top. If I didn't know cauliflower was the main ingredient I wouldn't have known. I'd never expect that complexity in a quick/easy soup. This was a treat and a "keeper" for us. Thank you!