Vegetarian Cauliflower Soup

My creamy vegetarian cauliflower soup is punched up with fresh ginger and lime juice plus a generous pinch of curry powder for subtle heat, and no dairy needed. I was inspired to make a soup with these flavors after checking out Alexis Deboschnek's cookbook, Nights and Weekends, from the library. I slightly adapted her method for my own version of cauliflower soup.

Now, I deeply love a creamy soup - see my vegetarian potato leek soup recipe for a decadent and savory vegetarian soup - but I also like to keep things cream-free yet still rich-tasting. Here, cauliflower is cooked down in vegetable broth with sauteed and spiced aromatics, then pureed to smoothness.

I love the simplicity of this recipe. Unlike my carrot cauliflower soup, which calls for a few more vegetables, you can get away with just an onion, garlic, and cauliflower. So when you're in a bind for dinner, this is a great, quick choice. I love serving soup with easy dutch oven bread or gluten free no knead bread, or just put out a plate of crackers and cheese and call it good.

Why Vegetarian Cauliflower Soup is So Good

• You'll use a whole head of cauliflower. I love using every bit of a vegetable (also why I try to buy organic carrots so that I don't need to peel them), and in this soup you can chop up the stems and leaves of the cauliflower to add to the pot along with the florets. While my neighbor's goats may regret the lack of food scraps I won't be giving them, this is a prime example of making good use of what you have.
• Fresh flavors. Grated fresh ginger and lime juice bring a new and interesting twist to a classic soup. I also love stirring in some curry powder for warmth and extra flavor.
• Everyone can eat it. Vegan, vegetarian, or omnivore, everyone can dip their spoons into a bowl of this soup and be happily satisfied!

Ingredients Needed

Here's what goes into vegetarian cauliflower soup . Don't forget to scroll down to my recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full ingredient amounts and instructions!

• Olive oil - I use extra-virgin olive oil, but any oil will work (vegetable oil and avocado oil are also great).
• Onion - I prefer a yellow onion, but a red onion or chopped shallots work equally as well.
• Garlic - Add more garlic if you love a very garlicky soup!
• Fresh ginger - This is so key to the recipe, but I realize you may not have it in the fridge or perhaps don't care for it. In that case, you may leave it out for a more traditional-tasting soup.
• Cauliflower - Keep the stalks and leaves and add them to the pot as well.
• Vegetable stock - If you don't have broth, use water, or use a mix of water and broth.
• Curry powder - Again feel free to omit this for a more traditional soup or try another spice, like cumin.
• Salt and black pepper
• Lime - One to add to the soup and another to squeeze over bowls to serve, optional.

Tips & FAQs

• Add cream. You can absolutely add ¼ cup of heavy cream to the soup at the end for a richer, creamier vegetarian cauliflower soup. Try coconut milk or coconut cream for a vegan version.
• Cook it in a dutch oven. If you have a dutch oven, I highly advise using it to cook vegetarian cauliflower soup. In general, dutch ovens are a handy tool to ensure that heat is distributed evenly during cooking. They also hold a pretty large capacity, which is helpful if your cauliflower is quite large (as mine often are).
• It's OK to use water. I like using broth for a bit of added flavor, but water works perfectly as well, and is a more economical choice.
• Adjust the amount of liquid. Depending on how large your head of cauliflower is, you may need to add more liquid. Conversely, if it's a little small, you may wish to use less liquid so it's not too diluted/watery. Start with 2 cups of liquid and add more if needed. You want to just cover the cauliflower so that it cooks down well. You can always add a bit more later if needed.
• Use an immersion blender. If you can, puree the soup right in the pot using an immersion blender so that you don't have to deal with transferring the hot broth and vegetables to a blender or food processor. If you do need to transfer it, do it in batches, very carefully, so you don't get burned.

How to Store and Reheat Vegetarian Cauliflower Soup

• Fridge - Place cooled soup in a airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 5 days.
• To Reheat - In a pot on the stove over low heat, stirring frequently until heated through. Or in the microwave, in a microwave-safe bowl in 1-minute increments, stirring in between each, until hot.