Cauliflower & Roasted Garlic Soup with Easy Rye Croutons
Ingredients:
For the roasted garlic:
- 1 medium garlic bulb
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
For the croutons:
- 4 slices rye bread, cubed (about 2 cups or 128 g)
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 tsp salt
For the soup:
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 medium head cauliflower, cut into florets (5 cups or 535 g)
- 1 3/4 cups (310 g) cooked white beans, or one 15-oz (425-g) can white beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 bay leaf
- 6 cups (1.4 liters) low-sodium vegetable broth
- 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
To serve:
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh chives, for garnish (optional)
Instructions:
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Read through recipe and put all ingredients in your work area before starting your prep.
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Preheat oven to 400°F (205°C).
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To roast garlic: Prep garlic bulb by peeling off outside papery layers, leaving intact the skins of the individual cloves and the bulb itself. With a sharp paring knife, cut off top 1/4–1/2-inch (3/4–1 1/4 cm) of bulb (not the end with the dried roots) of garlic, exposing the tops of the individual cloves.
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Place bulb of garlic in a piece of foil and drizzle with 1 Tbsp oil. Wrap the foil over the garlic bulb to form a pouch. Place in preheated oven and roast for 40 minutes, or until garlic is soft and slightly golden. Let cool slightly, then pop individual cloves out of papery skins and set aside.
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While garlic roasts, bake the croutons. In a medium bowl, place bread cubes and toss with oil and salt. Spread evenly on a baking sheet and bake for 10–12 minutes, stirring halfway, or until golden brown.
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While garlic and croutons are baking, start the soup. In a Dutch oven or soup pot, heat 2 Tbsp oil over medium heat. Add celery and onion and cook for 4 minutes, or until onion is translucent and celery is slightly tender. Add cauliflower, beans, all of the roasted garlic cloves, bay leaf, broth, nutritional yeast, salt and thyme. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer, partially covered, for 20 minutes, or until cauliflower is tender.
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Remove from heat, discard/compost bay leaf and let soup cool for 5 minutes, then transfer to a high-speed blender, working in batches if necessary. Very carefully, purée soup until completely smooth, about 1–2 minutes. Return to pot and season to taste with additional salt, if necessary.
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To serve soup, ladle into individual bowls and top with a small handful of croutons and a pinch of fresh chives (if using). Enjoy immediately.
Notes:
Storage tip: Leftover soup will last for up to 5 days in the refrigerator or frozen in individual servings for up to 2 months.
Simplify this recipe: Use pre-roasted garlic and pre-made vegan rye, whole-grain or gluten-free croutons.
Nutrition Information Per Serving:
399 calories, 16 g total fat, 2.4 g saturated fat, 2.2 g polyunsaturated fat, 10.4 g monounsaturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 1170 mg sodium, 934 mg potassium, 51 g total carbohydrates, 11.3 g fiber, 7.6 g sugar, 16.8 g protein, 28% calcium, 20% iron
