Receta creamy roasted purple cauliflower soup

by Jackie Newgent

It’s soup season! For me that means I need to create a new soup. Here it is! It features cauliflower … purple cauliflower. But you can totally prepare this with any color cauliflower, including white. All forms are tasty and good for you, of course. One thing that makes this soup extra special is that you’ll use every part of the cauliflower—even the extra-tough stems and the leaves. Not only does this help prevent excess food waste, it adds another layer of flavor. It’ll taste like you’ve used an entirely new vegetable! It’s why this soup is more mauve than purple, too. Another thing that makes the soup a standout is the use of chickpeas. Some will be cooked into the recipe to punch up protein and create extra creaminess when pureeing the soup. The remaining chickpeas can be roasted with rosemary and enjoyed as a soup garnish. Please go ahead and garnish this soup as you wish. I went with sliced scallions and roasted chickpeas here. Either way, know that slurping your soup is allowed … at least in my household!   creamy roasted purple cauliflower soup Yield: 8 servings Serving size: 1 cup   INGREDIENTS 1 large (about 2¼ pounds) head purple cauliflower (or color of choice) 1 large white onion, large dice ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided 1 teaspoon sea salt, divided 3 large garlic cloves, minced ½ cup canned, drained organic chickpeas* 5 cups low-sodium vegetable broth** 1½ tablespoons apple cider vinegar 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 450° Line two large rimmed baking sheets with unbleached parchment paper. Slightly trim the bottom stem of the cauliflower head. Cut the cauliflower into about 1-inch florets and ½-inch cubed stems and leaves. (All parts are edible!) In a large bowl, stir the cauliflower florets, stems and leaves, onion, 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, and ¼ teaspoon of the salt. Arrange in a single layer on the baking sheets. Roast until vegetables are browned, about 25 minutes. In a large saucepan, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the roasted cauliflower and onion, chickpeas, broth, vinegar, cayenne, and remaining ¾ teaspoon sea salt. Bring to a boil over high, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until cauliflower stems are extra soft, about 30 minutes. Puree in batches in a high-speed blender until velvety smooth. Reheat, if necessary. Adjust seasoning, serve, and garnish as desired. *Hint: Plan to use remaining canned chickpeas. Consider roasting them with herbs: Set oven to 375°F. Toss together remaining drained chickpeas (about 1 cup) with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary or thyme, and 1/8 teaspoon each sea salt and cayenne pepper. Roast on an unbleached parchment paper-lined rimmed baking sheet until golden and crisped on the outside, about 35 minutes. Ideally enjoy while warm, such as a soup topper. **If prefer, use 1 (32-fluid-ounce) carton of low-sodium vegetable broth and 1 cup water or plain unsweetened almond milk.