Roasted Garlic and Cauliflower Soup

Alright! Today is your day to make simple Roasted Garlic and Cauliflower Soup.

The sweetness of the roasted garlic pairs perfectly with creamy cauliflower, and with some butter, leeks and thyme you have a seriously incredible soup on your hands. Once all of the ingredients were combined and I tepidly scooped my spoon into the pot for a taste, I was blown away by the depth of flavor of the soup.

I’ve always been a fan of creamy soups. Mushroom, tomato, potato creamy soups just to name a few are perfect and easy weeknight soups that burst with nutrition. And this roasted garlic and cauliflower soup is a perfect example of a dish that’s far better made from scratch than out of a can, especially in fall, when markets overflow with vegetable varieties.

I love that the garlic is roasted before being mixed with the other ingredients, because roasting the cloves mellows out the sharp, raw taste but leaves you with a rich garlic flavor that pairs well with creaminess of cauliflower and potatoes. Roasted garlic definitely adds another flavor dimension to this step so don’t skip this step.

Once all the ingredients are ready, it’s all blended with some chicken or vegetable stock and milk to create luxurious and creamy roasted garlic and cauliflower soup.

Ingredients:

1 big garlic head

1 medium cauliflower, florets broken off and roughly chopped

2 medium potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped

1 leek, sliced (white and light green part only)

2 cup milk

4 cups chicken or vegetable stock

1/2 tbsp butter

Salt and pepper to taste

few thyme sprigs

couple bay leaves

cream and/or olive oil and balsamic vinegar, to drizzle (optional)

Preheat the oven to 425 F.

Cut the top 1/4 off the garlic head, drizzle it with oil then encase it in tin foil. Place the garlic in the oven and roast for 45 minutes.

While the garlic is roasting, place cauliflower and potatoes into the soup pot over high heat and cover with chicken or vegetable stock. Bring everything to a boil, season with salt and pepper, add bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Then reduce the heat to medium and let it simmer for 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft.

Heat the skillet over medium high heat with butter and add sliced leeks. Fry until translucent and golden, about 5-7 minutes.

Once potatoes and cauliflower are cooked discard the thyme sprigs and drain out the liquid into the different bowl. Reserve the liquid, as we will use it for the soup.

Once the garlic is cooked remove it from the oven and set aside to cool. Then squeeze the roasted garlic out of the papery head into the pot with potatoes and cauliflower (the garlic should be a soft paste and come out of the shell like toothpaste out of a tube). Add fried leeks and milk. Using an immersion blender blend everything until smooth. Add the broth from potatoes and cauliflower gradually to achieve the desired soup consistency. Season with pepper and salt if required and serve garnished with fresh thyme leaves an drizzled with cream and/or olive oil and balsamic vinegar if desired.