crispy cauliflower cashew soup
The first soup recipe I shared on Savormania was this creamy cauliflower soup, and although I still love it, I felt that it was time to give it an update this weekend. You see, one of the most annoying things about me is that I’m such a perfectionist, always looking for the tiny details that could be improved to make my recipes even better. I bought a gorgeous cauliflower head at the supermarket on Saturday and was full of wonderful ideas of how to cook it — in a salad, roasted or in a soup. Given that the weather has been quite gloomy for the past couple of days, I settled for cooking a batch of cauliflower soup, which in my mind, had to be a mix of crispy and crunchy to beat my all-time favorite recipe.
I usually tend to include potatoes in my soups to make them creamy, as I like to cut calories by avoiding cream or milk. This time I decided to swap potatoes for cashews, which, when softened and puréed, bring such a velvety consistency to soup as well as lots of healthy monounsaturated fats. The cashews turn regular cauliflower soup into a complex and textured dish, while bringing it all the creaminess it needs to be considered part of my favorites.
This version is even better than the first one I shared — it stills calls for white wine and leeks, but also includes thyme, paprika and a crispy cauliflower topping that brings even more texture to the soup. It is everything a Spring soup should be to prep your body for bikini season — vegetarian, vegan, lactose-free, gluten-free and full of healthy fats and antioxidants. A bowl of this won’t only fill you up, but will also fuel your body with a heap of vitamins while tasting incredibly good — and in my book, that’s everything I look for in the perfect soup.
Other favorite Savormania soups: zucchini leek soup, pumpkin coconut soup, carrot parsley soup and all of the soups over here
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 leeks, cleaned and thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- Pinch of salt
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- 1 cauliflower head, cored and cut into small florets, reserve ½ cup
- ½ cup cashews
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 cups vegetable stock
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup cauliflower florets, thinly chopped
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- Pinch of salt and pepper
- In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Sweat the leek and garlic with the thyme and a pinch of salt for 8 to 10 minutes until soft. Add the dry white wine, bring to a boil and cook until half of the liquid has evaporated, about 3 minutes. Add the cauliflower, cashews, paprika, bay leaves and vegetable stock. Cover, bring to a boil, then lower heat and let simmer for 30 minutes until cauliflower and cashews are extremely soft.
- Prepare the crispy cauliflower topping meanwhile. Heat olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Sauté the cauliflower with paprika, salt and pepper until golden and crispy, about 5 to 7 minutes. Set aside.
- Remove the bay leaves from the soup and purée with an immersion blender. If needed, add more water to thin out the soup. Serve in bowls and top each bowl with a bit of crispy cauliflower.
CAN BE PREPARED IN ADVANCE: The soup can be prepared in advance and kept in the fridge for two days or in the freezer for one month, however the crispy cauliflower topping doesn't keep well. It is best to eat the topping right after making it, if not it becomes soggy and loses its crispiness.
How did your crispy cauliflower cashew soup come out? Share photos of your recipe on Instagram by tagging #savormania