Description
This creamy vegan cauliflower soup is a rich and comforting dish made with tender cauliflower, creamy cashews, cannellini beans, and fragrant herbs. It’s blended until silky smooth and finished with zesty lemon, spicy chili flakes, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Perfect for a nourishing vegan meal that’s both hearty and satisfying.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Base
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 1 medium-large cauliflower, cut into large florets (~750g of florets)
- 1 cup (140g) raw cashews
- 8 to 12 fresh thyme sprigs
- 1 large fresh rosemary sprig
- 2 (15-ounce/425g) cans of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 cups (960 mL) low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 cup (240 mL) water (or more vegetable broth)
- 5 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
- Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
For Finishing
- Lemon zest
- Crushed red pepper flakes (or Aleppo pepper for mild heat)
- Good-quality extra virgin olive oil
- Bread for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Soak Cashews: Pour boiling water over the cashews to cover and let rest for 15 minutes. Drain and rinse before using. Meanwhile, prep all the other ingredients including cutting the cauliflower and preparing the herbs and garlic.
- Prepare Bouquet Garni: Use kitchen twine to tie together thyme sprigs, rosemary sprig, and bay leaf to create a bouquet garni, which will infuse the soup with flavor.
- Sauté Aromatics: Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onions with a pinch of salt and cook for 8-10 minutes until golden brown, stirring occasionally. If onions brown too fast, add a splash of water. Add garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Deglaze and Add Ingredients: Pour in some vegetable broth to deglaze the pot, stirring to lift browned bits from the bottom. Add the remaining broth, water, soaked cashews, cauliflower florets, cannellini beans, nutritional yeast, kosher salt, and black pepper. Stir well to combine and gently tuck in the bouquet garni.
- Simmer Soup: Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce heat to maintain a rapid simmer. Cook uncovered for 15 minutes, or until cauliflower is tender and soft.
- Blend Soup: Remove bouquet garni and transfer soup in batches to a stand blender. Remove the blender center cap and cover with a kitchen towel to allow steam to escape. Blend until smooth, thick, and creamy. Alternatively, use an immersion blender, noting the texture will be less smooth.
- Season and Serve: Taste the soup and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Pour soup into bowls and finish by zesting lemon over the top, sprinkling chili flakes, and drizzling extra virgin olive oil. Serve with bread if desired.
Notes
- Note 1: If allergic to cashews, substitute with peeled, cooked Russet potatoes for a lighter body but less richness.
- Note 2: Cannellini beans can be replaced with other white beans like great northern or navy beans if unavailable.
- Note 3: Salt amounts vary by type. Diamond Crystal kosher salt is less salty teaspoon for teaspoon than table or sea salt. Use 1 1/4 tsp sea salt or 1 tsp table salt instead of 2 tsp kosher salt.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (approximately 350g)
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 460mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 9g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
