Middle Eastern Cauliflower Soup
Middle Eastern Cauliflower Soup is a hearty meal, perfect for winter. The mix of spices adds to the earthy cauliflower and potato, bringing out the best of the ingredients. Roasted Pumpkin Soup is another delicious, smooth and flavoursome must-try.
This recipe makes a large batch, which is great for a large group or leftovers. But if you’re looking for a recipe to use up some leftover cauliflower you can either halve the quantities or try my Healthy Chicken and Vegetable Curry.
Cauliflower Soup Ingredients
Frying the ground cumin and paprika with the onion and garlic, enhances their flavours. By the time you add the spices the onion has absorbed most of the oil, but the spices still coat the onion. The spices are ready to turn the potatoes and cauliflower into a delicious soup.
I use four cups of vegetable stock and a big pot for my cauliflower soup. However, you may find you need a little extra water to get the liquid level up a bit higher. Use a wooden spoon to push the potatoes and cauliflower into the stock, but if there is a full layer of veggies still above liquid add an extra cup of water. Only one extra cup so the flavours aren’t altered, and it doesn’t matter if there are little parts of the veggies sitting above the stock. Once they start to cook, you will be able to push them below the soup top.
Nutmeg pairs well with cauliflower, but is a strong flavour, so you really don’t need much to make an impact on the soup. I haven’t given a quantity, literally a light sprinkle should do the trick. You can always add more later if necessary.
Only a little thickened cream is needed to take away any wateriness or grainy cauliflower texture and turn it into a delicious, creamy soup. You can also substitute the cream for ¼ cup sour cream.
Don’t forget salt and pepper. No specific quantity here, but enough of each to suit your taste.
Feedback: Did you try the Middle Eastern Cauliflower Soup? Let me know in the comments below. Cheers, Elby!
Want a taste of something more? Check out my other tasty Soups. Also, follow The Tasteful Pantry on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest for all the latest recipes and info.
Middle Eastern Cauliflower Soup
A creamy, earthy cauliflower and potato soup with delicious spices to bring it all together.
8
servings10
minutes25
minutes35
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Ingredients
2 tsp vegetable oil
1 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1½ tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp paprika
500 grams potatoes, peeled and diced into 1cm pieces
700 grams cauliflower (approximately 1 head), roughly chopped
4 cups vegetable stock
small sprinkle of nutmeg
½ cup thickened cream
salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
- Heat the oil in a large pot and cook the onion on high for 1 minute. Add the garlic, cumin and paprika and cook for a further minute, or until the onion is soft.
- Add the potatoes and cauliflower and stir to coat in spices, before covering with the stock. Add one cup of water if the stock does not cover the vegetables (see Note 1).
- Bring to the bowl and lower to a fast simmer, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. The stock should have reduced by about a third and the vegetables should breakdown when pressed with the spoon. Leave simmering for longer if necessary, to make sure the vegetables are completely cooked through.
- Remove from the heat and, using a stick blender, blend the soup until smooth. See Note 2 if your soup is too runny or too thick.
- Once you have a smooth soup with the right consistency, blend in the cream, salt and pepper.
Serve with some warm crusty bread, a sprinkle of fresh herbs, or some fried shallots.
For another Middle Eastern style dish, try my Succulent Lamb Kofta.
Notes
- Note 1: Only add one cup of water – anymore and it will alter the flavour. If the vegetables are still not covered, they should break down into the soup after 10 minutes, or so.
- Note 2: If the soup is too thick after blending, you can blend in extra stock, ½ cup at a time. If it is too runny, pop it back on the stove to simmer further.