Cauliflower Chowder

I was prepping things for dinner one day when Scott told me that somehow in his daily internets hopping, he stumbled upon The Pioneer Woman’s cauliflower soup and it sounded good.

Mind you, he didn’t read the ingredients, he just looked at the finished product.

I instantly responded because I had just been thinking of making a cauliflower based dish but wasn’t sure how receptive Scott would be to the idea.  Not that he’s picky, he’s a great eater and will not shy away from a veggie meal. But I wasn’t sure if an entire meal based on cauliflower would win him over.  Since he seemed interested, it wasn’t long before I made us some chowder!

I bumped up the veggies and added in some beans making this a really hardy soup.  I used the same approach as making a potato soup.  Plus I’ll take any opportunity to bust out the immersion blender!

Andrea’s Cauliflower Chowder

  • 1 Head of Cauliflower, chunked
  • 2 Large Carrots, chunked
  • 2 Cloves of Garlic
  • 1/2 Large Onion, chunked
  • 1 1/2 QT of Chicken Stock
  • 2 Cans of White Beans (I used Great Northern), drained and rinsed
  • 2C Corn
  • 4 Huge handfuls of Baby Spinach
  • Big Pinch of red pepper flakes
  • Salt and Pepper, to taste
  • 1/2tsp of Smoked Paprika
  • Olive oil for sauteeing, about 1/2 to 1 TBSP
  • Crumbled bacon, chopped green onions, and shredded cheddar for garnish.

In a large soup pot, add in oil and heat over medium heat.  Drop in carrots, garlic, and onion. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, add in the red pepper flakes and smoked paprika.  Stir and allow to sautee just until the onions start to get soft.  The add in the cauliflower and stir.  Sautee for about another minute or two.  Add in the chicken stock and bring up to a simmer.  Let cook until the cauliflower and carrots are cooked through.  About 20 minutes.  Once the veggies are cooked through, with your immersion blender, start to blend the soup until it’s creamy. Reduce the heat to low while you do this.  Add in the beans, corn, and spinach and bring the soup back up to a simmer.  Cook until the spinach is wilted and the beans are heated through, about 10 minutes.

Turn off heat, ladle up into bowls, and enjoy!

I topped the soup with bacon, green onions, and cheddar. Reminiscent of a baked potato style soup.  The cauliflower provides a lovely base while the beans and corn provide a nice texture. The spinach keeps the soup from looking drab and it’s always great to add another veggie into the mix when you can.

If you don’t have an immersion blender, a regular blender will do just fine. You may have to blend in batches though and be careful with the hot soup!

If you are looking to keep this veggie, then I would use some veggie stock or no-chicken broth in place of the regular chicken broth.

The toppings take the soup over the edge and are a great finish!

As with all my soups, this makes a lot! We had enough for two meals plus a small lunch.  This soup is even better the next day when all the elements have had a chance to sit and mingle with each other.

Do you like cauliflower? Would you try a cauliflower based soup?

Have fun guys, and remember, always play with your food! Enjoy!


10 thoughts on “Cauliflower Chowder

  1. I’m a HUGE cauliflower lover. I can’t get enough of the stuff. I’ve never used it as a main ingredient in soup, though. I definitely have to give it a shot!

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