The roasted cauliflower soup is creamy, flavorful, and has that crunchy touch from speck and hazelnuts that makes it irresistible. A true winter comfort food, simple to prepare and full of flavor, combining the delicacy and creaminess of cauliflower with the bold flavor of speck and the crunchiness of hazelnuts.
The secret? Roasted cauliflower. Instead of boiling it, we bake it with oil, salt, pepper, and chili to enhance its flavor and give it a slightly caramelized note. Then we blend everything with potatoes, onion, and broth to get a velvety and fragrant cream. The grand finale? Crispy speck and toasted hazelnuts for a contrast of textures that wins you over at first bite.
The preparation is very simple:
1. We divide the cauliflower into florets, season it with salt, chili, and oil and bake it for 20 minutes at 392°F.
2. We sauté the onion with the potato, add the roasted cauliflower, vegetable broth, and let it cook for another 20 minutes. Then we add the milk and blend all the ingredients to obtain a smooth puree.
3. We serve the roasted cauliflower soup with reserved cauliflower florets, crispy speck, and toasted hazelnuts.
This roasted cauliflower soup is perfect for a warm and comforting lunch or dinner and is also impressive enough to wow your guests. You can serve it with crispy speck and hazelnuts as we propose in our recipe or simply with toasted bread croutons for a rustic but delicious vegetarian version. Try it and let me know if it won you over!
Also discover:
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Very Cheap
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4People
- Cooking methods: Oven, Stove
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter, Winter
Ingredients to Make Roasted Cauliflower Soup
- 2.2 lbs cauliflower
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 potato
- 1 onion
- 3.4 fl oz milk
- 3.5 oz speck
- 1.8 oz hazelnuts
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt
- chili pepper
Tools to Prepare Roasted Cauliflower Soup
- Bowl
- Baking Pan
- Parchment Paper
- Oven
- Saucepan
- Immersion Blender
How to Make Roasted Cauliflower Soup
Prepare the roasted cauliflower soup by first cleaning the cauliflower and removing the tougher and damaged parts. Divide it into florets. Season it with oil, salt, and chili.
Pour it into a pan lined with parchment paper and bake it in the preheated oven at 392°F for about 20 minutes or until it is golden.
Set aside some florets for decoration later.
Peel the onion, slice it, and place it in a saucepan with more oil.
Peel the potato, cut it into cubes, and sauté for a few minutes.
Add the oven-roasted cauliflower, pour in the broth, and continue cooking for about 20 minutes or until the potato is tender.
Add the milk and then blend all the ingredients with an immersion blender until you get a creamy and smooth soup.
Cut the speck into pieces and sauté in a non-stick pan without adding extra fat until crispy and golden.
Coarsely chop the already toasted and peeled hazelnuts.
Serve the soup in dishes garnished with the reserved cauliflower florets, speck, and hazelnuts.
Storage and Tips
Store the soup in the fridge for 2-3 days in a well-sealed airtight container, or keep it in the freezer for up to two months.
For a vegetarian version, you can replace speck with bread croutons or parmesan chips.
You can also add other spices and herbs to the soup, such as curry or turmeric.
For an even creamier effect, you can replace the milk with cream. For a lactose-free version, simply use lactose-free milk or an unsweetened plant-based beverage. Alternatively, you can replace the same amount of milk with more broth.
For a more or less dense consistency, add as much broth as needed to reach your preferred consistency.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Can I make the soup in advance?
Yes! You can make it in advance and store it in the fridge for 2-3 days in an airtight container. When serving, heat it gently, adding a little broth or milk to maintain its creaminess.
Can I freeze it?
Yes, you can freeze it for up to 2 months. I recommend not adding the milk before freezing: better to add it after when reheating.
I don’t have speck, what can I substitute it with?
If you want a vegetarian version, try parmesan chips, crispy bread croutons, or toasted pumpkin seeds. If you want an equally flavorful alternative, use bacon or pork cheek.
Can I use another type of nuts instead of hazelnuts?
Absolutely! Toasted almonds, walnuts, or pistachios pair wonderfully and add an irresistible crunch.
Can I make the soup lighter?
Certainly! You can replace the milk with plant-based milk (like almond or oat) or omit it altogether, slightly increasing the amount of broth.
Cauliflower has a strong smell during cooking, how can I reduce it?
Add a splash of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice to the broth water or next to the baking pan: it will help reduce the strong smell of cauliflower.
I don’t have an oven, can I still make the soup?
Yes, but the flavor will be less intense. Alternatively, sauté the cauliflower in a pan with a little oil over medium-high heat for a few minutes until well browned.
