Special Equipment: Blender or immersion blender
How we treat a vegetable like cauliflower depends on the season. In spring, when we crave lightness, we steam. Summer weather invites us outdoors where a grill makes quick and tasty work of our food. Colder weather beckons us to turn on the oven and roast, which is what we do to make this Roasted Cauliflower-Garlic Soup. Equally satisfying on chilly spring days or cold winter nights, roasted vegetables make for a comforting, earthy soup when blended. Cashews add creaminess without the use of dairy but the soup is just as good without them. A recipe that's this rich, flavorful, restorative, and shamefully simple to make is one that you'll want to turn to again and again. Enjoy its seasonal appeal as a starter to your vegan holiday meal!
Preheat oven to 400ºF. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Place cauliflower, garlic, onions, and thyme on the baking tray and drizzle with olive oil. Gently toss together and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of the salt. Roast for about 25 minutes or until all the vegetables are soft and medium brown in color.
Heat the broth while the vegetables are roasting. Transfer vegetables to a blender. Add the warm vegetable broth, cashews, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, remaining 1 teaspoon of salt, and black pepper. Remove the plastic knob from the blender and partially cover the hole with a dish towel to allow steam to escape. Purée the soup to the desired consistency (leaving a little texture makes for a nice mouth-feel). To serve, ladle soup into bowls and garnish.
YIELDS
Preheat oven to 400ºF. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Place cauliflower, garlic, onions, and thyme on the baking tray and drizzle with olive oil. Gently toss together and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of the salt. Roast for about 25 minutes or until all the vegetables are soft and medium brown in color.
Heat the broth while the vegetables are roasting. Transfer vegetables to a blender. Add the warm vegetable broth, cashews, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, remaining 1 teaspoon of salt, and black pepper. Remove the plastic knob from the blender and partially cover the hole with a dish towel to allow steam to escape. Purée the soup to the desired consistency (leaving a little texture makes for a nice mouth-feel). To serve, ladle soup into bowls and garnish.
