Creamy Cauliflower Soup With Rosemary Olive Oil
- Total Time
- 40 minutes
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
Yield:6 servings
- 1cup olive oil
- 4(4-inch) sprigs fresh rosemary
- 2tablespoons olive oil
- 1medium yellow onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
- 2garlic cloves, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
- 1quart low-sodium vegetable stock, plus more as needed for reheating
- 1medium head cauliflower, cored and broken into 1½-inch florets (about 2½ pounds)
- 2teaspoons kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal), plus more to taste
- 1teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
- Freshly grated zest of 1 lemon, for serving
- 3cups diced rustic country bread (¾-inch pieces)
For the Rosemary Oil
For the Soup
For the Croutons (optional)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
441 calories; 42 grams fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 30 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 17 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 5 grams sugars; 5 grams protein; 735 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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- Step 1
Make the rosemary oil: In a medium skillet, combine the olive oil and rosemary sprigs. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes, lowering the heat if the oil reaches a full simmer. (You want to cook it at a very gentle simmer to avoid frying the rosemary.) Carefully pour the oil and rosemary into a small bowl, leaving a slick of oil in the pan if you plan to make croutons. Allow the rosemary to cool completely in the oil while you make the soup.
- Step 2
Make the soup: In a heavy pot or Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-low. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and translucent, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. (Be careful not to let the garlic scorch!)
- Step 3
Add the stock, cauliflower, salt and pepper, and bring to a boil over high. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer until the cauliflower is tender when pierced with a fork, about 10 minutes.
- Step 4
Meanwhile, make the optional croutons: Heat the reserved skillet with the residual rosemary oil over medium. Add the bread cubes, sprinkle generously with salt and pepper, and cook, tossing often, until toasted all over, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the croutons to a plate or board to cool.
- Step 5
Strain and discard the rosemary stems from the rosemary oil. Working in batches if necessary, carefully transfer the vegetables, stock and ¼ cup rosemary oil to a blender and blend on high until creamy. Add more rosemary oil to taste, and blend to combine. Return the soup to the pot and bring to a simmer. If the soup seems thin, let it simmer for 5 to 10 minutes to reduce slightly. (Remember: The soup will continue to thicken as it cools.) Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Step 6
Serve hot. Garnish each serving with a swirl of rosemary oil, a few croutons, and a sprinkle of lemon zest. The soup will thicken as it sits; add more stock as necessary when reheating. Leftover rosemary oil will keep in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Private Notes
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Cooking Notes
SB
An immersion blender works well to get the creamy consistency and is easier than putting batches in a standing blender.
Melissa
I made the rosemary oil early and used it for sautéing the onions and garlic (which I doubled).Didn’t want to waste the oily rosemary so I pulled the leaves and chopped with more garlic and preserved lemon to use as a paste to rub on tomorrow’s chicken (will use more of the leftover oil as well!)
Lydia Sugarman
I've got a fresh head of cauliflower in the refrigerator that is calling out to be made into this recipe. The only thing I'll probably do is add a potato or two. When pureed along with the cauliflower, the potato/s add a creamy unctuousness without using cream, as many recipes include.
Jane Cutter
I have made a "no-recipe" version of this many times in the past. Rosemary sounds like a great addition. I think I might caramelize chickpeas in the rosemary oil and use those instead of croutons, to add some protein.
Peter
I'm happy to report this freezes beautifully, and now exists in the "Freezes Beautifully" section of my recipe box.
mae
Just made this, croutons & all. Super delicious. Only used a 1/2 cup olive oil (with 4 sprigs rosemary) but next time will make more to have left over as author mentioned. I too looked up the recipe mentioned by others; no comparison! This has rosemary infused olive oil, & rosemary olive oil infused croutons each of which takes very little extra time & add enormous flavor!
Hunter
I used Better than Bouillon’s “No Chicken” base - my go to. I paired with roasted balsamic carrots and a beet/avocado/pistachio salad - completely plant based and delicious!
Linda
Add a 15oz can of white beans when adding cauliflower. With an immersion blender, purée the soup. Makes a real meal. And VEGAN at that w/toasted bread and a flavored dipping oil
lisa
I’m stunned by how good this is. Just a few simple ingredients but it tastes so rich. Don’t skimp on the pepper. It gives it a subtle kick. Also, I sautéed some small cauliflower pieces in the rosemary oil which I used as a garnish rather than the croutons. Delicious.
Delcious
This soup is delicious! I only made 1/2 a cup of olive oil and it was more than enough. Go light on the lemon zest, as it can over power the wonderful rosemary flavor. Will definitely be making this again!
C
I roasted the cauliflower before adding to the broth and it turned out nicely.
Jessica
Save yourself a step and use immersion blender. Also doubled garlic and don’t skimp on salt
Abby
Didn’t have rosemary on hand, so subbed sage. Turned out delicious! Added a bit of garlic to the croutons for an extra note. Will make again!
Hetta
Loved loved loved this soup. Simple to make, common ingredients, luscious flavor and texture. A keeper. Note: I probably used twice the garlic.
Jane Wilstern
Using veggie stock (or even chicken stock) plus the one step extra rosemary oil knocks this out of the park. It takes Bertolli's stewed cauliflower in water and adds depth and richness. Try it before you critique.
Lisa
Really deserving of the 5 stars! Followed the recipe exactly and it was outstanding!!
Gayle W.
Delicious! I used a spoonful of the rosemary oil to sauté the onion and garlic and added a can of white beans for some protein. Really yummy flavor and easy to put together. Served with a salad, hummus and pita.
kathy in CA
Very good. Glad I went with not chick’n bullion cubes. No extra salt needed though. My rosemary oil was too strong. Cooked too long? Too much rosemary? Not sure it’s useable. I doubled the recipe to accommodate a very large head of cauliflower I had in the garden. Grateful to the person (Peter?) who mentioned it freezes well.
Pam
I have made this dozens of times. Ultimately, it all comes down to incorporating the olive oil (infused with rosemary or not) after the cauliflower is soft; I use an immersion blender until the soup is silky. After seasoning, I add whatever crunchies I have on hand: pita or tortilla chips. This is sooooo delicious and… It is great COLD - a healthy vichyssoise!
Sue
One of my absolute go tos. Easy and unique. And when you make the oil, your kitchen smells amazing and greets your guests to a wonderful olfactory start.
Sue
One of my go tos. Easy and unique. It’s so delicious. And when you make the croutons with the rosemary oil it leaves your kitchen with a sublime scent that gives your guests when they walk in an olfactory treat.
CN
Extremely yummy, but you really don’t have to make the rosemary oil separately. Just add a couple of sprigs of rosemary with the broth, then remove stems and purée after you add the olive oil. Makes it even simpler!
dal tweaks
I used roasted leftover cauliflower- excellent! Also didn’t use croutons. Good room temp and cold!
Andreabakes
Insanely delicious! This last time I added the cooked carrots from my vegetable broth and added it to the oven roasted cauliflower. Cooled it a bit, then puréed it all in my Vitamix. Double the recipe, it freezes beautifully and goes quickly.
Kathryn Montalvo
This soup was absolutely incredible, I've made several times. The rosemary olive oil and croutons are the key. I roasted the cauliflower instead of sauteing, highly recommend. I used an immersion blender while putting the rosemary olive oil in, works great. It's hard to believe there is no cream in the recipe, it's so creamy!
Ellen Ochs
made (almost) exactly as directed. it's good, easy, and a nice starter soup. not quite hearty enough for me for a meal (but i work out hard every day and have a hearty appetite). the croutons were a must. in the end to add some heft, i also added some chopped avacado, and chopped heirloom tomato. I also went heavy on the garlic. I will make this again, and if you are new to soup, this is a good place to start.
Marco
It was very good, subtle and comfy flavor. A few drops of lime juice when serve can make it a little bit more interesting and fresh.
Megan in AK
I didn’t have anything but old crushed rosemary, so I used a couple drops of rosemary essential oil. I just poured a couple glugs of olive oil and a drop of oil for the croutons, and when blending the soup. I added some crushed rosemary to the salt and pepper when making the croutons. The croutons were amazing. The soup was very good and so simple. Will definitely make again and again.
LP
Soooooo good! An immersion blender is perfect for blending in the pot. This has been our go-to soup for the last few winters - it's super simple, but tastes like it took a lot more time and work.
nanbrand
This is a delicious soup! As other cooks suggested, I added two small potatoes to the cauliflower and onions. I doubled the garlic. Don’t skip the rosemary, oil and croutons.
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