Paul Bertolli's Cauliflower Soup
Or give it a little love, with a swoop of olive oil and twist of black pepper.
This is really all there is to it: a cauliflower and an onion.
Slice that onion thinly.
And floret that cauliflower.
Olive oil on the verge.
Sweat the onions, but don't let them brown.
First you stew the cauliflower in 1/2 a cup of water, then when it's tender, you add a whole bunch more water. Sounds grim, doesn't it?
Scoop it into a blender and watch it dissolve into soup.
Covering hot things in blenders with a towel is always a good idea to prevent surprises. Nobody likes cleaning soup off the ceiling.
This photo is entirely unnecessary -- we just thought it was cool.
The soup will continue to thicken up and grow more flavorful as it sits for 20 minutes.
You can go bare.
Share
- ✉
-
Author Notes: This soup might seem plain, but trust us. Paul Bertolli, who was at the helm of Chez Panisse and Oliveto for over 20 years, knows exactly how to make a vegetable become the best it can be. This recipe comes from Cooking by Hand, Bertolli's IACP award-winning book of recipes and essays, and makes for a soup that's delicate, sweet, and smooth as a flannel scarf. - Genius Recipes
Serves 8
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion (6 ounces), sliced thin
- 1 head very fresh cauliflower (about 1-1/2 pounds), broken into florets
- Salt, to taste
- 5 1/2 cups water, divided
- Extra virgin olive oil, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Warm the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pan. Sweat the onion in the olive oil over low heat without letting it brown for 15 minutes.
- Add the cauliflower, salt to taste, and 1/2 cup water. Raise the heat slightly, cover the pot tightly and stew the cauliflower for 15 to 18 minutes, or until tender. Then add another 4 1/2 cups hot water, bring to a low simmer and cook an additional 20 minutes uncovered.
- Working in batches, purée the soup in a blender to a very smooth, creamy consistency. Let the soup stand for 20 minutes. In this time it will thicken slightly.
- Thin the soup with 1/2 cup hot water. Reheat the soup. Serve hot, drizzled with a thin stream of extra-virgin olive oil and freshly ground black pepper.
- This recipe is a Community Pick!
More Great Recipes
Share a Recipe
Enter one of our contests, or share that great thing you made for dinner last night.
Add a Recipe
15 days ago Deborah Lana
This is one of my favorite soup recipes! I can't believe there's so few ingredients and how simple it is to make and how creamy it tastes without any cream.
about 1 month ago fantasticna
This soup is one of the (many) reasons I love this site :)
2 months ago Miss Carolyn
I put a little bit of curry powder in at the end, it was yummy!
3 months ago Sandro Diazzi
Tried this with a twist: cooked the cauliflower with milk rather than water, added a bit of panna da cucina (similar to heavy cream), and added a spoon of organic white truffle oil at the end. It was truly amazing. Buonissima :)
3 months ago Sandro Diazzi
@linzcamp, it was the same for me..but after i logged out and back in, now it works. Try it!
3 months ago linzcamp
ahhhh....for some reason I can't save recipes, only posts. Does anyone know why?? I am so excited to make this soup tonight with a roasted beet salad!
3 months ago mermaid173
I am over the moon for this soup. I have shared it with everyone I know and they end up feeling the same way. I love how creamy and hearty it is, and with such clean simple ingredients it is so healthy. Bertolli truly perfected the art of cooking cauliflower! Will be a staple in my cooking repertoire forever!
3 months ago Patty123
The purity of this soup is amazing, I just love it! I pass this recipe to all I know and they love it too.
3 months ago tatiana131
It's a very good soup, although I'm not AS enthralled with it as some are. I'd call it a 4/5, not a full on hall of fame soup. To me it has a lovely mild creamy flavor enlivened with sriracha. It was comforting and lovely, but not earthshaking.
4 months ago sheimoon
i don't have room for blender and food processor. used the latter, which is what i have, alternating pulse and whizz. the texture came out beautifully smooth. plus -- no batches! fit perfectly into my 3200 cuisinart. followed recipe to a T.
4 months ago Noni G
Noni
This soup is incredible. I really like the way it turned out. I had some left over roasted cauliflower and used half chicken broth and half water. It is delicious and thanks so much. I am a soup freak and I will be making this often.
One really interesting idea I have is to add it over potatoes or some sort of meat as a gravy.
4 months ago nutsnberriesteri
Soups are one of my favorite foods, and this recipe did not disappoint. It was actually rather jaw-dropping that such a creamy, round, smooth soup had NO dairy, is low calorie, inexpensive, and YUMMY!! I did use chicken broth and it was perfect. Thank you!
4 months ago Rabia Syed
WOW! I had my doubts before I decided to try this recipe, but it was amazing! I dressed it with roasted mushrooms.
4 months ago nogaga
I have just made this again, and again it is mystifying and delicious!
5 months ago riv
Try this with a drizzle of sriracha-yum!
5 months ago ChristyBean
Another home run with the Genius Recipes!
5 months ago KellyBcooks
Absolutely delicious! Easy. Simple. Wonderful, soft flavors. Thank you so much! It is now in the rotation.
5 months ago DjeenDjeen
The beautiful simplicity of this soup is mind blowing. Who knew that cauliflower could taste so creamy and rich. Amazing.
5 months ago KarenO
Totally delicious. Only one person guessed it was cauliflower soup. Sprinkled some smoked paprika on top and drizzled with truffle oil. Yummy!
5 months ago amyjoy007
I absolutely loved this recipe. I followed others suggestions and used vegetable stock instead of the water and also added a dash of red pepper for a touch of heat. Simple easy and low calorie!