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.
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Genius Recipes says: 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.
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!
4 days 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!
5 days 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.
8 days ago nogaga
I have just made this again, and again it is mystifying and delicious!
11 days ago riv
Try this with a drizzle of sriracha-yum!
15 days ago ChristyBean
Another home run with the Genius Recipes!
15 days ago KellyBcooks
Absolutely delicious! Easy. Simple. Wonderful, soft flavors. Thank you so much! It is now in the rotation.
15 days ago DjeenDjeen
The beautiful simplicity of this soup is mind blowing. Who knew that cauliflower could taste so creamy and rich. Amazing.
15 days ago KarenO
Totally delicious. Only one person guessed it was cauliflower soup. Sprinkled some smoked paprika on top and drizzled with truffle oil. Yummy!
16 days 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!
about 1 month ago kvickers
I made this last night using Better than Bullion vegetable base in place of the water. It was truly as delicious as I had hoped.
At first I puree'd the soup in my food processor. The flavor was ok, but nothing spectacular. Then, in an attempt to get a creamy consistancy I pureed it in my blender. This made a HUGE difference and took it from "meh" to magical.
about 1 month ago buddhawasahindu
I used all chix stock. This was hands down a crowd favorite. I am going to make a double batch of this next time.
about 1 month ago noahluck
Very mild flavor, but pleasantly creamy texture. If you like stronger flavors you'll want to add additional spice early on. Serve it HOT. The crowd loved it and it disappeared fast.
about 1 month ago Pegan
I used only 1T oil cooking the onion, since I am following the PCRM low-fat vegan diet. It didn't need more, and tasted buttery, creamy and delicious. Yum! Thanks so much for this amazing recipe.
about 1 month ago Burf
I just went and bought another head of cauliflower. With tears in my eyes, I gave it a hug and whispered "I never knew. Honestly, I just never knew." This is fantastic. I let it go a little too long and it browned. Definitely not a problem.
about 1 month ago Park Ranger
I second what Sandy said below. I was utterly surprised by the creamy texture of this soup. I too added a garlic clove to the onions and one cup of vegetable stock.
about 1 month ago Park Ranger
The following day I added canned chopped clams, crap meat, chives, and a small amount of bacon to the leftover soup. It was quite hardy!
about 1 month ago carswell
I've made this twice now - and turned two friends on to the recipe. It really is fantastic.
2 months ago Sandy lendall
Can't believe it. Thick, creamy, delicious. I was doubtful...no cream, milk? Uterly surprised and it's delicious.
Sandy
2 months ago Francesca Cucina Povera
Just made this soup, but added a bouillon cube. It was creamy and delicious and incredibly cost effective. Perfect for this cold Sunday afternoon!
Here's my version. http://dellacucinapovera...
Thanks Paul! Im full and so is my wallet!
3 months ago koreis
I tried it. Wasted whole head of perfectly good cauliflower. I wanted to love it -like all the comments... didn't.
3 months ago Denise Delights
Not sure you need to read another comment but the truth is this soup recipe is spectacular !! Good for a cold fall Sunday afternoon. DCL