Cream of Cauliflower Soup with Bacon Crumb Topping-Soup is Gluten Free

One of my favorite chefs to follow is Chef John from Food Wishes. For the most part, he uses everyday ingredients and makes them into something really special. Well, it’s fall in NY and it is definitely chilly. Chef John recently posted a video of Cream of Cauliflower soup. Cauliflower??????????! You mean, it’s not just a steamed vegetable or a vegetable that gets thrown into other recipes. Plus this recipe has a Bacon crumb topping. YUM Intrigued, I decided to give this recipe a try (and I even calculated the calories – less than 100 calories per bowl – even with the bacon crumb topping). Yea! This recipe is not only very easy to make but delicious and economical, as well. My batch ended up making at least 14-15 servings. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did. You will need a hand blender or a blender (BE CAREFUL) for this recipe.

Ingredients For Soup:

1 large onion, diced

1-2 ribs of celery, diced

1 large Russets potato, peeled and quartered

1 tablespoon of garlic, chopped

2 small heads of cauliflower or 1 large, remove leaves, cut to smaller pieces (use core as well)

8-10 cups of chicken broth (or vegetable broth)

8-10 cups of water

1/2 of heavy cream

1/4 teaspoon paprika

salt to taste

olive oil

Ingredients For Bacon Crumb Topping:

4 strips of Bacon, cut into small pieces

(use Skiitake Mushrooms and olive oil for vegetarian)

3-4 slices of bread, crumbled

1/4 finely chopped parsley

1 teaspoon of lemon zest

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions For Soup:

1. In a large stock pot, saute onions and celery for about 5 minutes. They should be tender.
2. Add garlic and saute for an additional minute.
3. Add potatoes and cauliflower  and enough water and stock (equal parts) to cover vegetables.
4. Bring pot to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.
5. Cook until potatoes and cauliflower are easily mashed.
6. Using a hand blender, blend the soup until completely smooth. If using a blender, place vegetables (not stock) in a blender and puree, then add back to stock. (If you put the stock in as well, you will end up with a messy kitchen and possible burns)
7. Place pureed soup on low and add cayenne and cream.
8. Taste for salt.

Directions for Bacon Crumb Topping:

1. Saute bacon bits until crispy
2. Remove bacon bits from pan, leaving behind the rendered fat.
3. Add crumbled bread to the saute pan and toast bread until crispy.
4. Remove from heat and add Parmesan cheese, lemon zest and parsley, combining well.
5. Crumble bread more if you wish.

Serve soup in a heated bowl and add about 1-2 tablespoons of Bacon Crumb topping. I liked mixing the crumb into the soup, giving it a smoky taste and a nice texture.

Excellent recipe Chef John! Thank you!!!