This hearty, creamy soup uses basic ingredients that are often staples in our house. Even though there is no cream in this recipe, the use of a blender, rather than an immersion blender, creates a thick, smooth consistency. For a vegan version, use vegetable broth and omit the parmesan cheese for an equally tasty result.
Ingredients
1 head cauliflower (chopped)
1 medium onion (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (diced)
2 tbsp olive oil
4 c chicken or vegetable broth
1c of beer (avoid dark or bitter beers for this recipe)
½ c grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp dry thyme
Salt (to taste)
Optional toppings- diced bacon or pancetta, fresh thyme, green onion and/or chives
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350. While waiting for the oven to heat, chop cauliflower, toss with 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil, salt (to taste) and spread onto a baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes, flipping half-way. While it is roasting, in a large pot, sauté a whole onion and 2 cloves of garlic in the remaining 1/2 tbsp of olive oil until softened. Add the broth, cauliflower, and dried thyme to the pot. Bring to a low boil and then turn heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the parmesan cheese. Blend, in batches, using an actual blender rather than an immersion blender. This creates an extra creamy consistency. You can also add additional broth to thin the soup out if it is too thick for your preference. Before serving, top with diced sautéed pancetta or bacon, chopped fresh thyme, green onion or chives.