• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

MyIndianStove

  • Recipes
    • All Recipes
    • Recipes By Category
    • Best Indian Cookbooks, Food Blogs, & YouTube Cooking Shows
    • Top 20 Indian Dishes eCookBook
    • Almond Flour Chocolate Cookies with Walnuts
    • Indianish Winter Cookies
    • Glorious Chicken Mulligatawny Soup
    • Homemade Potato Roll Recipe
    • Indian-Spiced Kabab Recipe
    • Spiced Crunchy Roasted Potatoes
    • Gluten-free Spiced Carrot Cake
    • 6-Ingredient Indian Mango Custard
  • Articles
    • All Articles
    • About Indian Food
      • About Indian Food
      • Flavors of India
      • Typical Indian Meals
      • Indian Food in 2020
      • Indian Drinks
      • Indian Grocery List for Advanced Cooks
      • Curry Leaf Substitutes & Where to Buy Plants or Leaves
      • Coconut Facts, Substitutes, & Measures
    • Assumptions I Avoid
    • Essential Indian Pantry
    • Indian Cooking Basics
    • Top 20 Most Popular Indian Dishes & Recipes
    • Top 10 Tips for Indian Cooking Basics
    • Take a Look at Our eCookBook
    • 2020 Best of MyIndianStove
    • 10 Things To Do With Leftover Curry
  • Substitutes
  • Glossary
menu icon
go to homepage
  • All Articles
  • All Recipes
  • Free eBook
  • Weekly Digest
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • All Articles
    • All Recipes
    • Free eBook
    • Weekly Digest
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Indianish

    Easy Curried Cauliflower Soup

    Published: Oct 20, 2020 · Modified: Feb 12, 2022 by Alonna

    Silky, warming, and oh so comforting, curried cauliflower soup is just the thing you need to make for dinner. Did I say healthy too? It is vegan, vegetarian, dairy-free, and even keto.
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Served up into two matching blue bowls garnished with a quick chili oil, a dusting of cilantro leaves and pretty roasted pieces of cauliflower.
    Easy Curried Cauliflower Soup ~ Served up into two matching blue bowls garnished with a quick chili oil, a dusting of cilantro leaves and pretty roasted pieces of cauliflower.
    Silky, warming, and oh so comforting, curried cauliflower soup is just the thing you need to make for dinner. Did I say healthy too? It is vegan, vegetarian, dairy-free, and even keto.

    Soul-satisfying

    It is that time of year when I begin craving warming soups. There has been buzz about a 3-ingredient cauliflower soup for several years now—people raving about how surprisingly rich and silky a soup can be without any dairy. I’ve listened with half an ear but never attempted this supposed miracle until now. No, I am not presenting you with another 3-ingredient soup, but I can report that a soup based on cauliflower, with a few supporting flavors, can be soul-satisfyingly good. And it ticks off almost every dietary box there is with an easy tweak or two: vegan, vegetarian, dairy-free, keto, you get the idea!

    Thick or thin?

    When it comes to soup, my preference leans to the thick and hearty. If you want a dish along those lines, it is easy to do. When roasting the cauliflower, add in a diced potato or two. If you like texture and heft, you can also leave some of the cauliflower aside while blending and stir them back in at the end. Same with chunks of potato.

    Garnish away!

    Easy curried cauliflower soup is irresistible as it is, but it can also be a canvas for a final splash of tadka, spices, and aromatics sizzled in butter. Or you can prepare some simple but spectacular company-worthy garnishes. The easiest would be to save some of your prettiest roasted cauliflower pieces for floating on top of the soup just before serving. If you want to show off, take your favorite ground red chili (I suggest Kashmiri or Deggi mirch) and combine 1/2 teaspoon with two tablespoons of oil. Let is sit for 10 minutes and then use it as a bright red drizzle.

    Soup inspiration

    My inspiration for this curried cauliflower soup was one published on the blog Cookie and Kate. Since my go-to method for cooking vegetables is to roast them, Kate’s method for her famous roasted cauliflower soup is precisely the way to go. The caramelization of the cauliflower takes this recipe from very good to excellent. Potato soup was a standard Mom move when I was growing up, so I have a special place in my heart for that home cook standard. This curried cauliflower soup is so good you won’t miss the potatoes.

    Options

    I’ve made this dish with various liquids, and my favorite is a cup of coconut milk as a part of the 3 1/2 cups required. Chicken stock is my choice for the 2 1/2 cup balance of liquid, but vegetable stock works well if you are keeping it vegan. I would encourage you to enrich your soup with a nice dollop of cream, coconut cream, or thick vegan plain yogurt at the end. A bit of butter won’t go amiss either.

    ~ Alonna

    See the Notes below before you cook.

    • A chicken and white bean chili (stew) garnished with tortilla chips, yogurt, chopped scallions, shredded cheese and a flurry of cilantro leaves.
      Chili Soup Masala Indian-Style
    • Served with lemon slices, a bowl of rice, garnished with a drizzle of yogurt and a flutter of fresh cilantro.
      Glorious Chicken Mulligatawny Soup
    • Served up with fried curry leaves and some rice on the side.
      Creamy Toor Dal in the Instant Pot (Parippu Curry)
    • Cauliflower Potato Curry (Aloo Gobi) -- vegetable curry in a large serving bowl with a flutter of cilantro
      Cauliflower Potato Curry (Aloo Gobi)
    Served up into two matching blue bowls garnished with a quick chili oil, a dusting of cilantro leaves and pretty roasted pieces of cauliflower.

    Easy Curried Cauliflower Soup

    Silky, warming, and oh so comforting, curried cauliflower soup is just the thing you need to make for dinner. Did I say healthy too? It is vegan, vegetarian, dairy-free, and even keto.
    Print Pin Comment
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Indianish
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes
    Roasting Caulflower: 25 minutes
    Total Time: 55 minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 161kcal
    Author: Alonna

    Ingrediants

    Soup

    • 1 large head of cauliflower ~ About 2 pounds cut into florets
    • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil ~ Or oil of your choice
    • 1 tablespoon ghee ~ Or oil
    • 1 cup onion ~ chopped
    • 1 teaspoon sea or table salt ~ Divided, or 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt, about
    • 1 small Indian green chilies ~ Minced = 1/2 teaspoon or to taste, see Notes below
    • 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste ~ Make or 2 teaspoons each ginger and garlic purée
    • 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
    • 2 teaspoons ground coriander ~ Make sure it is fresh, ground coriander losses its flavor fairly quickly
    • 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
    • 1/2 teaspoon ground fennel ~ Optional
    • 1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri ground red chili ~ Or 1/4 teaspoon deggi mirch or cayenne, to taste
    • 3 1/2 to 4 cups liquid ~ Start with 3 cups and add more as needed. See Notes below.
    • 2 teaspoons lemon juice ~ Or lime juice, more to taste
    • 1 tablespoon heavy cream ~ Or more; or butter, coconut cream, yogurt

    Optional Garnishes

    • 1 tablespoon chili oil ~ Quick oil, see Notes
    • 9 roasted cauliflower florets ~ Saved from the blender
    • 2 tablespoons yogurt ~ Or heavy cream for swirling
    • 2 tablespoons cilantro ~ Chopped or scallion greens, mint, etc.
    • 2 tablespoons dessicated coconut ~ Or large shards, toasted
    • 2 tablespoons onions ~ Or shallots ~ Buy or make birista
    • 2 tablespoons sliced almonds ~ Toasted
    US Customary - Metric
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    Make the Soup

    • Gather your ingredients. Preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper if you want an easier cleanup.
      Ingredients gathered and ready to cook.
    • On the baking sheet, mix together 2 tablespoons oil, cauliflower, and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Spread into an even layer and roast for about 25 minutes or until golden brown. Turn the pieces over at the 15-minute mark and start checking for doneness in 10 more minutes.
      Cauliflower pieces and roasted to a golden brown on a baking sheet.
    • While the cauliflower is cooking, in a dutch-oven or heavy saucepan over medium heat, add the ghee or oil. When the fat is hot, add the onions and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Stirring occasionally cook the onions until translucent; about 5 to 7 minutes.
    • Stir in the ginger garlic paste and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds to a minute. Stir in the turmeric, coriander, cumin, fennel, and chili powder. Stir continuously to cook the spices for 2 minutes. If they are sticking to the bottom of the pan, add a tablespoon or two of water. Then add 3 1/2 cups of the liquid you are using.
      Onions cooked and the green chilies and ginger garlic paste ready to be stirred in.
    • Reserving the prettiest cauliflower florets for garnishing, if you wish, add in the roasted cauliflower. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low or to a low simmer, stir occasionally for 15 minutes to allow the flavors to come together. Add in the cream and lemon juice to taste.
      The cauliflower, stock and masala cooked and ready for blending.
    • Remove the soup from the heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Using an immersion blender or a regular blender, process until the soup is smooth. Adjust the consistency now by adding more liquid. Taste for salt, acid, heat, and the need for some richness.
      The soup blended super smooth and ready for plating.
    • Garnish your soup to your heart's desire, or not. Curried cauliflower soup is good at any temperature and reheats beautifully if you've made it ahead. It keeps well in the refrigerator for 4 days and in the freezer for up to 2 months.
      Served up into two matching blue bowls garnished with a quick chili oil, a dusting of cilantro leaves and pretty roasted pieces of cauliflower.

    Notes

    • Chilies: I use small Indian chilies. When seeded and chopped they measure 1/2 teaspoon each. If you want the flavor of chilies without any of the heat, make a 1-inch slit down either side of the chili and use whole. Looking for more heat? Deseed and mince the chilies. Even more heat? Leave the seeds, use hotter chilies and, of course, add more!
    • Liquid choices: I like 1 cup coconut milk and 2 1/2 cups chicken broth but use the liquid of your choice
    • To thicken the soup: 1/2 heavy cream, coconut cream, or Greek-style yogurt
    • Chili oil: Mix 1 tablespoon oil and 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder, or chili powder of your choice. Use a prepared chili oil or make my Sichuan chili oil.
    • For a heartier soup: Roast or boil a potato or two and either add in before puréeing or stir in afterward for some nice texture.
    • Chili sauce: Besides the green chilies and ground red chili you could add Tabasco, Siracha, Maggi's Hot and Sweet Tomato Chili Sauce, or gochujang, etc.
    • Add-ins: Sautéed cubes of paneer, firm tofu, shredded or crumbled cheese. Mushrooms are hard to overcook and I like throwing them in with the cauliflower. They add lovely umami to this curried cauliflower soup!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 161kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 666mg | Potassium: 501mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin C: 76mg | Calcium: 54mg | Iron: 1mg

    Your Private Notes

    Click here to add your own private notes.
    Hungry for more?Subscribe to my free Weekly Digest!
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @AlonnasIndianStove or tag #MyIndianStove!
    • Facebook
    • Yummly
    • Email
    • Twitter

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Alonna Smith owner of My Indian Stove dot com
    Alonna Smith, Publisher (and chef!)

    As an adventurous and accomplished home cook, I am having the time of my life, cooking through the many regions of India, learning different cooking methods, and the many ways of using spices, pulses, and creating unforgettable food, if I may say so myself.

    Learn more about us

    Get my free eBook


    My Indian Stove all recipes icon
    MyIndianStove all recipes icon
    MyIndianStove Basics Icon
    MyIndianStove Basics Icon

    Glossary: Hindi-English
    Glossary: English-Hindi
    Substitutions


    Yeah, it is summer!

    • Almond flour chocolate cookies on a cooling rack garnished with flaky salt, chocolate chips and walnuts
      Almond Flour Chocolate Cookies with Walnuts
    • Served with lemon wedges, and spray of fried curry leaves, a beer, on a bed of sliced green cabbage.
      Crispy, Juicy Kerala Fried Chicken
    • Skinless, boneless tandoori chicken thighs on a bed of bell peppers with a side of turmeric yellow rice.
      Easy Grilled Boneless Tandoori Chicken Thighs
    • Two tacos garnished pickled red onions, sliced radishes, cheese crumbles and a flutter of cilantro leaves.
      Indian Fusion Tacos ~ Fillings & Toppings
    • The chicken served in a pita with pickled onions and yogurt sauce.
      Chicken Shawarma Wrap
    • Indian Cucumber Salad (Kachumber) This colorful salad of cucumber and tomato is erved with a sprinkling of peanuts and chopped cilantro.
      Indian Cucumber Salad (Kachumber)

    Trending

    • Tandoori masala powder on a bed of the individual spices.
      Easy Tandoori Masala Powder & Paste From Scratch
    • Served with buttered, toasted buns, a wedge of lemon, and a flurry of cilantro.
      Easy and Comforting  Beef Keema Curry (Indian Ground Beef)
    • A pork masala served in a beautiful red dutch oven. Rich with spices and chilies, this is the curry of your dreams.
      Rich and Tangy Pork Vindaloo
    • Madras Curry Powder finished and in a glass bowl with a small wooden spoon.
      Hot or Mild Madras Curry Powder Recipe
    • A spice tin filled with spice powder with whole spices keeping it company.
      Goan Spice Mix Recipe (Garam Masala)
    • Indian Spaghetti Bolognese a bowl full of bolognese and a fork twirled full of perfectly coated pasta
      Indian-Style Pasta ~ Spaghetti Bolognese

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Resources

    • Glossary
    • Substitutions

    Newsletter

    • Get our Free eCookbook
    • Get our Weekly Digest

    Contact Us

    • Contact Us
    • Use Our Content
    • About Us
    • Privacy and Disclosure
    • Copyright

    Copyright © 2022 Alonna Smith

    31 shares