Ok, for real. Whether you’ve committed to eating healthier this year or not, you have to make this soup. A creamy, dairy-free cauliflower soup that really means this: veggies on veggies on veggies. Pureed ones mixed into cooked ones for the best stew-like texture. So you’ll feel full and awesome and energized.

And yes, I know what you’re wondering.  This is one of the new recipes for the Winter Meal Plan. Just to tease your little palate and convince you you should probably be eating like this more often.

You could, of course, eat these 2 soups separately (as the Winter Meal Planners will do), then combine then later when you’re ready for a new taste. But, I like them blended all together from the start.  

Creamy Cauliflower Chowder

Makes 8 servings

for the cauliflower puree:

6 cups organic chicken or vegetable broth

1 head cauliflower

2 carrots, sliced

3 stalks celery, sliced

1 red bell pepper (optional, but gives it a great orange-red color when blended)

1 leek, thinly sliced in half, then rinsed and drained

2 cloves garlic

8 oz coconut milk

sea salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

In a soup pot, add a bit of olive oil over medium heat. Add leek and garlic first, and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add celery and carrots next, and cook for another 4-5 minutes. Add broth and a generous sprinkling of sea salt and pepper. Cover, bring to a boil, then reduce to medium heat for 7-10 minutes until the cauliflower can easily be mashed with a fork. Add coconut milk and puree with an immersion blender or transfer to a large blender.

For the vegetable soup 

Notes: you could easily make this in a crockpot or other soup pot while the cauliflower puree cooks. Swap in veggies that you love, there is no magic to the ones I used below. 

Makes 6 servings

1 head fennel, sliced (thin stems too, but no feathery fronds)

1/2 head cauliflower or broccoli (or another veggie of your choice), chopped

3-4 stalks celery, chopped

2-3 carrots, chopped

1 zucchini, chopped

1 summer squash, chopped

1 leek, finely sliced in half, then rinsed and drained

2 cloves garlic, smashed

4 cups broth

2-4 springs of fresh thyme leaves

sea salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

In a soup pot, add a bit of olive oil over medium heat. Add leek and garlic first, and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add celery, carrots and fennel next, and cook for another 4-5 minutes. Add broth, a generous sprinkling of sea salt and pepper, and thyme. Cover, bring to a boil, then reduce to medium heat for 7-10 minutes until the veggies can easily be mashed with a fork.  Add veggie soup to the pureed cauliflower and adjust seasonings as necessary.

Other Great Related Posts:

Carrot-Ginger Soup

Moroccan Lamb Stew

Download a 3 Day Sample of the Seasonal Meal Plan (free!)

If you make this soup, I want to know. Leave a note in the comments below- or just say hi! They make me happy.