Cauliflower and Gouda Soup

Cauliflower and cheese pair well for a great winter soup, providing plenty of richness and warmth. Often times, it’s made with cheddar, but we opted to use gouda for a nice, toasty flavor. Depending on what’s available at the market, you can use either fresh or frozen cauliflower. Serve with a salad and a slice of crusty French bread for a complete meal.

Cauliflower and Gouda Soup

Cauliflower and Gouda Soup

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Instead of the more traditional cheddar, this cauliflower and cheese soup uses gouda, a smooth-melting cheese with a toasty flavor and creamy texture.
Yield: 4 servings
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 40 minutes
Total: 1 hour
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Ingredients

  • 1 onion
  • 2 carrots
  • 2 celery stalks
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 6 cups cauliflower florets
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • Salt and ground white pepper to taste
  • 1 bayleaf
  • 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 cups grated gouda cheese
  • 1 teaspoon mustard, Dijon-style or English
  • 1/4 cup half-and-half
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 sprig fresh rosemary, chopped coarsley
  • 2 to 3 thin slices of prosciutto, julienned

Instructions

  • Roughly chop the onion, carrots, celery and garlic and combine with the cauliflower, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and salt and pepper in a large soup pot. Cook over medium heat until vegetables start to soften and onions become translucent, about 10 to 15 minutes.
  • Add the bay leaf and chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for 15 to 20 minutes.
  • Remove the bay leaf and purée the soup until smooth with a hand-held immersion blender, or a conventional blender (see tip below).
  • Just prior to serving the soup, stir in the gouda, mustard, half-and-half and butter. Taste and season with salt and pepper again if needed. Continue cooking until the cheese has melted and the soup is smooth, 1 to 2 minutes.
  • In a small pan, heat remaining tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat and quickly fry the rosemary and prosciutto until crispy and aromatic.
  • Divide soup into bowls and garnish with the rosemary and prosciutto.

Tips for Making This Recipe

Substitutions:

You can easily substitute bacon or pancetta for the prosciutto, as well as cheddar in place of the gouda, if you prefer. If you want a richer, thicker soup, feel free to add more grated gouda.

Cooking Tip:

When using a conventional blender to purée hot soup, allow the soup to cool a little first and work in batches, never filling the blender much beyond the halfway mark.
Author: Lynne Webb
Course: Soups
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cauliflower soup, cheese soup, toasted cheese soup
Calories: 454kcal, Carbohydrates: 20g, Protein: 26g, Fat: 33g, Saturated Fat: 15g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 16g, Cholesterol: 74mg, Sodium: 801mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 9g
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