Fresh Cauliflower Soup THM FP

Fresh Cauliflower Soup Made in the Instant Pot

A creamy soup made with a large head of fresh cauliflower. So what’s the secret to the best-tasting and creamiest cauliflower soup you’ve ever eaten? Under-cook some of the cauliflower—and overcook the rest.  And it’s so easy to make and do in the Instant Pot!

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When preparing your cauliflower be sure to thoroughly trim the cauliflower’s core of green leaves and leaf stems, which can be fibrous and contribute to a grainy texture in your soup.

Ingredients

1 head cauliflower (2 – 2 1/2  pounds), washed and trimmed
1 medium onion, halved and sliced thin
Freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon THM Himalayan High Mineral Salt
1/4 teaspoon of organic garlic powder
5 – 6 cups of chicken broth or homemade bone broth
2 tablespoons of Trim Healthy Nutritional Yeast
3 tablespoons minced fresh chives or parsley for garnish

Optional Ingredients

Xantham Gum
3 wedges of Light Laughing Cow Cheese (for a THM FP)
Crumbled Turkey Bacon Bits for garnish

Instructions

1. Pull off outer leaves of cauliflower and trim stem. Using paring knife, cut around core to remove; thinly slice core and reserve for step 2.  Cut remaining cauliflower crosswise into 1/2-inch thick slices.
2. Peel and slice onion. Place onion in the bottom of the Instant Pot liner.  Add salt, garlic powder and a few turns of freshly ground pepper. Add the thinly sliced cauliflower core. Top with cauliflower slices. Place liner in the Instant Pot.
3. Pour in the chicken stock (bone broth) over the cauliflower slices.
4. Lock the lid in place, set to sealing.
5. Hit [Manual] reduce time to 1 minute. When the pot beeps immediately do a QPR (quick pressure release).
6. Unlock the lid and remove about 1 to 1 1/2 cups of cauliflower (approximately 1/2 of large slice). Set aside
7. Lock the lid back into place, set to sealing. Hit [Manual] reduce time to 1 minute. When the pot beeps immediately do a QPR (quick pressure release).  Once the pressure has released, remove lid.
8. Either ladle the cauliflower with some broth into a Vitamix 64 ounce container or use a stick blender and puree right in the liner. I like to use my Cuisinart Stick Blender because it makes for less clean up. Blend until very smooth. If using the Light Laughing Cow Cheese add to your soup along with the nutritional yeast and blend until smooth.
9. Once your soup puree is smooth chop your reserved cauliflower into small, spoon size pieces and add back into your soup. Taste and season with additional salt or pepper if needed.
10. To serve garnish with chopped chives or parley and turkey bacon crumbles.

Traditional Cooking Instructions

This method will be a creamy soup with no small cauliflower pieces.

1. Pull off outer leaves of cauliflower and trim stem. Using paring knife, cut around core to remove; thinly slice core and reserve for step 3.  Cut remaining cauliflower crosswise into 1/2-inch thick slices.
2. Add your sliced onion and salt to a large kettle along with some broth about 1/2 cup. Cook over medium heat until the onion turns translucent, about 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently.
3. Increase heat to medium-high; add 5 cups of broth, sliced core, and half of sliced cauliflower; and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer gently for 15 minutes. Add remaining sliced cauliflower, return to simmer, and continue to cook until cauliflower is tender and crumbles easily, 15 to 20 minutes longer. Add your nutritional yeast and cheese wedges if desired.
4. Process soup in a Vitamix blender until smooth, about 45 seconds or use a stick blender to puree right in the kettle. Simmer over medium heat, adjusting consistency with remaining broth as needed (soup should have thick, velvety texture but should be thin enough to settle with flat surface after being stirred). If you want a thicker consistency whisk in about 1/4 teaspoon of Xanthan gum.  Taste and season as needed.
5. Serve, garnishing individual bowls with chopped chive, parsley and turkey bacon bits.

Some of the products and tools that I used in this recipe.

NOTES: If using the Vitamix to puree your soup be sure to turn your Instant Pot off. If using the stick blender you can leave the pot in the keep warm mode.

Add about 1/4 teaspoon of xanthan gum to thicken the soup  if you prefer a thicker consistency.

For a hearty soup with a lean protein you can add leftover shredded chicken or turkey.

If you want to bump this soup up into an S mode simply blend 4 -8 ounces of cream cheese into your puree instead of the laughing cow wedges.