Creamy Cauliflower-Cashew Soup
Published February 17, 2025
Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Monica Pierini.
- Total Time
- 1 hour 10 minutes
- Prep Time
- 10 minute
- Cook Time
- 1 hour
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
6 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for serving
1 large head cauliflower (about 1 ½ pounds), cut into 1-inch pieces
Salt and pepper
1 small tart apple, peeled, cored and cut into 1-inch pieces
3 medium shallots, thinly sliced
6 large garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon ground coriander
⅔ cup roasted, unsalted cashews
6 cups vegetable stock or water, plus more if needed
Chives, for serving
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
22 grams carbs; 287 calories; 14 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 21 grams fat; 5 grams fiber; 1030 milligrams sodium; 7 grams protein; 8 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Heat 4 tablespoons olive oil in a large, heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high. Add the cauliflower and cook, without stirring, until the layer of cauliflower in the bottom of the pot is browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and stir the cauliflower. Again, cook the cauliflower, without disturbing it, until the layer at the bottom of the pot is browned, another 2 to 3 minutes. Keep repeating until the cauliflower is uniformly browned, up to 15 minutes total.
- Step 2
Add another 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pot, then add the apple, shallots and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine and cook until the shallots are golden on the edges, 5 to 6 minutes.
- Step 3
Add the coriander and cashews and toss to combine. Add 6 cups stock, then bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Once the mixture is boiling, adjust the heat to medium-low, partially cover the pot and simmer until the cashews are softened, about 30 minutes.
- Step 4
Blend the soup with either an immersion blender or in a blender for a smoother texture. (If the soup feels too thick, stir in more stock or water to thin to your desired consistency, and season with salt to taste.)
- Step 5
Divide the soup among bowls, drizzle with additional olive oil and sprinkle with chives.
Private Notes
Comments
Healthful and tasty, this soup has a soft, velvety mouthfeel that makes it nice to eat. To cut cooking time, I boiled the cashews in 3 cups of broth (plus the coriander) while the cauliflower was cooking, then added the remaining 3 cups of broth when I combined all the ingredients in step 3.
Soup tasted a little gritty when blended with immersion blender. When I put it in the countertop blender, the color lightened, the texture smoothed and the result was excellent.
Great as this is, don’t limit yourself to just cauliflower. Fact is, using cashews to make soups creamy is a power tool technique!
This soup is a winner and so incredibly delicious. Served at a dinner party I had to practically swear on my grandmother's grave that it contained no cream or dairy. it's that good.
Loved this recipe! I followed it and only added a tablespoon of coarse Groninger mustard with the spices and some fresh lemon juice at the end
This was just ok, not great. The flavor was a little muted and dull. I think I’ll try adding some sautéed mushrooms or something crunchy, plus maybe some lime juice or hot sauce.