Warming, creamy (without any added cream), texture from those delicious toasted croutons, saltiness from some quality bacon lardons and a nice anise hit from the tarragon. I think it’s safe to say the look of this cauliflower bacon soup is enough to make you wanna dunk your spoon in ASAP!
WEATHER
Cold!!! That’s how I feel waking up in the morning these days. Freezing is how the “boss” feels, or so she says but she is always cold and overly dramatic too. Speaking of drama my nearly 3yr old certainly has a flare for it and in this regard she is 100% her mothers daughter! Truth is it could be worse, the weather that is. By 9am it’s a lovely 18c and I’m ready to put my shorts on it’s just the 6am starts that make me feel a little nippy. Heck though if I was back in NYC my winters would be a hell of a lot worse. I must be getting soft. So this bowl of cauliflower bacon soup is #perfect for us right now!
WHY I LOVE SOUP
1. Freezability
Most soup can be frozen. I prefer not to freeze soups that have added cream to them but this baby is creamy all on its own. Pop it in an airtight container and jobs done.
2. Cheap (ish)
Soup is typically cost effective. After all veg, stock and you are good to go! Well, unless you start adding caviar, truffle or lobster to your soup it’s essentially a cheap thing to make. The basis of soup is onion, garlic & a veg. I prefer chicken stock in mine but even water will work as long as you salt the soup and build flavors elsewhere.
3. Healthy
Soup is considered super healthy. That is unless you use coconut cream (which I like to do) or tons of cream soup is 100% healthy for you. Packed with veg it’s ultimately bowl of nutrients!
4. Warming
No better way to warm you up. Well that’s not totally true. There is also a fireplace, a sauna or a day in the sun on the beach is better BUT picture curling up on the couch, the fire lit and a bowl of this in your hands. Sounds pretty good, doesn’t it?
5. Flavour
As mentioned above the joy of soup is you can add and build layers of flavor easily. Think slow roasting the vegetables, maybe smoking some pumpkin or charring the cauliflower first. All these methods will add an extra dimension to the soup. Even easier a squeeze of citrus, some chili flakes, ginger or herbs and suddenly that carrot soup is well, worth heating up! Here in this cauliflower bacon soup it’s the addition of crispy bacon (and bacon fat) along with tarragon that takes the deliciousness up to a whole new level
6. Variety
This is the part I truly love with soup. The variety it offers. You can literally use anything. I’m big on using a vegetable base and adding meat or fish on top. Check out my corn coconut soup for a great example of taking a simple corn soup up a load of notches. The beauty of it is you can make your soup vegetarian friendly and then load it up at the end with meat and other exciting things. Stay tuned on the blog for many other soup options coming your way!
BACK TO CAULIFLOWER
Just in case you haven’t noticed I’m a fan of the stuff!! Check out my cauliflower & broccoli muffins if you are looking for a recipe that’s both delicious and toddler friendly - win win!
Cauliflower is considered a superfood - it is high in fiber, vitamins B & C along with containing many antioxidants and low in calories. No better time to add this beaut to your diet.
WINE PAIRING
This one is a beaut! I almost wanna pat myself on the back for how good this one is 😉 Given we are serving this soup as a starter (typically) and we have the heat in the house cranked up to about 26c every evening it allows me to enjoy another cracking white. This one is from The Lane Vineyards in South Australia. This was the first time I had drunk one of their whites and it defo won't be the last! Their aged Sauvignon/Semillon is one I picked up from winedirect.com.au - 2010 Semillon sounds EPIC but what about a 2010 sauvignon blanc?? Typically SB is drunk young, fresh, and acidic but the blend with Semillon (a wine great for aging) is outstanding.
The wine is a beautiful golden colour, rich in body with notes of barley, tea, pineapple, and honey too. It's dry upfront with the acidity coming through nicely at the finish. A wine that is probably drinking at its peak now - defo one I would recommend getting hold of and enjoying over the next 6 or so months. It pairs beautifully with the creaminess of the cauliflower and the fattiness of the bacon too. A group of 4 of us liked it so much we cracked open the 2nd bottle once the soup was finished and enjoyed it whilst yours truly slaved away in the kitchen...........
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Happy Cooking and Happy Eating Friends!!
Ingredients
- 1 brown onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- 750 g cauliflower chopped
- 1 liter stock chicken or veg
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 knob butter
- 10 leaves tarragon
- salt
- pepper
Garnish
- tarragon leaves
- 100 g bacon lardons
- 50 g old bread torn or chopped into 2cm pieces
- bacon fat
Instructions
- On a medium heat add the oil & butter to saucepan and sweat the onion & garlic for 2 - 3 mins / until soft
- Add cauliflower and cook for a further 5 mins
- Add the stock, bring to simmer and cook for 10 mins
- Remove from heat, add tarragon and blend. Adjust seasoning as necessary
Garnish
- For the croutons - drizzle bread with a little olive oil and sprinkling of salt. Toast in oven for 6/8 mins until crispy
- Fry bacon on medium heat for about 5mins until crispy. Separate from bacon fat and set both aside
Notes
Essential Tools
- chef knives
- chopping board
- large saucepan
- frying pan
- baking tray
- hand blender/blender
- wooden spoon
Tips/Tricks
- croutons can be made in advance and will keep for up to a week in an airtight container - sprinkle with some herbs or chili flakes for some extra punch
- if you aren't a tarragon fan then thyme is a good substitution
- this soup freezes great so feel free to make double the amount and have some delicious lunch options ready to go
My new favourite soup! Perfect for the chilly weather we are having in Adelaide at the moment.
You know it! Brissie has suddenly become v winter-ish too ??
Surely I want to dunk in my spoon right now!
This has me craving cauliflower soup. I used to make it all the time a few years ago but haven't had it in a while. I love adding olive oil on top and a little nutmeg.
OMG yum, this is going to be one of my winter staples for sure I love bacon and cauliflower
You have completely changed my mind about cauliflower soup.I never used to be a huge fan but, wow, this sounds absolutely perfect.
I am definitely cooking this tomorrow! I love cauliflower and love soups so this is a no brainer for me. Thanks a lot.
These velvets are really delicious and a good substitute for pasta for a light diet!
This was outstanding! The flavors are amazing. I prepared exactly as directed with one exception.