Cheesy Feet Soup
Cauliflower has had a bit of a resurgence of late. When we all discovered only a few short years ago that it could be blitzed into a faux rice I am certain that cauliflower farmers starting jumping with glee. Thing is I used to hate cauliflower, because it was only ever served boiled, which is kind of strange to me now as its one of the most popular ingredients on this blog. As a child I was sometimes lucky enough to try it smothered under cheese (which I recently reminisced upon with a revamped cauliflower cheese), but these days I’m enjoy eating it all sorts of ways. I’ve eaten it blitzed into rice for a fake sushi, toasted for a tabbouleh, pan-fried as a curry accompaniment, mashed in with other soft veg as a pie topping and I eat it roasted all the time. I had previously thought roasting cauliflower was the best way of enjoying it, but am delighted to add another accolade to its list; Its blinking great in soup.
I was inspired to make this cashew cream cauliflower soup after trying My New Roots’ Broccoli soup. I haven’t made that many changes to the recipe other than switching broccoli for cauliflower because its already such a wonderful recipe, as well as reducing the cream as the recipe makes far too much and nuts aren’t cheap. I’ve tried it with and without the nutritional yeast and have to confess that Sarah got this right. The yeast is a great addition to the flavour. What is it though?
Nutritional yeast is a yeast! Its often used in vegetarian and vegan diets as it is a source (all be it a trace source) of Bvitamins, particularly B12 usually only found in animal products. On its own it is flakey and smells like cheesy feet, but It has performed a miracle and turned this soup into something I want to eat time and time again. The soup tastes like a blended bowl of cauliflower cheese – no really it does! Cheesy feet smell be gone!
I’ve been serving this on retreats since the beginning of 2016 and it was the starer at Yin Yang Yum supper club this past weekend. Thumbs up all round from 37 diners so far, and not one complaint or notice of cheesy feet.
I realise the truffles are an extravagant touch, but why not. Cauliflower is such a humble and useful veg it deserves a bit of expensive sparkle. If your budget is more modest try chilli flakes instead for a pop of red, or chop some herbs with oil and lemon juice for a fancy pistou.
- 150g Cashews, soaked for 4 hours
- 600mls water
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
- ½ tbs coconut oil
- ½ tsp sea slat
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 litres vegetable stock
- 30g nutritional yeast flakes
- 2 cauliflower, chopped into florets
- 1 tbs lemon juice
- sea salt to taste
- Truffles, and fresh parsley
- Drain cashews and and rinse thoroughly to get rid of any slimy residue.
- Place cashews in a blender (I use my froothie), add the garlic, lemon juice and salt and blend on the highest setting until completely smooth. Pour into a bowl and set aside. No need to rinse the blender as you will be using it again shortly.
- Heat a tbs of coconut oil in a large saucepan. Saute the onions with a pinch of salt for around 5 minutes until softened before adding the garlic for a further 30 seconds. Next add the stock, bring to a boil and then add all the cauliflower florets to the pan. Add a lid and allow to simmer for 5 minutes till they are fork tender.
- Add the nutritional yeast to the pan then transfer the soup to the same blender you used for the cashews along with ⅔ of the cashew cream (you will need to do this in batches) and blend on the highest setting until velvety smooth. Pour back into the saucepan, then add the lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. I always like more lemon juice in my soup to bring out flavour rather than adding salt.
- To serve, pour the soup into bowl, and garnish with a drizzle of the left over cashew cream, some fresh truffle, cracked black pepper and parsley leaves.
I made this soup in my high powered Optimum 9400 high speed blender, which helps create such a wonderfully smooth texture. If you don’t have a high powered blender a hand held immersion blender will do, but won’t be as silky smooth. Any left over cashew cream can be used in place of single cream in your favourite recipes. How about my radicchio and walnut spaghetti for starters?
Have you ever tried nutritional yeast? Here are some other ways to try it; Dehydrated ‘cheese’ and onion kale chips, Tofu scramble (or put it with eggs, which is what I would do as I won’t do tofu, incredible cauliflower mash.
Disclosure: I am now an ambassador for Froothie and some links in this article may be affiliate links. The above product reviews is, as always based on my honest opinion. If you’d like to know more about Froothie health products, or this machine in particular, please visit the Froothie Website for more details. Any purchases made through this/these link(s) are at no extra cost to you but give Natural Kitchen Adventures a small commission. Thanks!
This soup is right up my street, I am loving cauliflower at the moment and could do with a big bowl of warming soup right now. Pinning for later! x
Thanks Lucy! Cauliflower is so wonderfully versatile isn’t it! Love.
I love cauliflower, especially as rice (although last night my husband did ask if there’s any chance of having some ‘normal’ rice again one day ha!) Do you think I’ve overdone it?! Anyway, I just wish it didn’t make the house so smelly afterwards. Must try nutritional yeast.
Lol to your husband. He has a point – sometimes real rice is needed. It does smell though you’re right!
I do a vaguely similar broccoli recipe but without the nooch (I started making it before I knew about nooch!) and with basil in it. I do like me some nooch though and this really looks very very good indeed, Ceri. The truffle garnish is making me practically swoon. Love truffles. I managed to find some last year with a foraging expert friend so they are very special to me now. Lovely xx
Ooh Nooch – didn’t know it was called that too. I’d love to go truffle hunting – sounds such fun! Thanks Kellie x
I love the sound of this! I have to confess to being rather unsure of nutritional yeast. It seems rather processed and fake, but I really miss having cheese so have been tempted to give it a go in things! I have been enjoying Sarah Wilson’s broccoli soup this week…really thick and creamy (without any cream or nuts) with a delicious lemon tang. Mmmm.
Thanks Vicki. I have been unsure of it for a while too, as I said. But rather like it in soup. Its not going to be something I start eating every day but every now and then is good. I do love and eat cheese too, just good to get a variety in and practice a variety of skills for my clients. Sarah’s soup sounds ace!
Your soup looks beautifully smooth Ceri. I used to make a really good one with wasabi, but for some reason I’ve sort of forgotten about it. Interesting that you used nutritional yeast. I bought a big tub of it recently for the first time and am now at a bit of a loss as to what to do with it. This soup seems like a good start.
I’m not a great one for tofu either and use it only occasionally. I much prefer tempheh, especially if it’s made with broad beans. Is it soya you object to, or you just don’t like tofu?
Thank you Choclette, wow wasabi in soup sounds like a brilliant idea! Must try that. The soy debate is a long and conplicated one, I have been taught from many of my nutrition lectures that soy is not good for us – it can be a hormone disruptor, and is often GMO. Though fermented soy like miso and tempeh, and tamari is less worrying so I do use these from time to time (I also can’t stand the taste of tofu so the nutritional aspect bothers me not at all!)
This looks so silky smooth Ceri. I bet it tastes divine.
Thanks Stuart! Yes froothie to the rescue – its so smooth!