Temperatures are in the single digits and snow is on the ground, which means it’s officially soup season. I love picking up a crusty baguette from Good Mansion, some fresh greens from Public Market and calling soup a meal. This roasted cauliflower soup is great as a starter or a main. This vegan dish is cozy and comforting, making it easy to serve for a crowd when you don’t know everyone’s dietary preferences. It gets a deliciously creamy texture from the potatoes and olive oil. 

With more snow in the forecast this week, you’ll want to whip up a batch of this soup to keep you warm and satisfied while you enjoy the snowfall from inside.

Roasted Cauliflower and Potato Soup 

makes 6 – 8 servings

Ingredients:

½ head cauliflower – cut into florets

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp salt 

1 tsp pepper

1 head of garlic *

4 tablespoons good quality extra virgin olive oil 

1 medium onion, sliced thin

3 medium-sized yellow potatoes, peeled and sliced into quarters

6 cups vegetable stock

1 sprig of fresh rosemary

Chives, minced (optional garnish)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. In a small mixing bowl add the florets of cauliflower. Mix the paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper and using your hands coat it over the cauliflower well.  Use about 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and mix with the cauliflower. Take a piece of aluminum foil and place the head of garlic on it, drizzle with a bit of olive oil and wrap garlic with the foil.
3. Place the seasoned cauliflower on a baking tray. Place the foil-wrapped garlic on the same tray. Roast at 350°F for 20-30 minutes, until the cauliflower is lightly browned and the garlic is soft and fragrant. 
4. In a stock pot on the stove heat about 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the sliced onion. Sweat the onion for a few minutes so it softens and becomes translucent but not browned.  
5. Add 4 cloves of the roasted garlic, roasted cauliflower, potatoes, vegetable stock and rosemary to the pot. Cover and simmer on low until the potatoes are easily pierced. 
6. Remove the rosemary stem. Using a blender (stand or immersion), puree the soup until it’s creamy and smooth. 
7. To serve, drizzle the top of the soup with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of chopped chives. Minced parsley works as a garnish too. You can also used an infused olive oil for more flavor, like a spicy chile olive oil.

*You’ll be left with some roasted garlic, which is also delicious smothered on the bread that you might serve with this soup. Or you can throw it in the blender with your favorite vinegar, a splash of citrus, salt and olive oil to make a quick and tasty vinaigrette for a big salad on the side. 

• Melissa Rebholz was born and raised in Buffalo, New York, to a Sicilian/German family. She grew up in a household revolving around food. In 2007, a summer of volunteering for GrowNYC (New York City’s Farmer’s Markets) led her down the path to culinary school at The Natural Gourmet Institute and 10 subsequent years of farming from Long Island to Sonoma to Tennessee. Working simultaneously in kitchens to support her farming habit, Melissa migrated back to the rustbelt in October of 2019 to help Grow Ohio Valley open the Public Market as the head chef. Her hobbies include foraging, baking, dinner parties and exploring her new home of Wheeling, West Virginia.