Cauliflower Cheese Soup

This is a lovely, filling soup, comforting and warm with some deep wintery flavours. Now the first part of the recipe where we roast the cauli is optional, but it really enhances the flavour of the soup, so only skip it if you really don't have time.

I made my soup using my Instant Pot Pro Crisp, which is an air fryer and a pressure cooker (I really wanted to try it out since it's new and I had only used the air fryer part once), but it is totally possible using an oven and a large saucepan.

As long as you check your stock, this recipe is gluten free and vegetarian. To make it vegan, swap out the cheddar cheese for a vegan alternative and maybe a bit of nutritional yeast to boost the flavour.

Ingredients

1 large cauliflower
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground paprika
salt and pepper to taste
1 large onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 can (400ml/14oz) coconut milk
1lt vegetable (or chicken if you don't mind it not being vegetarian) low sodium stock
150g shredded mature cheddar
1/2 tsp garlic powder (optional)

Instructions

Cut the cauliflower into medium sized florets, then cut each in half.
Mix the turmeric, paprika, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
In a large bowl add 1tbsp olive oil to the cauliflower and make sure it is all coated, then add the mixed spices and toss until each floret is covered.
Optional, but recommended - Roast the cauliflower: in the air fryer, place in the basket and roast at 200C (390F) for around 15 mins, giving it a shake at regular intervals, or until the edges of the cauli have browned nicely - in the oven, spread the cauli on a large baking sheet and pop it in at 220C (425F) and roast for 20 mins, turning the cauli ever 5 mins or so.
Chop the onion into medium sized pieces.
Sauté the onion: for an Instant Pot, press the saute option on high, for the hob, put a large saucepan over a med to high heat and add the other tbsp of olive oil with the onion. Cook the onion, stirring constantly until it is going golden, but not crisping on the edges.
Bruise and add the garlic cloves and cook for another minute until it is fragrant.
Add the cauliflower (if you would like, reserve some of the cauli as a garnish, but I totally forgot) to the pot and mix with the onion.
Add the coconut milk and the stock and stir to combine.
Cook until the onion is melting away and the cauli is so tender it is breaking up. Instant Pot - put on the lid, pressure cook for 10 min and do an instant pressure release. Hob - simmer for 15-20 mins.
Taste the soup, add more seasoning if necessary, but remember the cheese will add salt. I also added some garlic powder at this point because pressure cooking can mute garlic flavour.
Add the cheese to the pot and using a stick/immersion blender, blend the soup until it is smooth.

Serve with something crunchy sprinkled on top, or your reserved cauliflower as a garnish. Those little crunchy fake bacon bits would be really nice, or real crispy bacon, or croutons, or crunchy onions - the options are limitless.

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