Creamy Tomato and Cauliflower Soup

Cauliflower and tomato were a common pairing in the Indian-style food I cooked at Tabla, but this recipe was born out of a desire to merge two of my favorite American soups: cream of cauliflower and cream of tomato. This is an easy one-pot meal that you can serve with Parmesan croutons (which you’ll find in the Heirloom Tomato Panzanella), but I also love it with a grilled cheese sandwich. It freezes well, too, so make a double batch and save some for a cold winter day.

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% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Crush the tomatoes in a bowl with your hands.

Step 2

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the onions and a big pinch of salt and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are very soft, 5 to 7 minutes. (The onions shouldn’t take on any color; lower the heat if they begin to brown.) Add the garlic and cook until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, cauliflower, and water. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook over low heat until the cauliflower is very tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the crème fraîche.

Step 3

Blend the soup until smooth, either with an immersion blender or by transferring to a standing blender. Wipe out the saucepan and pass the soup through a fine-mesh strainer back into the pan, pressing on the solids. Stir in the vinegar and season the soup to taste with salt and more vinegar, if needed. Divide among bowls and garnish each with chives, black pepper, a drizzle of olive oil, and Parmesan croutons. Serve.

Step 4

The Takeaway By adding cauliflower and pureeing the heck out of it, you can make cream of tomato soup with very little dairy. (I add a little crème fraîche for extra richness, but you can turn this into a vegan-friendly soup by skipping the dairy altogether.) Cauliflower won’t overpower most vegetable-based soups, so keep this trick in mind anytime you’re making a pureed soup.