WHITE BEAN SOUP WITH LEEKS AND ROASTED CAULIFLOWER

Name: WHITE BEAN SOUP WITH LEEKS AND ROASTED CAULIFLOWER
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 1 medium cauliflower, trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces; 3 tablespoons olive oil; Coarse salt; 3 leeks, white parts only, chopped; 2 stalks celery, diced; 2 shallots, thinly sliced; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 3 cups (540 g) cooked navy, Great Northern, or cannellini beans, or 2 (15-oz, or 425-g) cans, drained and rinsed; 6 cups (1.4 L) low-sodium vegetable broth; 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves, or 2 teaspoons; dried rosemary; 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, or 1½ teaspoons dried thyme; 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage, or 1 teaspoon dried sage; 2 bay leaves; 1 teaspoon salt; ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice; vegan parmesan, plus more for topping OR ¼ cup (60 ml) Cheesy Hemp Seed Topping (see this page)

4 steps

Roasting the caulif l ower before adding it to this creamy soup results in surprising depth of fl avor. Just pop the caulif l ower in the oven before you begin chopping the remaining ingredients, and by the time the broth is ready, the caulif l ower should be, too. I love the richness of this soup and think it’s perfect for cold winter nights. For a comforting and well-rounded meal, pair it with a fresh green salad and toast.

Updated at: Thu, 17 Aug 2023 04:03:50 GMT

Nutrition balance score

Great

Glycemic Index

Low

Glycemic Load

Low

Nutrition per serving

Calories215.1 kcal (11%)

Total Fat9.5 g (14%)

Carbs27.2 g (10%)

Sugars3.9 g (4%)

Protein8.6 g (17%)

Sodium894.1 mg (45%)

Fiber5.9 g (21%)

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Ingredients

6 servings

1cauliflower

medium, trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces

3 tablespoonsolive oil

coarse salt

3leeks

white parts only, chopped

540gnavy beans

cooked, great northern, or cannellini, drained and rinsed

6 cupslow-sodium vegetable broth

2 tablespoonsfresh rosemary leaves

chopped

dried rosemary

1 tablespoonfresh thyme leaves

or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme

1 tablespoonfresh sage

chopped

2bay leaves

1 teaspoonsalt

¼ teaspoonfreshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoonsfreshly squeezed lemon juice

vegan parmesan

plus more for topping OR 1/4 cup Cheesy Hemp Seed Topping

Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, toss the caulif l ower with 2 tablespoons of the oil until evenly coated. Spread the caulif l ower on the lined baking sheet and sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until browned, stirring once halfway through baking.

Step 2

Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the leeks, celery, and shallots and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 to 7 minutes, until the leeks are translucent and the celery is tender. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.

Step 3

Stir in the beans, broth, rosemary, thyme, sage, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes while the caulif l ower fi nishes roasting so that the beans can absorb fl avor.

Step 4

Remove the bay leaves and stir in the caulif l ower. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup, or puree it in batches in a standard blender and return it to the pot. Stir in the lemon juice and hemp seed topping. If the soup is thicker than you’d like, stir in a bit of water to achieve the desired consistency. Taste and adjust the seasonings if desired. Serve piping hot, with as much extra hemp seed topping as you like!