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Warm & Rosy

2019-11-19 By Maggie Leave a Comment

Creamy Cauliflower Soup with Kale Pesto and Rye Breadcrumbs

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Cauliflower Soup with Kale Pesto and Rye breadcrumbs — warmandrosy.com
Cauliflower Soup with Kale Pesto and Rye breadcrumbs — warmandrosy.com

Cauliflower soup is like a hug in a bowl, with its silky texture and mild creaminess enveloping you in warmth and comfort. As winter approaches (all too rapidly) I crave foods that warm and nourish me from within, and this creamy cauliflower soup with kale pesto and rye breadcrumbs does just that. Make yourself a pot and cozy up with a bowl (or two).

Cauliflower will never be a replacement for rice or pizza crust for me. No offense to those who believe it is a miracle stand-in for all carbohydrates. I do love it when used more traditionally in soups or curries or simply roasted (especially in this salad), but it can often fall flat in terms of flavor. This recipe averts that misfortune with the additions of lemon and a zippy kale pesto swirled in before serving. You could certainly use store-bought pesto or prep the pesto in advance to streamline the prep. Potatoes add a bit of substance to the soup and half and half or cashew cream enhances the creaminess. The result is a simple yet nuanced soup with perfectly balanced flavor and texture. Speaking of texture, those rye breadcrumbs add that crunch factor I crave to contrast pureed soups. They are more like a hybrid crouton-breadcrumb. You can use any type of bread you wish, but the flavor of rye pairs nicely with the soup here.

Are you feeling that pre-holiday jolt of anxiety yet? Somehow it’s mid-November and we’ve reached that point in the year where time seems to speed up and pressure to fit everything in mounts. In an effort to simplify this season and actually enjoy it, I’m trying to get ahead of the holiday hustle by slowly getting some shopping done over the next two weeks, prepping meal components on the weekends to lean on during the week and generally not taking on too much or taking the holidays too seriously. And keeping food simple — like this soup. Serve it with more bread, a big salad and maybe some cheese, and you’ve got yourself a winner of a meal.

Stay cozy! Xo Maggie

Cauliflower Soup with Kale Pesto and Rye breadcrumbs — warmandrosy.com
Cauliflower Soup with Kale Pesto and Rye breadcrumbs — warmandrosy.com
Cauliflower Soup with Kale Pesto and Rye breadcrumbs — warmandrosy.com
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Creamy Cauliflower Soup with Kale Pesto and Rye Breadcrumbs

  • Author: Maggie
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
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Ingredients

For the soup:
  • 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 sprig each thyme and rosemary
  • 1 head cauliflower (about 2lb whole), cored and cut into 1 inch florets
  • 4 medium yukon gold potatoes (about 1 lb), peeled and diced
  • 3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1 lemon, zested and juiced
  • 1/2 cup half and half or cashew cream — see note
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
Kale Pesto
  • 1/3 cup walnuts, toasted
  • 3 large handfuls of kale (about 3 large stalks, stems removed)
  • 3 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • Pinch freshly ground pepper
  • 1/4 cup grated parmesan (optional)
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Rye Breadcrumbs
  • 4 slices rye bread, roughly torn and crumbled into pieces
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 tbsp grated parmesan cheese

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and a pinch of salt and pepper and cook for a few minutes until starting to soften. Add garlic and cook for a minute more, taking care not to burn the garlic. Add potatoes, cauliflower, thyme and rosemary sprigs, another pinch of salt and pepper and the broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, cover pot and cook until cauliflower and potatoes are tender — about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and add the lemon zest, juice and half and half (or cashew cream). To puree the soup, use an immersion blender straight in the pot or transfer the mixture to a blender, taking care to vent the lid to allow steam to escape. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper as desired.
  3. Meanwhile, make the pesto. Place toasted walnuts, kale, salt, pepper, lemon juice and parmesan in a food processor or blender. Pulse until a coarse mixture forms. With the processor/blender running, slowly drizzle in olive oil until smooth.
  4. Toast the breadcrumbs. Place torn bread onto a baking sheet. Toss with the olive oil and toast for approximately 15 minutes, until nicely browned and crispy. Remove from the oven and toss with freshly grated parmesan (optional) and a small pinch of salt.
  5. To serve, ladle the soup into bowls, top with a dollop of pesto (gently swirling it with a spoon for a pretty effect) and sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Some fresh parsley and more lemon zest is a nice touch, too. Serve with extra breadcrumbs and pesto. Enjoy!

Notes

For a dairy-free option, replace the half and half with cashew cream. Cashew cream was a revelation when I had to go dairy-free for a year, and I still like to use it for its ultra-creamy consistency. To make, soak 1/2 cup raw cashews in boiling water for at least 1 hour and up to overnight. Drain and place in a high-speed blender with 1/4 cup water and a pinch of salt. Blend on high until smooth and creamy. Add more water if you want a thinner consistency.

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Filed Under: Food & Drink, Soups + Stews Tagged With: autumn, cauliflower, fall, kale, pesto, soup, vegetarian, winter

Previous Post: « Stuffed Acorn Squash with Quinoa, Chickpeas + Maple Tahini Dressing
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About Warm & Rosy

Hello! Welcome to Warm & Rosy - a cozy space dedicated to nourishing food and clean living. I'm Maggie - a new mother and lawyer-on-hiatus with a passion for delicious food that nurtures body and mind. Here you will find flavorful recipes that take advantage of nutrient-dense, whole food ingredients and the season's bounty. I also share musings on modern motherhood and relaxed advice for living a nontoxic lifestyle. Read More…

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Instagram post 2185860095175579378_4473410053 A study in contrasts — sweet + savory /// light + dark ✨ This wintry light is my favorite. As is toast.
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Spelt sourdough two ways: 1) PB + banana + honey + flaky salt + cinnamon + pecans & 2) Avocado + EVOO + nutritional yeast + furikake seasoning + sumac ✨✨
Instagram post 2182272293884270583_4473410053 My weekly cranberry sauce, for topping oatmeal, dolloping on PB toast, swirling into yogurt and, sure, serving at Thanksgiving. Cranberry sauce is my jam...like literally, I use it like jam. 😋
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Here’s my recipe: 4 heaping cups fresh cranberries (mine come in a 1 quart box), 1.5 cups apple cider, zest of 1 orange, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 inch knob ginger peeled and grated, 1/4 cup raw sugar (I like it tart — add more if you wish) >>> simmer until cranberries are broken down and the mixture has thickened, about 20 min >>> stir in 3 tbsp orange juice. Enjoy!
Instagram post 2180785794487516953_4473410053 Creamy cauliflower soup + kale pesto and rye breadcrumbs — what I want to eat over and over these days, preferably with a giant hunk of sourdough and a well-appointed cheese board in the vicinity. Recipe link in bio — it’s a good one, simple yet nuanced with perfectly balanced flavor and texture. Stay cozy ✨
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About W & R

Hello! Welcome to Warm & Rosy – a cozy space dedicated to healthfully indulgent food and stylishly nontoxic living. Read More…

Instagram

Instagram post 2195271794223784668_4473410053 Our weekday mornings tend to be frantic, emotionally-charged mini dramas during which we struggle to get out the door before 8:30 despite having been up since 5 🤪 I’ve been making a large batch of my muesli mix with coconut, dates and apricot every couple of weeks, and it’s become my saving grace amidst the insanity. It is muesli that is well on its way to becoming granola — lightly sweetened, kissed with good fat and toasted to perfection. It is adaptable and can be served cold, hot or soaked overnight — a sanity saver for hectic mornings. Recipe link in bio. ✨
Instagram post 2192366012750744123_4473410053 That drizzle 🌧 ✨  This is the creamy, dreamy dressing I can’t stop making: 1/4 cup tahini, 2 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 2 tsp maple syrup, 3/4 tsp sea salt, pinch of pepper, 2-4 tbsp water. Drizzle with abandon atop salads, grains, roasted veggies, etc.
Instagram post 2191642520828932256_4473410053 If you look closely you will see fried capers in there 👀 What isn’t improved by fried capers? Recipe link in bio for this roasted cauliflower + radicchio + crispy caper + meyer lemon salad 🍋
Instagram post 2190230534802950422_4473410053 It’s the first snow day of the season + we’re feeling very festive 🌲 (and stir crazy.) If you, too, are stuck in doors and maybe doing some online shopping, I just posted a rather extensive gift guide with lots of unique gifts and a focus on sustainability. Link in bio.
Instagram post 2186572872160794630_4473410053 Transform leftover cranberry sauce into something even better — these Cranberry Ginger Crumble Bars ✨ Make extra cranberry sauce for tomorrow and then make these on Friday while fantasizing about all of the things you might have said on Thanksgiving re: politics instead of biting your tongue.🙊Recipe link in bio, along with the recipe for my easy cranberry sauce that works really well for these bars. Happy Thanksgiving!
Instagram post 2185860095175579378_4473410053 A study in contrasts — sweet + savory /// light + dark ✨ This wintry light is my favorite. As is toast.
.
Spelt sourdough two ways: 1) PB + banana + honey + flaky salt + cinnamon + pecans & 2) Avocado + EVOO + nutritional yeast + furikake seasoning + sumac ✨✨
Instagram post 2182272293884270583_4473410053 My weekly cranberry sauce, for topping oatmeal, dolloping on PB toast, swirling into yogurt and, sure, serving at Thanksgiving. Cranberry sauce is my jam...like literally, I use it like jam. 😋
.
Here’s my recipe: 4 heaping cups fresh cranberries (mine come in a 1 quart box), 1.5 cups apple cider, zest of 1 orange, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 inch knob ginger peeled and grated, 1/4 cup raw sugar (I like it tart — add more if you wish) >>> simmer until cranberries are broken down and the mixture has thickened, about 20 min >>> stir in 3 tbsp orange juice. Enjoy!
Instagram post 2180785794487516953_4473410053 Creamy cauliflower soup + kale pesto and rye breadcrumbs — what I want to eat over and over these days, preferably with a giant hunk of sourdough and a well-appointed cheese board in the vicinity. Recipe link in bio — it’s a good one, simple yet nuanced with perfectly balanced flavor and texture. Stay cozy ✨
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