Roasted Cauliflower & White Cheddar Soup

Cauliflower is so cool now. I mean, for a vegetable that used to not be the cool kid, it certainly has turned its life around.

Just ask Pinterest. There you can find cauliflower-turned-pizza-crust. Or cauliflower that supposedly tastes exactly like rice! Allegedly.

Well, I made some soup with the vegetable. And it was really good.  I think it was good because I roasted the cauliflower.

I. Love. Roasted. Vegetables.

All of them.  Well, most of them.  Like roasted Brussels sprouts. We're really into those right now.

Anyway, this soup was really good. It doesn't boast any absurd claims, like a chocolate chip cookie made from cauliflower or anything. But that's okay. It just is a soup made with cauliflower, some other veggies, and finished with some half-and-half and cheese. Believe it or not, it was very delicious.

Oh, and I used fat-free half & half.  Whatever the heck that is.

I must say, though…not bad, my friends. Not bad.

Roasted Cauliflower & White Cheddar Soup
Adapted from Cooking Classy

1 head cauliflower
2 T olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
4 T butter
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 carrots, chopped or shredded
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
Heaping 1/4 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
3 cups chicken stock
2 cups milk (I used 1 cup fat-free half-and-half)
10 oz. white cheddar cheese, shredded

Break apart the cauliflower into florets, trimming the hard part of the stem off and discarding.  Spread the florets on a baking sheet and toss with the olive oil and salt and pepper. Roast in a 425 degree oven for about 20-25 minutes until it is tender and has some brown edges.

Meanwhile, heat the butter in a large pot. Add the celery, carrots and onion. Sauté for about 10 minutes over medium heat, stirring frequently, until tender. Add the garlic and cook another minute. Sprinkle the flour on top and stir, cooking for a minute. Add the salt & pepper.  Whisk in the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Simmer for about 5-10 minutes, stirring often.

Remove from the heat and add the roasted cauliflower, milk & cheddar. Stir to combine and to melt the cheese.

You can puree this soup for a finer texture. I used a hand blender and pulsed just a few times to break up some of the chunks but I didn't want it pureed into a smooth texture. It is also good just the way it is!