Cauliflower Soup with Potatoes and Chickpeas
February 28, 2022 • Soup, Vegetables
It’s been two full years since the pandemic swung our lives for a loop. For that entire two years, I’ve been uber-cautious and vigilant about staying safe. I’ve masked up, avoided indoor dining, and eschewed large group gatherings. I have both of my vaccines plus a booster. Yet somehow, despite ALL of that care taken, I woke up the day after Christmas sick and tested positive for COVID.
I won’t share my outburst – you can imagine what I said. The next day I did what I always do for comfort: I cooked, this soup to be exact. It might sound strange to do this while sick, but this is a very simple recipe that I threw together and then slurped on the couch while binge watching Maid. It’s darn good soup, really good, whether you are sick or not. The recipe makes a big batch so freeze in smaller containers for later. If you’re vegetarian, just omit the bacon on top (but please don’t if you eat meat as the bacon is sooooo good on top!). If you’re vegan, omit the cream as well.
- 1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 1½ pounds cauliflower florets (I used orange, but any will work)
- 1 14-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and rained
- 1 onion, roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
- Chicken stock or water
- 1 cup heavy cream (optional, but worth the calories!)
- Dried potato flakes, for thickening if needed
- Salt and pepper
- Crisp bacon crumbles, for garnish
- Chopped scallions or chives, for garnish
- Place the potatoes, cauliflower, chickpeas, onion, and thyme into a large soup pot. Cover with stock or water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until everything is soft, about 20 to 30 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and puree with a stick blender. Add the cream and return to a simmer to heat the cream and thicken the soup. If it's still a little thin, stir in some dried potato flakes, a little at a time, until you achieve the desired thickness. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve in big soup bowls and garnish liberally with bacon crumbles and scallions. Freeze leftovers.