Quick and Easy Velvety Vegetable Soup

Cauliflower soup with fennel adds depth to this dinner. Photo by Christine Willmsen

This is a healthy, yet rich tasting soup that takes minutes to cook and has only a couple of ingredients. We often crave something hot and filling during these cold nights, so this soup hits the spot. Cauliflower is a powerful vegetable known for its vitamin C and K. I added fennel to the soup for a twist that gives a hint of licorice flavor. To ensure any soup maintains a flawless white color, use white pepper. This will make two bowls of soup, because we always want seconds when it’s this good.

You’ll be shocked there’s no butter or cream in this decadent dinner when you taste it. Enjoy it with a glass of Sauvignon Blanc.

Hot in the Kitchen – Cauliflower Fennel Soup

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons of olive oil

1 small head of cauliflower cut into large chunks

1/2 cup chicken broth or water

3 green onions chopped

1 teaspoon white pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon garlic paste

1/2 cup sliced fennel or half of a fennel bulb with center core removed

1/4 cup whole milk

1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh or dried chives

In a medium pot, heat olive oil to medium high heat. Add cauliflower, chicken broth and green onions. Sprinkle in white pepper, salt and garlic paste and stir ingredients. Boil ingredients for five minutes. Add fennel and continue to cook at medium heat for five minutes. Put all ingredients into a blender such as a
VitaMix and add 1/4 cup milk. Blend on variable speed for 15 seconds and then on high for 15 seconds. If using a blender, mix ingredients until thick and whipped.  Serve in a bowl and sprinkle chives on top.

For vegetarian soup substitute water for the chick broth.

Cheers

Christine