Frugal Food: Cauliflower Soup

There’s nothing better than a bowl of creamy and warming soup to keep you full during those colder autumnal months. But when you’re trying to keep food costs down, it can be tricky to find the right types of soup to make.

Enter the humble cauliflower! Well known for its multiple uses, such as cauliflower rice, cauliflower cheese, and even pizza bases, we’re going back to basics and creating a simple cauliflower soup – packed to the brim with goodness and flavour.

Serve with crusty bread to make it a proper meal and keep you full for longer.

Serves 4    –    Prep time 10 mins    –    Cooking time 30 mins

Ingredients

• 1 large cauliflower, cut into florets
• ½ tbsp of ground cumin
• 2 tbsp of olive oil
• 1 tsp of dried thyme
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 1 celery stick, finely diced
• 1 – 2 garlic cloves, minced (dependent on how much you prefer)
• 750ml of vegetable stock
• 100ml of single cream
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 220C / 200C fan / gas mark 7. Prepare your cauliflower by cutting into equal sized florets and place on a roasting tray. Drizzle 1 tbsp olive oil over, as well as the cumin and thyme. Mix together and then roast in the oven for around 15 mins, or until the cauliflower looks golden
2. Whilst the cauliflower is cooking, finely dice the onion and celery stick. In a pan, heat the remaining olive oil and fry the onion and celery for around 10 mins on a medium heat, until softened. Add the minced garlic, stir through, and cook for another minute
3. Keep four or five smaller florets of the cooked cauliflower for the end, and place the remaining cauliflower in the pan with the onions, celery, and garlic. Stir through, then add the stock to the pan and simmer. Cook the mixture for 10 minutes
4. Using either a hand blender or food processor, blitz the soup into a smooth mixture. Add the cream and seasoning, depending on how you prefer the taste
5. Pour into bowls and add the cooked florets on top to garnish. Serve with crusty bread and butter – and enjoy.