Roasted Cauliflower Soup with Chickpea Croutons

Roasted Cauliflower Soup with Chickpea Croutons

A dear friend recently made me her version of this hearty and filling soup. I loved it so much I had to share it with all of you. Yes, my version calls for using Thai Yellow Curry Paste. Don’t balk at it. This is such a fabulous condiment to have in your refrigerator. It lasts a long, long time so you can buy it once and then leave it in there for when you happen to come across any other Thai-ish recipes you want to try. Thai Red Curry Paste tends to be a bit more popular and you could probably substitute it for the yellow paste in this recipe no problem. The reason I like the yellow paste is because it’s a bit milder and not quite as spicy. I tend to have better luck introducing my family to new flavors if they are subtle and this soup was seasoned perfectly for them. They all devoured it and it was fabulous in a thermos for lunch the next day. This is also a great recipe for your holiday buffet for your guests who eat gluten-free/dairy-free/vegetarian.

For the Chickpea Croutons
2 15-oz. cans chickpeas/garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon coarse salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
.
For the Roasted Cauliflower Soup
1 large head cauliflower cut into florets, about 6 cups
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper
2 yellow onions, peeled and diced
2-3 teaspoons Thai yellow curry paste, or more
4 cups vegetable broth
1 can coconut milk
½ teaspoon salt

For the Chickpea Croutons
Preheat your oven to 400°F.
Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Pour them out onto a large, clean kitchen towel. Cover them with another and dry them by gently running the towel over them. The skin will come off of some of them. This is good but no need to de-skin them all. Put the chickpeas and olive oil in a large bowl. Stir to evenly coat the beans with the oil.
In a small bowl, mix together the spices: garlic powder, cumin, cayenne, 1 teaspoon salt, and black pepper. Sprinkle the spices over the chickpeas and stir to coat evenly.
Pour the chickpeas out onto a baking sheet and roast for 30-35 minutes or until the beans are golden brown and crunchy. Stir halfway through roasting.
For the Roasted Cauliflower Soup
Preheat your oven to 400°F. In a large bowl, stir your olive oil and cauliflower florets together coating them evenly with the oil. Pour out onto a baking sheet making sure they are in a single layer. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pop in the oven and roast for 25-30 minutes or until florets are tinged with a dark golden brown.
While your cauliflower is roasting, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large soup pot. Stir in your diced onions and sauté over medium-low heat, about 8-10 minutes, or until onions are translucent and just starting to turn a golden brown. Stir in your Thai curry paste — start with two teaspoons. Once onions are coated with it, mix in your cauliflower, vegetable broth, coconut milk, and salt. Use a whisk to completely incorporate you coconut milk into the soup mixture.
Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for about 15 minutes. Taste, add more curry paste if you’d like.
Using an immersion blender, puree your soup into a creamy consistency.
Spoon into bowls, top with chickpea croutons and enjoy!!

YIELD: One big pot full