Creamy puréed soups always benefit from having crunchy things sprinkled on top. This recipe is from Waterfront Wines, in Kelowna, British Columbia.
Recipe information
Yield
6 servings
Ingredients
½
1
2
4
1
1
1
⅓
6
¾
2
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350°. Toast hazelnuts on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing occasionally, until golden brown, 10–12 minutes. Let cool, then coarsely chop.
Step 2
While the nuts are cooling, increase oven to 400°. Toss cauliflower and 2 Tbsp. oil on another baking sheet; season with salt and pepper. Roast, tossing once, until florets are browned all over and tender, 30–35 minutes.
Step 3
Meanwhile, cut bacon crosswise into ½" pieces. Heat a heavy pot over medium and cook bacon, stirring occasionally, until browned and crisp, 10–12 minutes. Transfer to paper towels.
Step 4
Cook fennel, onion, and garlic in drippings in pot, stirring occasionally, until onion and fennel are very soft, 8–10 minutes. Add wine and cook until mostly evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add roasted cauliflower, broth, cream, and bay leaves; season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until cauliflower is very tender, 20–25 minutes. Pluck out bay leaves; discard. Let mixture cool slightly.
Step 5
Working in batches, purée cauliflower mixture until very smooth. Strain back into pot; season with salt and pepper.
Step 6
Just before serving, ladle soup into bowls; top with bacon and nuts and drizzle with oil.
Step 7
Do Ahead: Soup can be made 3 days ahead. Let cool; cover and chill soup and bacon separately.
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Reviews (17)
Back to TopMade this soup shortly after the recipe came out and it has stuck in my mind ever since. Made it again tonight. So good. Blanched raw hazelnuts, dunked them in ice water, peeled them, then toasted them. Used a half cup wine and a whole cup cream. Blend with an immersion blender if you have one. No need to strain (as the recipe vaguely instructs) unless you're looking for a light bodied broth and a few cups of seasoned cauliflower mash--which honestly could be put to good use in other dishes! When strained, the garnish falls to the bottom losing the visual appeal.
Area Man
Denton, TX
1/22/2021
Really delicious soup with lots of veggies! I swapped macadamia nuts for hazelnuts and coconut cream for heavy cream. I do agree about the thinness, so I just added one less cup of chicken broth.
Anonymous
Washington, DC
10/14/2020
Delicious cauliflower soup! It’s not bacon cauliflower soup. It’s cauliflower soup with a bacon garnish. If you want more bacon, fry more bacon and add more. But personally for me I was very happy with the crunchy bacon and hazelnut garnish. Cauliflower can be bland so be generous with your salt on this one. I added 1 teaspoon before blending and decided to add another teaspoon once blended. I love a good white soup bespeckled with pepper too so I was generous there as well. Would totally make this again. Oh also I did this with 4 cups veggie broth and 2 cups water instead just because that is what I had and it was still fantastic. Cooking is organic. Play with what you have. Add or subtract water based on how thick or thin you want your soup!
Jax Baker
Atlanta, GA
4/11/2020
To quote another article on this website "If You Aren't Putting Toppings on Your Soup, Are You Really Living?" This was a great soup and it was enjoyed by grownups and a 4th and 7th grader equally. Loved the crunch on top from the bacon and the hazelnuts. I read the reviews after I poured in all the chicken broth, and then was worried that it would be too thin after pureeing. So, I pushed the simmering time to 45 minutes. I think that the size of the cauliflower head must make a really big difference, as my soup (likely due to my increased simmering time - poor call on my part) was too thick and I had to cut it with water. Even with my error, the soup was fantastic. The bacon was a huge, huge hit with the kids, but am interested in making this vegetarian next time and try it without the bacon. One other note - this is a personal preference, but sometimes I feel like too much cream can really take away from subtle veggies flavors, so I only used 1/2 cup. It was plenty rich with just a 1/2 cup. Enjoy!
s brawner
Atlanta
1/5/2020
A surprisingly tasty soup for relatively simple ingredients. The bacon is a genius edition - I took it really far so it almost came out like biltong. Would definitely make again
Anonymous
Australia
6/24/2019
I agree with the other reviewer, you need a lot more bacon. I made about 8 strips for three people and it all was eaten. The soup is subtle and tasty, but I had expected a little stronger flavors. It seemed a little dull. Good but not great recipe. I prefer the cauliflower cheese soup from the Mooswood over this.
kbadler24
New York, Ny
1/28/2019
An amazing, hearty, filling soup that is in no way surprising that it came from a restaurant, because I would definitely pay for it. Do yourself a favor and don't skip the hazelnuts (as I was planning, up until the end, then rushed to pan roast them), and make sure they're roasted well. Larger pieces would just sink to the bottom so make sure they're crushed well. 4 slices of bacon ain't enough either, I made this for three and cooked a whole package of thick cut Oscar Meyer, very little remained, after seconds and thirds... This recipe is going into my regular rotation for sure. A good bite, with a nice big hazelnut, a little bit of bacon, and a drop or two of olive oil, good enough to send shivers down the back of your neck.
Anonymous
12/22/2017