As we head into a hot summer, who doesn’t need a calming bowl of hot soup? I know I do.
Hot soup???? In the summer?
It turns out that there is some science behind the practice of eating hot soup on hot days. Epicurious, for example, quoted nutrition expert Sarah-Jane Bedwell: “When we eat or drink hot foods and beverages, it raises our body temperature, which in turn signals our body’s systems to cool us down to take effect–we start sweating as a result. As our sweat evaporates, it cools our body down.”
So, feel free to indulge in all the hot soups you crave this summer.
This particular hot soup makes good use of the beautiful fresh cauliflowers that are appearing in supermarkets and at farmers markets right now. The soup is delicious and cauliflower is a healthy food choice.
Cauliflower is a member of the mustard family. That family includes cabbages, kale (yuck!), broccoli and several other vegetables. Interestingly, the edible flower of a cauliflower is referred to as the “curd.” (Impress your friends at your next dinner party with that bit of trivia! You know, “Pass the curd, please.”)
Cauliflower is a versatile vegetable, too. You can bake it, boil it, sub it for mashed potatoes, make a centerpiece out of it and on and on.
This recipe is adapted from one that appeared in the November 2020 issue of Eating Well Magazine. The original recipe did not have any dairy in the ingredient list and the soup was very good. I added half a cup of cream to my version and think it made a good soup great.
This Cauliflower and White Bean Soup is great for dinner accompanied by a fresh green salad. I love it for breakfast, too.
Cauliflower and White Bean Soup
Ingredients
- 4 T. extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion (chopped)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 t. fresh sage (minced)
- 2 t. fresh thyme (minced)
- 6 C. cauliflower florets
- 4 C. vegetable broth
- 1 15 oz. can white beans (rinsed)
- 1/2 t. ground black pepper
- 1/4 t. salt (or to taste)
- 1/2 C. cream
- Sourdough croutons
Directions
- Step 1 Saute onions in olive oil until they are soft. Add the minced garlic, 1 t. sage, and 1 t. thyme and saute for about a minute more until the herbs and garlic are fragrant.
- Step 2 Add the cauliflower, broth, beans, pepper and salt and bring the soup to a boil. Once the soup is boiling, reduce the heat and simmer the soup for about 20 minutes until the cauliflower is very soft.
- Step 3 Prepare croutons by sautéing them in olive oil or butter. You want them to be a pretty golden brown. Using a small bowl, toss the sautéed croutons in 1 t. thyme and 1 t. sage. Set aside.
- Step 4 Let the hot soup cool a bit before processing it. Puree the soup. You can use a blender to get a really smooth soup or an immersion blender to keep your soup a bit chunky. Stir in the cream if using.
- Step 5 Serve garnished with croutons, a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkling of herbs.
