Recipe: Roasted Cauliflower and Cheddar Soup

This delicious roasted cauliflower cheddar soup is seasoned with thyme and rosemary for superb flavor. Use reduced-fat chicken broth, low-fat milk and reduced-fat cheese to keep the fat and calories in check.

Ingredients

1 head cauliflower
4 whole cloves garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup diced yellow or white onion
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme (or 2 teaspoons fresh), finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary (or 2 teaspoons fresh), finely chopped
4 cups low-sodium reduced-fat chicken broth
1/2 cup low-fat milk
6 ounces reduced-fat cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1 1/2 cups)
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh parsley for garnish

Directions

1. Wash and trim the cauliflower into bite-size pieces. Toss with the cloves of garlic and one tablespoon of the oil. Scrape the mixture onto a rimmed baking sheet and roast at 400 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes until the cauliflower is crisp-tender and golden in spots (it will cook a bit longer in a later step).
2. Remove the garlic cloves, let them cool slightly, and finely chop.
3. In a 4- or 5-quart saucepan, heat the remaining one tablespoon olive oil and add the onion, cooking until the onion is translucent, 4 to 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the chopped garlic, thyme and rosemary. Cook for another minute.
4. Stir in the cauliflower and broth; bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes.
5. Carefully ladle about half the soup (in batches, if needed) in a blender and puree until smooth. Stir the pureed soup back into the pot — be careful, as hot soup in a blender can be a recipe for disaster if the blender is overfilled. Add the milk and the cheese.
6. Stir and cook on low heat until the cheese is melted. Add salt and pepper to taste, if needed.
7. Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle with fresh parsley.

Nutrition information (per serving)

Makes 4 servings

Calories: 200
Total fat: 12 g
Saturated fat: 5 g
Trans fat: 0 g
Cholesterol: 25 mg
Sodium: 800 mg
Total carbohydrate: 9 g
Fiber: 2 g
Sugar: 4 g
Protein: 16 g

— Recipe provided by Digestive Disease Health Team dietitians.