Roasted Cauliflower Soup With Shiitake Mushrooms
Soup! It’s one of the most versatile meals we can make; it freezes well, tastes even better the next day, and can be made out of almost anything. I was a little bored of my usual soups on rotation: butternut squash or chili. Repeat. Although I roast cauliflower almost weekly, I had never made or even tasted a roasted cauliflower soup. I was inspired by a few different recipes, with a lot of sampling/adjusting along the way. The finished product is hearty, creamy, with just enough tang to be unique and the shiitake mushrooms add an earthiness that’s just toooo damn good.
PS- It can be made vegan if you omit the cheese, but why would you want to do that? (just kidding, sort of) 
This soup is simple, nourishing and delicious. A nice twist to add into your soup rotation!
Ingredients
- 1 head large cauliflower
- 1 small yellow onion or shallot (diced)
- 1 tsp sea salt
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard (whole grain preferred)
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 3 cloves garlic (minced or grated)
- 3 cups vegetable stock
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- ¼ cup freshly grated parmesan
- 2 cups full-fat coconut milk
- 8 oz shiitake mushrooms
Instructions
- Heat oven to 425. Roughly chop cauliflower and spread on parchment-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and salt/pepper. Roast until brown/crispy edges appear (about 25-30 minutes).
- While the cauliflower is cooking, heat a large pot over medium heat. Add a couple glugs of olive oil and cook diced onions until translucent, a few minutes.
- Add salt, garlic powder, mustard, and plenty of cracked black pepper. Add thyme sprigs and fresh garlic– stir to combine.
- Pour in vegetable stock and lemon juice and keep on medium low heat.
- Once cauliflower is done, add to the pot and use an immersion blender to blend completely. Alternatively, transfer soup to blender in batches.
- Pour mixture back into pot (if using blender), over low heat, and stir in the coconut milk and cheese. Add any salt or pepper to taste, if needed.
For the mushrooms:
- Brush off any dirt or debris, keeping whole or chopping if you wish.
- Heat a frying pan over medium heat with a little olive oil. Add mushrooms and toss; leave them undisturbed for a few minutes at a time. Once browned and a bit caramelized, add salt + pepper (and a little butter if you have!).
- Sprinkle on top of your soup and enjoy!
