Charred Cauliflower Sweet Potato Soup

This charred cauliflower sweet potato soup is loaded with nutrients as well as smoky and umami-rich flavor. Easy to put together and great to meal prep ahead of time to freeze for later.

If you loved the roasted butternut squash and gnocchi soup, this soup should be another one you save to make too. This time we are using another fall staple, sweet potatoes and combining them with some charred cauliflower to add beautiful smoky flavors to our soup. It’s hearty, delicious and will make you want to go back for seconds.

Why You’ll Love This Charred Cauliflower Sweet Potato Soup

• No dairy needed. This soup becomes nice and velvety thanks to the beans and sweet potatoes. Blending them together helps provide that beautifully creamy texture without any cream being needed.
• Simple ingredients. To help make this recipe efficient we are using the same spices in the soup to help flavor our roasted cauliflower.
• Easy to customize. Use some of the ingredient substitution ideas and expert tips below to help make this soup more to your liking based on your own preference.

Key Ingredients and Substitutions

• Cauliflower: If you’d like to save some time with chopping, use a bag of pre-chopped cauliflower instead.
• Sweet Potato: This can be swapped with some peeled and chopped squash instead.
• Onion: I used a yellow onion, but feel free to use red onion if desired.
• White Beans: I used cannellini beans as they have a creamier texture, which I find easier to blend into the soup later. You can use a different bean like red beans or chickpeas.
• Lemon: Fresh is best as we need the peel for the gremolata.
• Garlic: I love a lot of garlic. I used 10 cloves, but feel free to use less if desired. Just remember, even though it might seem like a lot of garlic, this is getting cooked down, which does tone down strong garlic flavors.
• Kale: Feel free to omit or swap with another green you love. Try this with Swiss Chard or even spinach based on your preference.
• Fresh Herbs: I used fresh sage and thyme for the soup and fresh parsley for the gremolata topping. If you prefer, feel free to use some dry versions of the sage and thyme for the soup.
• Dry Spices: I used a combination of smoked paprika and ground coriander.

Are Sweet Potatoes Healthy?

There are a lot of reasons to fall in love with sweet potatoes. Outside of the fact that they are another cheap piece of produce to get from your local markets this time of year, they are also packed with an incredible amount of nutrition.

Sweet potatoes are high in fiber, potassium, vitamin C, beta-carotene and a number of other valuable anti-oxidants. Adding more antioxidants to your meals while working to reduce sources of inflammation may help reduce chronic disease risk. You’ll also find research that shows that consumption of sweet potatoes may help support gut health, your immune system and eye health. All very good reasons to include more when you can.

How to Make Cauliflower Sweet Potato Soup

Preheat the oven to 425F. Place the cauliflower on a parchment lined baking tray then top with the smoked paprika, coriander, thyme, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Drizzle with oil then toss together until well coated. Arrange the cauliflower cut side down on the tray in a single layer then bake on the bottom rack for 30 minutes, flipping half way.

Heat a Dutch oven over medium heat then add the remaining oil. Once the oil is hot, add the onions with a pinch of salt and sauté until the onions have softened.

Stir in the garlic and sage then continue to sauté for about a minute until the garlic is fragrant.

Add in the sweet potato, cannellini beans, vegetable broth, paprika, coriander, thyme and bay leaf. Stir well to combine then bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer then cover with a lid and continue to cook for 20 minutes or until the sweet potato can be easily pierced with a fork.

Remove the bay leaf then stir in half the roasted cauliflower and simmer again for 4 minutes. To make your soup creamier, blend up 1/3 of the soup using an immersion blender (or blend with a regular blender and pour back into the pot).

Stir in the kale to wilt, and once fully softened, remove from heat.

For the gremolata, add the finely chopped parsley, lemon zest, 1 grated clove of garlic, and a pinch of salt to a small bowl then stir to combine (or prepare over a cutting board).

To finish the soup, stir in the lemon juice. Portion out a serving then top with a sprinkle of some of the gremolata over top and some of the remaining cauliflower pieces. Enjoy as is or serve with a slice of toasted bread.

Expert Tips

• Skip blending if desired. If you don’t feel like blending the soup, just mash some of the softened sweet potato and beans up with the back of your cooking spoon until the soup is at the consistency you like.
• Place the cauliflower cut side down on the baking tray. This will ensure more even charring on the cauliflower as it roasts.
• For an extra boost in umami flavor, try caramelizing your lemons before squeezing the juice overtop or simply stir in a few tablespoons of nutritional yeast when adding the spices.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to Make Soup Feel Like a Meal

If you need help with bulking up your soup to make it more filling, use any of the following ideas.

• Add more protein! Try adding more beans to the soup (another can of white beans adds 28g more protein), 3 tbsp nutritional yeast (adds 8g of protein), or serve with some baked tofu instead.
• Get in more veggies. If you are up for more chopping, add in some carrots and celery at the beginning with the onions (I tend not to add this as my husband is allergic to both). Or top the soup with some shredded marinated fresh veggies instead.
• Serve with a satisfying and nourishing carb. You can use anything from sourdough bread, cooked quinoa or rice to enjoy it with.
• Top with some healthy fats. Serve topped with some toasted pepitas for some healthy fats and a little boost in protein.

More Cozy Soup Recipes

• Roasted Butternut Squash Gnocchi Soup
• Mushroom Wild Rice Soup
• Lemony White Bean Potato Soup
• Vegan Kimchi Jjigae
• Homemade Peanut Miso Instant Noodles

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★ Catherine

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