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A Healthy Vegan Soup With Cauliflower and Kale That Will Warm You Up
You have a choice to make.
Creamy or chunky kale and cauliflower soup.
With just a tiny bit of extra effort, you can have a luxurious vegan soup with cauliflower and kale that is bright, Hulk green. Not sure if “Hulk green” is a real color, but the color of this soup is the same as your favorite emotionally distressed superhero.
You’re probably wondering, what is the “extra effort”? Well, once the ingredients in this cauliflower and kale soup are done cooking, you’ll need to transfer them to a blender. Then you’ll get that silky smooth texture after pureeing.
Not so bad, right?
It’s those little bursts of extra effort or knowledge that can take you from “I can’t cook” to “I can cook”. Because once you make this creamy kale soup, you’ll know how to make any creamy veggie soup. And with that knowledge comes kitchen confidence.
Next time you’re at Panera and you see that creamy bowl of tomato or butternut squash soup? Well, now you know how it’s made. And you can go home and make them yourself. Because homemade food just tastes better when it’s filled with your pride.
So, get your phone ready, because you’re gonna want to add this colorful Hulk green cauliflower soup recipe to your Instagram feed.
Is This Vegan Cauliflower Soup Healthy?
This soup is jam packed with veggies. It’s basically just one big old veggie puree. A fancy adult baby food. And with veggies, comes big health benefits.
Cauliflower is packed with nutrients, but low in calories. So, it aids in weight loss. It may also reduce the risk of several diseases. Here are 8 benefits of eating cauliflower from Healthline.
Kale is a popular “superfood” for its dense nutritional value. According to the Mayo Clinic, kale is packed with vitamins A, K, B6 and C, calcium, potassium, copper and manganese. In fact, it has more vitamin C than any other green. Studies have even shown that it may decrease some forms of cancer.
Vegan Kale and Cauliflower Ingredients
- Kale – Look for kale with bright, sturdy, and rigid leaves without wilting. Stay away from bunches with slimy, yellow, brown, or bruised leaves.
- Cauliflower – Look for densely packed cauliflower heads that do not have any blemishes or spots.
- Garlic – When picking garlic, choose a bulb that is heavy and firm with tight skin. It shouldn’t have any soft spots.
- Onion – Similar to picking garlic. Look for heavy bulbs that are firm without soft spots or bruises.
- Olive Oil – Extra virgin is best. This oil from California Olive Ranch offers the best price, taste, and availability combination. It is what I use every day.
- Kosher Salt – Diamond Crystal kosher salt was used for this recipe and all other recipes on this site. Use this conversion table from The Spruce Eats if you only have another type of salt.
- Tamari – I like tamari over soy sauce because it is made with less ingredients. From a taste standpoint, they are very similar, but tamari is gluten-free.
How Long Will This Creamy Cauliflower Soup Keep?
This creamy kale soup will last up to 5 days covered in the refrigerator. But, I have good news. Similar to most soups, this one gets better after a day or two once the flavors have time to meld.
Tired of leaky soups for lunch? Then you need these leakproof containers. No more half a container of soup at the bottom of your lunch bag.
Creamy Cauliflower Soup Toppings
I’m always looking for new soup toppings. An extra something special really puts the icing on the… soup. Here are some ideas for how to top this creamy cauliflower soup:
- Tamari / Soy sauce – Soup toppings typically start with a few dashes of tamari or soy sauce for me. It will add an extra punch of saltiness to bring the flavors together. Note: tamari is essentially soy sauce made without wheat (aka gluten-free).
- Creme fraiche or yogurt – Creamy on creamy here. A spoonful of yogurt and creme fraiche will add a nice tang.
- Bread crumbs – When I say bread crumbs, I mean bite-sized chunks of crusty bread like the ones in this Panzanella salad. Tear up some bread, toss it with olive oil and salt, and let it get all crispy on the outside, but soft in the middle in the oven. Perfect for soaking up soup.
- Crispy chickpeas – These crispy roasted chickpeas are great on just about anything, including this creamy vegan soup.
What to Serve With This Creamy Cauliflower Soup
This soup is great on its own for a light lunch or dinner. But, it’s also great as a side dish or appetizer.
- Bread or pita – I don’t promote eating bread much, but soup with a crusty piece of toast is simply a match made in heaven. Opt for whole wheat varieties when possible to get more nutritional value from your bread bites.
- Healthy Avocado Chicken Salad – Top this soup with this super healthy chicken salad.
- Cast Iron Skillet Chicken and Crispy Potatoes – Turn two one pan meals into a filling two pan meal with this crispy potato and chicken combo.
- Baked Falafel (With Canned Chickpeas) – Tons of flavor going on in these simple baked falafel.
- 11 Healthy Salads That You’ll Actually Want to Eat– Can you say soup and salad?
Creamy Vegan Kale and Cauliflower Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1.5 tsp kosher salt (plus more to taste)
- 1 large head of cauliflower, cut into 1 inch pieces (about 2.5 – 3 pounds)
- 4.5 cups water
- 1 bunch kale, rinsed and chopped
- tamari or soy sauce for serving
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot with lid over medium heat.
- Add onion and cook 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally until just beginning to brown.
- Add garlic and 1.5 tsp of salt. Cook for 3 to 4 more minutes until fragrant and golden.
- Add cauliflower and water, pushing cauliflower down to submerge as much as possible. It's okay if it's not all submerged. Bring to a boil, cover pot, and reduce heat to low. Simmer 12-14 minutes. Cauliflower is done when it is tender enough that a knife easily slides into it.
- When cauliflower is done, add kale. Return to a boil, cover and simmer for 2-3 minutes until kale is bright green and tender.
- Working in batches, scoop contents into a blender. Make sure you get both liquid and solids. Puree until smooth and add to a large bowl. Repeat for the rest of the soup. It should take 2-3 batches depending on the size of your blender.
- To serve, top each bowl of soup with a few splashes of tamari, soy sauce, or a pinch of salt.
Notes
- Creme fraiche or yogurt – A spoonful of yogurt and creme fraiche will add a nice tang.
- Bread crumbs – When I say bread crumbs, I mean bite-sized chunks of crusty bread like the ones in this Panzanella salad. Tear up some bread, toss it with olive oil and salt, and let it get all crispy on the outside, but soft in the middle in the oven. Perfect for soaking up soup.
- Crispy chickpeas – These crispy roasted chickpeas are great on just about anything, including this creamy vegan soup.
Nutrition
Ready to Make This Soup(er) Healthy Soup?
If you’re looking for a way to get some more veggies in your diet, this creamy veggie packed soup is perfect. I love making a big batch of it, keeping it in the fridge (it gets even tastier in there) and then pulling it out at a moments. It is a perfect healthy side dish.
Cook once and eat multiple times is the name of the game here. And healthy make ahead side dishes are a big part of that game. Less hassle, more time, more nutrition, and more no sweat homemade meals. Sound good to you?