Roasted Cauliflower and White Cheddar Soup (Lightened)

The weather may have started warming up in DC, but it's still snowing back home in New Hampshire and that means I get to keep making soup.  Right?  There is something about roasted vegetables pureed into soups that just tickles my fancy (remember this guy?).  I love using my immersion blender and the flavor, so this soup absolutely needed to be tried.



Do you have an immersion blender? They aren't that expensive, but they're so much fun and convenient to use! I felt like a shark attacking cauliflower fishies while I made this soup.  Usually I can just submerge the top of the blender and stir around, but the size of the cauliflower meant I basically had to stab the cauliflower with the blender and rip it to shreds.  Doesn't that sound like a blast?  It really was!



The original recipe called for aged white cheddar and either cream or milk.  I decided to lightened it up with Cabot's 75% reduced fat cheddar and skim milk.  Being a good New England girl, I have always loved Cabot cheese, so it only seemed appropriate to use it here. Despite the lower fat content, this soup was still quite rich and delicious.  The pureed cauliflower made it thick and I think the Monkey Scientist was shocked at how filling it was.  The magic part was that all the low-fat dairy didn't bother my slight lactose intolerance!



We totally loved this recipe.  The Monkey Scientist enjoyed it too, even though I'm not sure he thought he was going to.  Like all pureed soups, it is substantive, filling, and loaded with flavor.  I used smoked salt instead of regular which gave a nice smoky flavor throughout.  If you wanted to use bacon grease instead of oil it would have the same effect.  The roasted cauliflower has a deep complex flavor and is complemented well by the cheese.  This is an easy and delightful pureed soup that you can make any day of the week!



Roasted Cauliflower and White Cheddar Soup (Lightened)
adapted from Closet Cooking

Ingredients
1 small head cauliflower, cut into florets
3 tablespoons oil, divided
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon dried thyme
3 cups vegetable broth
1 1/2 cups Cabot 75% reduced fat white cheddar, shredded
1 cup fat free milk
salt and pepper to taste (I used smoked salt)

Instructions
1. Toss the cauliflower florets in the oil along with the salt and pepper and arrange them in a single layer on a large baking sheet.
2. Roast the cauliflower in a preheated 400F oven until lightly golden brown, about 20-30 minutes.
3. Heat the oil in a large sauce pan over medium heat.
4. Add the onion and saute until tender, about 5-7 minutes.
5. Add the garlic and thyme and saute until fragrant, about a minute.
6. Add the broth and cauliflower, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.
7. Puree the soup until it reaches your desired consistency with a stick blender.
8. Mix in the cheese, let it melt and season with salt and pepper.
9. Mix in the milk and remove from heat. Serve immediately.