The Easy 5-Ingredient Soup So Good I Want To Marry It

In restaurants, I usually ask the server to order whatever they think is best that night. It has resulted in some of the best meals I’ve ever experienced, with dishes I’d likely not have ordered myself. More importantly, it has built relationships with restaurants and the people who work in them, which translates to a better experience, and occasionally, longtime friendships.

Trusting my server is how a nondescript bowl of creamy white soup arrived in front of me one fall night, slid there by the restaurant owner. He said nothing more than that I was enjoying his favorite dish, and then he proudly shuffled off. On my first bite, I understood his pride. 

A Soup You Can’t Stop Eating

The cauliflower bisque was like eating a cloud. Each silky spoonful was mild and nutty. The texture was soothing, and the taste was indulgent, like roasted cauliflower and caramelized onions, but not overwhelming. It was just intense enough my tongue kept wanting more. I loved soup, but this was something else, entirely. 

I wanted a bathtub full of it. Reader, I wanted to marry that soup. I was convincing enough in my vow of love that the recipe arrived in my inbox the next morning, a gift from the restaurant. The restaurant has been gone many years already, but that soup remains a staple of my fall and winter repertoire.

A Lesson in Simplicity

In truth, there wasn’t much of a secret to the recipe. Sautéed onions offered a lovely bit of complexity, but the cauliflower, simmered gently in vegetable stock, handled most of the flavor profile. I had never thought of cauliflower for soup, but if you’ve ever enjoyed cauliflower riced, mashed, or in a gratin, you already know that this vegetable is an excellent stand-in for potatoes. But cauliflower has a lovely nutty taste all its own. And once the cauliflower is blended with cream, you can appreciate the flavor in a new way.

Tips for Serving This Cauliflower Bisque

This soup hits all the right notes for lunch on a cold day, and it would be lovely served alongside a grilled cheese or a radicchio salad. At dinner, this soup is filling enough to stick to your ribs and beat the cold away, without being so heavy you don’t have room for a main course. Served alongside pork chops or any roast, this soup would shine.

Easy Tweaks and Garnishes

I’ve always loved how adaptable this soup is. With a few simple tweaks, it can be a unifying starter for vegans, vegetarians, and meat-eaters alike. Just swap the butter for olive oil, and heavy cream for coconut cream. The coconut amps up the nuttiness of the cauliflower, giving it an even more savory flavor. 

While I’ve always enjoyed the focus on the cauliflower in this recipe, you could add spice to give the soup some complexity. Ground cumin, a teaspoon of Dijon or dry mustard, or even a bit of green Thai curry paste would intensify this soup.