Servings: Serves 4
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons cooking fat of choice (olive oil, avocado oil, butter or ghee)
- 1 medium sweet onion, diced small
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 very large head cauliflower (or 2 small-medium heads), broken into small florets (about 7 cups or 24 ounces)
- 3 cups chicken broth (or homemade bone broth)
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme (or ½ teaspoon dried thyme)
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped (or ½ teaspoon dried rosemary, lightly crushed between your fingers)
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 2 cups kale, torn into small pieces
- 3 slices crisp cooked bacon, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh chives (optional; may use 1 teaspoon dried chives and add with other dried herbs
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley (optional; may use 1 teaspoon dried parsley and add with other dried herbs)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Place a large pot with lid (a 5- or 6-quart Dutch oven works well) over medium-high heat.
- Add cooking fat of choice to the pot. When hot, add the onions.
- Sauté, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes or until the onions soften.
- Add garlic and cook, stirring, an additional 30-60 seconds on medium heat until garlic is fragrant.
- Add cauliflower florets, broth, thyme, and rosemary.
- Stir and increase heat slightly to bring the liquid to a low boil.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and cover the pot with a lid.
- Allow the cauliflower to cook for 20-25 minutes or until very tender (but not mushy).
- Remove lid from pot and reduce heat to low.
- Carefully remove ½ of the cauliflower and broth to a blender pitcher or food processor and blend until smooth. Alternatively, you can use an immersion blender right in the pot and blend until some chunks remain.
- Transfer blended soup back to pot, stir in milk, cheese, and kale.
- Heat over low heat for 3-5 minutes or until the kale is wilted.
- Remove soup from heat, stir in bacon, fresh chives, and parsley. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed before serving.
- Garnish as you would a loaded potato with sour cream, bacon bits, chives, and shredded cheese. Caramelized yellow onion and croutons make a yummy garnish as well.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size: 1¼ cups
- Calories: 375
- Fat: 24 g
- (Sat Fat: 12 g)
- Sodium: 650 mg
- Carbohydrate: 17 g
- (Fiber: 5 g
- Sugar: 9 g)
- Protein: 21 g
- Cholesterol: 76 mg