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I’m not ready for soup weather to be over yet

Though Portland only got a smattering of snow this year and I have fully eaten through every box of holiday shortbread in the house, I am still perfectly content to stay in winter hibernation mode just a little while longer. Let’s enjoy the blankets, slippers, and warm mugs of tea while the weather still demands them. I’m not ready to transition from comfort food to lighter, crisper dishes just yet. I just want to eat soup, thankyouverymuch. This Roasted Broccoli Cauliflower Soup is my gentle reminder that spring doesn’t officially start until March 20th so it’s ok if you want to go back inside and cuddle up just a little bit longer.

Roasted veggies > all other veggies

Though I may be in the minority concerning the cold weather air, one thing I believe we can all agree on is that roasting vegetables makes them taste about 500 x better than boiling, blanching, or steaming them ever could. There’s something extra delicious about the flavor vegetables take on when you roast them until they start to brown and caramelize, and the roasted broccoli and cauliflower in this soup are no exception.

I like to dry roast the vegetables for this Broccoli Cauliflower Soup because I don’t think that coating them in oil does much for them other than to make them taste of roasted oil. Let the veggies do all the heavy lifting in the roasting process for maximum flavor.

Cheesy goodness

The other thing I love about this Roasted Broccoli Cauliflower Soup is that it’s chock full of cheese. I prefer to use a mix of gruyere and extra sharp white cheddar in this soup. The blend of these two sharp cheeses offers tangy, salty, and somewhat nutty flavors to the dish which I think pair best with the creaminess of the cauliflower.

Flexibly vegetarian

You’ll note in the photos and recipe card that bacon is present, but this is totally optional. I generally cook the bacon separately, and allow people to garnish their bowls with it if they wish. If you are decidedly carnivorous, I like to use the rendered fat from cooking the bacon to make this dish extra rich. However, if you prefer a completely vegetarian dish this soup is absolutely delicious in it’s purely bacon-free form. In this case, my favorite alternative cooking fat is avocado oil.

Blending

I use an immersion blender to add creaminess to this Roasted Broccoli Cauliflower Soup. If you don’t have an immersion blender, the roasted veggies can be quickly pulsed in a traditional blender or food processor instead. We’re looking for a mixture of creamy and chunky textures that make this soup feel so much more indulgent than it is.

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A note for special diets

This Roasted Broccoli Cauliflower Soup is grain-free, gluten-free, low-lactose and friendly for Keto diets. The net carb count per serving is 7g. The sharp, aged cheeses that I chose for this dish naturally contain only trace amounts (0.5 grams or less per serving of cheese) of lactose, making this SIBO friendly as well.

clock clock icon cutlery cutlery icon flag flag icon folder folder icon instagram instagram icon pinterest pinterest icon print print icon squares squares icon Roasted Broccoli Cauliflower Soup ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 5 from 24 reviews Author: Whip & Wander

Whip & Wander Prep Time: 6 minutes

Cook Time: 60 minutes

Total Time: 1 hours 6 minutes

Yield: 6 servings 1 x

Category: Soups & Stews, Mains

Cuisine: American Print Pin Scale 1x 2x 3x Ingredients 5 cups broccoli florets

broccoli florets 5 cups cauliflower florets

cauliflower florets 8 oz uncured bacon (optional)

uncured bacon (optional) 1 tbsp rendered bacon fat (or 1 tbsp avocado oil for vegetarian)

rendered bacon fat (or avocado oil for vegetarian) 1 cup green onions, chopped

green onions, chopped 2 tbsp flat leaf Italian parsley, chopped

flat leaf Italian parsley, chopped 4 cups chicken broth

chicken broth 4 cups half & half (I prefer this lactose-free one)

half & half (I prefer this lactose-free one) 1 cup extra sharp white cheddar cheese, shredded

extra sharp white cheddar cheese, shredded 1 cup gruyere cheese, shredded

gruyere cheese, shredded 1/2 tsp sea salt

sea salt 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper

cracked black pepper 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

red pepper flakes 1/4 tsp nutmeg, ground Instructions Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (232 C). Roast broccoli florets and cauliflower florets on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking liner for 25-30 minutes, turning once with a spatula after 15 minutes. Cook bacon directly in your large soup pot, if you choose to use it in this recipe. Crumble and set to the side. Retain 1 tbsp rendered bacon fat in the soup pot. Or, if you are making the vegetarian version of this soup, substitute the rendered bacon fat with 1 tbsp avocado oil. Saute green onions and parsley in the cooking fat (bacon or avocado oil) over medium-high heat for 1 minute, just to get a little direct heat on them. Add the chicken broth to the pot as well as a divided 4 cups of the roasted broccoli and 4 cups of the roasted cauliflower, reserving the remaining 1 cups of each to the side for later. Simmer over medium high-heat until veggies are fork tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Using an immersion blender, blend the veggies and broth to your desired level of smoothness. I like to leave mine somewhat chunky, but it’s up to your own preference. If you do not have an immersion blender, this can be done in a traditional blender or food processor too. Return soup to medium-high heat. Add half & half, white cheddar, and gruyere cheese. Mix to combine. Once the cheese has melted, return the reserved roasted broccoli and cauliflower back to the pot. Season with salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and nutmeg. Allow to simmer together for 10-15 minutes. Taste for seasoning and adjust, if needed. Serve warm with reserved bacon crumbles on top, if desired. I also like to add a sprinkle of additional cheese and parsley on top if there’s extra. Notes Nutrition facts for vegetarian version of Roasted Broccoli Cauliflower soup WITHOUT bacon. Using 1 tbsp avocado oil in place of rendered bacon fat. cal: 280, fat: 19g, chol: 50mg, sod: 808mg, carb: 12g, fib: 5g, sug: 5g, pro: 16g Nutrition Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe using bacon

Calories: 409

Sugar: 5 g

Sodium: 1273 mg

Fat: 30 g

Carbohydrates: 12 g

Fiber: 5 g

Protein: 25 g

Cholesterol: 78 mg