Creamy Veggie Soup

The cooler weather is certainly upon us here and more and more I’m craving warm & cozy soups!

I think I’ve told you before that I’m a very simple cook. You’ll see that in this recipe as well. But don’t let the simplicity fool you! This soup always turns out delicious! You can also use it as a template, adding other veggies and spices as you wish (I enjoy cumin or rosemary in the cauliflower version, or turmeric in either version). I do encourage you try it as is at least once, though.  One of the things that elevates this soup is the toppings you can add (see below for suggestions). The other thing that’s amazing is this soup has just 4 ingredients (because salt and pepper don’t count, right?!).

This recipe needs no other introduction. Get in your kitchen and start making a batch so you can feel warm, cozy, and nourished too!

Creamy Veggie Soup

Ingredients:

– 1 large head of cauliflower (or more) OR 5-6 peeled zucchini*

– 1 large onion

– 2 cups bone broth, stock, or water**

– ½ can of coconut cream or full fat coconut milk

– Generous pinches of sea salt

– Black pepper

*You don’t have to peel the zucchini. Leaving the peel on results in a greener soup, which is fine if you don’t have kids who are slightly turned off by the color. I do think peeling it does lead to a creamier, nicer texture.

** You can always add more liquid at the end if it’s too thick. It’s better to start with less rather than have it come out too thin. Remember, the veggies will release some liquid too. Always start with at least 1 cup, though.

Directions:

1- Clean your cauliflower and cut it into pieces (including the trimmed stem) or roughly chop the zucchini.

2- Peel and roughly chop the onion.

3- Place the veggies in the bottom of a large pot or pressure cooker/Instant Pot.

4- Sprinkle with salt and black pepper – use less if adding salted broth or stock (seasonings can also be adjusted at the end).

5- Pour bone broth, stock, or water and coconut cream or milk over the veggies and give everything a quick stir.

6- If using a pot, turn the heat to high and, once boiling, reduce to a gentle boil until veggies are very soft/falling apart (the cauliflower option takes more time than the zucchini).

If using a pressure cooker/Instant Pot, cover and properly secure the lid. Bring to high pressure for 12-15 minutes. You can manually release the pressure or let it release naturally.

7- Use an immersion blender to puree until smooth and creamy or puree in small batches in a food processor or blender.  In a pinch, you can drain some of the liquid before pureeing if you think it’s going to be too thin.

After or while pureeing, you can add additional liquid if it’s too thick.

8- Taste and add additional seasonings if necessary. If it seems it’s missing something, it’s likely salt. ; )

My favorite toppings:

Pick and choose or go crazy and add them all! : )

– Shredded or diced chicken thighs, any type of ground meat (bacon would be delicious too!)

– Diced avocado

– Pumpkin seeds

– Hemp seeds

– Everything But the Bagel Seasoning (EBTBS)

– Drizzle of olive oil

– Fried egg

Aren’t you feeling warm and cozy just thinking about this deliciousness? What are your favorite soups? Let me know if you try this!