Can we talk about how wonderful soup is for a minute? It’s easy to make, freezes well, and it keeps you warm and cozy on a chilly fall or winter day. As you can tell I’m a big fan of soup, so I couldn’t resist coming up with my own easy version. So here you have it: a creamy and delicious roasted garlic and cauliflower soup!
The best part is that this soup is vegan and gluten free, so it’s perfect for when you need to feed a crowd. It would make a great starter for a Thanksgiving dinner or holiday party.
Why Go Through the Trouble of Roasting Vegetables?
I know that it seems like extra work, and it takes longer than just throwing everything into a pot, but roasting veggies is totally worth it.
Your goal is to slowly caramelize the onion and garlic and to get the cauliflower nicely browned. This process will infuse your soup with a ton of flavor and trick people into thinking that you spent hours making it.
Since this roasted garlic and cauliflower soup has no dairy added to it, slow roasting the vegetables also gives it some much welcome richness.
Finally, have you tasted slow roasted garlic? It is sooooo addictive. I would strongly recommend roasting an extra head and using it in pretty much everything. It is great when added to salad dressings, and you can also spread it on bread to take your garlic bread to a whole new level.
The Secret to Making Creamy Vegan Soup
I love cream and milk. The sad part is that I don’t digest them well, so I’m always looking for ways to make things creamy without adding any dairy.
With soup, the secret is easy: just make sure to add a starchy vegetable like potatoes or cauliflowers to your soup. When you puree it, these vegetables will make your soup thick and creamy. Like magic!
I like my roasted garlic and cauliflower soup to be super thick but, if that is not your thing, just add some additional stock to thin it out.
More Suggestions for Toppings
To make it more festive, I topped my roasted garlic and cauliflower soup with some vegan pesto thinned with extra virgin olive oil and some pomegranate arils.
You can also top this soup with homemade or store-bought croutons, crispy chickpeas, or fried sage leaves. The sky is the limit!
Creamy Roasted Garlic & Cauliflower Soup
This creamy roasted garlic and cauliflower soup is vegan and gluten free. Slow roasting the vegetables adds a ton of flavor without the need for any dairy.
Ingredients
- 1 medium head of cauliflower, cut into florets (about 4½ cups)
- 3 small sweet onions, cut into quarters
- A head of garlic
- 2 thyme sprigs
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 4 cups of vegetable or chicken stock
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Pomegrate arils, to garnish
- Homemade or store-bought pesto, to garnish
Directions
- Step 1 Preheat the oven to 375℉.
- Step 2 Place the cauliflower florets and quartered onions on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicon mat. Add the thyme sprigs and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
- Step 3 Use your hands to toss and coat all the vegetables in the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Make sure that they are spread out on a single layer.
- Step 4 Cut the top off the garlic head to expose the garlic cloves. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Use your hands to coat the whole garlic head in the oil.
- Step 5 Place the garlic head in a the middle of a small piece of aluminum foil. Grab the four ends of the piece of foil and close them around the garlic head to make a pouch. Place the pouch on a separate baking sheet.
- Step 6 Place the two baking sheets in the oven.
- Step 7 Cook the onion and cauliflower for 30-40 min or until browned. If any onion pieces begin to burn, remove them from the oven early.
- Step 8 Continue cooking the head of garlic for another 20-30 min, a hour total. Remove the pouch from the oven, open it, and let the garlic cool.
- Step 9 When cooled, carefully pop the roasted cloves of garlic out of their skin.
- Step 10 Place the roasted garlic, cauliflower, thyme,and onion in a large stockpot. Add the vegetable or chicken stock to the pot.
- Step 11 Cook over medium high head until it comes to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 min.
- Step 12 Remove the thyme sprigs.
- Step 13 Let the soup cool for 10 min and transfer it to a blender. Blend on high until smooth and creamy. You might need to do this in batches.
- Step 14 Pour the soup back in the stockpot and gently reheat it. Season to taste with salt and pepper
- Step 15 Serve immediately topped with pomegranate arils and a drizzle of pesto.
Here are other vegan recipes you might enjoy:
If you like this recipe, please make sure to pin it, share it on social media, or email it to your friends. Don’t be shy! People are always grateful for some cooking inspiration 
Also, if you have any questions or just want to let me know that you liked the recipe, please leave a comment below. Hearing from other adventurous home cooks always makes my day!
Your photographs are stunning and this is a recipe everyone will love. Roasting brings out the natural sweetness in foods and adds a ton of flavor – perfect for this soup!
Thank you, Jane!
This soup is stunning! It would definitely impress any holiday guests! Roasted garlic is just the best! Love this! ♥
Thank you, Sherri!
Soups are great, especially for this time of the year. And I always roast my veggies first, it just adds so much more flavour to the dish, especially the roasted garlic! Beautiful presentation too!
Thank you, Anna! I’m glad to see that I’m not the only one who thinks that roasting your veggies adds a ton of extra flavor 🙂
I am dying over these gorgeous pictures! So beautiful! And the soup…my goodness. It’s all so perfect!
Thank you, Kelly!
This is perfect for all of my holiday entertaining needs! You photos are gorgeous. Pinned and for sure trying this ASAP.
Thank you, Carrie! Do let me know how you like it. And thank you so much for pinning it!
Gorgeous soup! Love the flavor that roasting gives veggies. I don’t mind the extra work at all for that lovely flavor!
Right? It’s totally worth it 🙂
I am so glad I found this recipe! My husband loves garlic and cauliflower so this is right up his alley! I’m like you….I struggle to digest dairy so I’m glad this is gluten free and dairy free! Print this off now!
I hope you like the recipe, Amanda!
Roasting the garlic provides so much additional rich flavor in this recipe! I love the look of this soup, especially paired with the gorgeous pink pomegranate arils.
Thank you, Jenni!
This soup sounds so good! I would love a bowl of this on a chilly evening.
Right? It’s my go-to soup on a winter day 🙂
Perfect soup for the weather here. Beautiful pics too. Thanks for sharing. I am trying this out soon.
Thanks, Sri! Let me know how you like it!
This soup sounds amazing! It is definitely on my must make list!
I love, love, LOVE adding pomegranate arils to soups. It makes everything look even prettier!
They do! I also like that they add a bit of crunch to the soup.
Mmm, I am so happy we’re into comforting soup season. I love roasted veg soups and this one looks and sounds totally delicious. I love how you’ve topped it with the pretty pomegranate seeds too.
Thank you, Emily!