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How To Use Cauliflower Stems In A Curried Soup

Author:

Eliza Sullivan

April 22, 2020

mbg Nutrition & Health Writer

By Eliza Sullivan

mbg Nutrition & Health Writer

Eliza Sullivan is a food writer and SEO editor at mindbodygreen. She writes about food, recipes, and nutrition—among other things. She studied journalism at Boston University.

Image by Suchita Kalele / Stocksy

April 22, 2020

We carefully vet all products and services featured on mindbodygreen using our commerce guidelines. Our selections are never influenced by the commissions earned from our links.

This Earth Day, we're thinking about how we stretch the resources we have available in our kitchen right now. Case in point, the head of the cauliflower we're planning to break down to roast the florets, but what about the stems left behind?

In his book 30 Easy Ways To Join the Food Revolution, chef Ollie Hunter presents the fact that a head of cauliflower actually offers three opportunities at exceedingly different meals (in his case, this soup, plus Cauliflower Leaf Bhajis and a gnocchi dish). Hunter himself is a former MasterChef semifinalist and now runs what is known as the most sustainable pub in the United Kingdom.

This recipe put those oft-tossed cauliflower stems to use as the base for a simple (and flavorful) curried soup. And while many soup recipes call for uncommon ingredients or ones that aren't necessarily pantry staples in your home, this calls on popular spices and common vegetables to cook with the stems before blending them into a smooth soup.

By limiting both your home's food waste and your trips to the shop for more ingredients, this recipe is a definite win-win situation.

Curried Cauliflower Stem Soup

Serves 2

Ingredients

Olive oil, for cooking, plus extra to serve
2 onions, chopped
1 leek, sliced
4 garlic cloves, sliced
1 tbsp. medium curry powder
Cauliflower stem, roughly chopped
Few glugs of a dairy-free cream alternative of your choice
Salt
Handful of fresh cilantro to serve

Method

Put some glugs of olive oil in a saucepan over a low-medium heat. Add the onions, leek, garlic, and curry powder and sauté until soft.
Add the chopped cauliflower stem and season with salt. Cover the ingredients in the pan with cold water and boil for about 5 to 10 minutes until the cauliflower is soft.
Pour some cream into the mix and whizz up in a food processor until smooth. Warm through the soup again and scatter with cilantro and drizzle with extra olive oil to serve.