Fast Recipes

A classic cauliflower soup with cheddar toast

A good cauliflower and potato soup never goes out of style. We like to add a splash of dairy for extra-creamy results, every time.

By Emma Knowles
  • Serves 4 - 6
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Cauliflower soup
A good cauliflower soup never goes out of style. This one is on the winter-luxe side – there's cauliflower, there's potato, the addition of milk and crème fraîche produces silky smooth results, while the side of cheesy toast is just as generous with the butter as it is with the cheddar. Make it now, make it often.

Ingredients

  • 30 gm butter, coarsely chopped
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp each finely chopped sage and thyme, plus extra, coarsely torn, to serve
  • 1 kg cauliflower (1 small), coarsely chopped
  • 250 gm floury potatoes (such as sebago), coarsely chopped
  • 500 ml (2 cups) each milk and chicken stock
  • 200 gm crème fraîche
  • Finely grated rind and juice of ½ lemon
Cheddar toasts
  • 100 gm softened butter
  • 100 gm finely grated vintage cheddar
  • 2 tsp thyme
  • 4 small sourdough rolls, halved

Method

Main
  • 1
    Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, add onion, garlic and herbs, season to taste and stir occasionally until light golden (4-5 minutes).
  • 2
    Process cauliflower and potato in batches in a food processor or with a hand-held blender, then add to pan along with milk, stock and 500ml water. Season to taste, cover with a lid, bring to the boil, then uncover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until cauliflower and potato are tender (10-15 minutes). Add crème fraîche, lemon rind and juice, blend with a hand-held blender until smooth, season to taste and keep warm.
  • 3
    For cheddar toasts, beat ingredients except bread rolls in a bowl to combine (1-2 minutes) and season to taste. Spread thickly on rolls and grill until golden and bubbling. Serve hot alongside hot cauliflower soup, scattered with extra herbs.