This creamy roasted cauliflower bisque recipe is an easy, light, and addicting soup. Elevate this cauliflower bisque with toasted homemade croutons or just add a slice of buttery toast for an easy dinner.
This cauliflower bisque recipe is inspired by a bisque from a now closed restaurant in Niwot, Colorado called Colterra.
What’s the difference between bisque and soup?
Bisque is a traditional French pureed soup made out of shellfish (crab, lobster, shrimp) that also incorporates heavy cream.
However, nowadays, bisque is any smooth blended cream based soup.
Making Vegan Cauliflower Bisque
This cauliflower bisque recipe can easily be made vegan by substituting your favorite non-dairy alternative butter and heavy whipping cream.
I cooked for a vegan client for many years and always made this version with whatever vegan butter she had and had the best luck with silk soy creamer. Remember to use an unflavored heavy creamer for the best results.
Blender Vs. Immersion Blender For Roasted Cauliflower Bisque
Using a regular blender to puree the roasted cauliflower bisque will make a smoother soup. Having said that, the immersion blender is easier to store, use, and clean.
Pick the blending method for the kind of day you're having. The video in the recipe card shows how to make cauliflower bisque with an immersion blender.
Troubleshooting Roasted Cauliflower Bisque
If the cauliflower bisque is too thin: try adding a cornstarch slurry. Cornstarch slurry's are made by mixing equal parts cornstarch with cold water.
For example, mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water to thicken cauliflower bisque.
Having said that, add a little more liquid if it's hard to mix. It should look and feel a little like thin glue or paste.
Lastly, add the cornstarch slurry to the boiling cauliflower bisque. Then, turn down the soup promptly to a simmer or just turn the heat off, and let it thicken for at least 15 minutes before eating.
Save Time making Cauliflower Bisque
Want to skip a step to save dishes or time? Forget roasting the cauliflower and just add it straight to the pot. It won't have as sweet or smoky of a flavor, but it will still be delicious.
Skip the homemade croutons for the cauliflower bisque and just toast a piece of bread and add some olive oil or butter and dip away.
Roasted Cauliflower Bisque FAQ
Adding to much water or broth. Have enough liquid to cover the cauliflower by around ¼" - ½ ". If unsure, err on the side of less liquid to avoid a watery soup. Liquid can always be added later.
Roasting the cauliflower adds depth to the bisque or soup and also adds more sweetness. Heavy cream and butter are big flavor enhancers. Salt always brings out more flavor. Add any herbs or spices for subtle flavor differences.
Roasting cauliflower for bisque or soup is gonna bring your "A game" to the soup. It just brings the flavor to a higher level. Having said that, there is nothing wrong with just boiling the cauliflower if pressed for time.
Creamy Roasted Cauliflower Bisque
EatSimpleFood.com
This creamy roasted cauliflower bisque recipe is an easy, light, and addicting soup. Elevate cauliflower bisque with toasted homemade croutons or just add a slice of buttery toast for an easy dinner.
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
Ingredients
For Cauliflower Bisque
- one medium head cauliflower (~1 ½ lb), chopped into florets
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- ⅔ cup onion, diced
- 3 Tbsp white wine
- ¾ cup heavy whipping cream
- water, enough to cover the cauliflower by ¼ - ½"
For Toasted Croutons:
- 4 ounces stale bread, optional as garnish
- 2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
- ¾ tsp salt, divided
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ cup parsley, chopped as garnish
Instructions
For Cauliflower Bisque:
- Preheat oven to 425F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy clean up.
- Toss cauliflower florets with enough olive oil to lightly coat (~ 2 Tbsp) and sprinkle with salt (~ ¼ tsp).
- Roast cauliflower uncovered ~ 12-15 minutes. You want them soft with a little browned but not totally browned as that will affect soup color.
- Remove cauliflower and reduce oven heat to 350F for croutons.
- Add butter to medium stock pot. Add onions when butter is melted.
- Cover and sweat onions over low heat (you want the onions translucent and not brown), for ~ 5-7 minutes or until soft.
- Add wine, cauliflower and enough water to cover the cauliflower by ¼" - ½ ". Err on the side of less liquid as more can always be added later.
- Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer covered until cauliflower is soft but not mushy (~ 10-15 minutes).
- Remove pot from heat.
- Immersion blend (or place in blender) the mixture until smooth. You can also use a blender but will need to add the mixture to the blender in batches.
- Stir in heavy whipping cream. Add a little more water if you want a thinner consistency.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
For Croutons:
- Cut or pull bread apart into 1" chunks.
- Toss in a large bowl with ~1-2 tablespoon extra virgin olive, salt, and pepper and bake on a lined baking sheet at 350F for ~ 7 -10 minutes or until golden and crunchy but not hard.
- Garnish soup with chopped parsley and croutons.
Notes
TIPS:
- Want to skip a step to save dishes or time? Forget roasting the cauliflower and just add it straight to the pot. It won't have as sweet or smoky of a flavor, but will still be delicious.
- A blender will make a smoother bisque, but the immersion blender is easier to use and to clean.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop / Oven
- Cuisine: French
- Diet: Comfort Food, Vegetarian
Things In My Kitchen:
- Immersion blender - affordable, fast, and has little clean up.
- Professional blender - I love my low profile Vitamix blender but this Ninja is almost as good and tons cheaper.
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Serving Suggestion
Serve this cauliflower bisque recipe with a salad for a light meal, or pair it with a Mediterranean frittata.
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