Purple Cauliflower Soup | Plant-Based, GF

Try this delicious, comforting, and beautiful purple cauliflower soup to shake off the lingering winter blues. The vibrant color brightens the day and promises something extraordinary. And extraordinary it is! It is a simple and healthy soup to serve your family this time of year. The cauliflower, grape, and lemon combination must be experienced to be believed.

Looking for more soup recipes:

• Quick and Easy Cherry Tomato Soup
• Faithful Minestrone Soup
• Norwegian Cauliflower Soup

What is Purple Cauliflower Soup?

I am not sure when the purple cauliflower became a staple in most supermarkets, but its beautiful color has many devoted fans. The true origin is unknown, but the purple color is entirely natural. It has a slightly nuttier and sweeter taste than white cauliflower. It also boasts some extra nutrition with many health benefits.

You have heard it has been said: “necessity is the mother of invention.” We were looking for a way to keep the purple color a little more brilliant when we remembered that we had used 100% grape juice concentrate to get that same color to various dishes in the past. Though I have to say, adding grape juice concentrate did not initially sound like a good idea, we were in for a surprise. We added a couple of tablespoons, and to our delight, it added a unique complexity to this simple soup. It was absolutely delicious, and yes, the color was a little stronger too. In addition, we added a touch of lemon, which again leveled-up the flavor, but made the soup slightly pinker. There is a lot of wiggle room in this soup for experimentation. You can cut the grape juice concentrate and lemon for a simpler soup, though I would highly recommend you try it with these ingredients the first time around. My family love this soup.

Health Benefits of purple cauliflower:

• high in antioxidants
• one of the best plant sources for choline, which is good for brain function
• rich source of many vitamins, especially C & A
• high in dietary fiber
• reduces inflammation
• promotes heart health
• supports healthy weight loss

Purple cauliflower is a great vegetable to add to your diet, and this soup is a delicious way to do just that.

Helpful Tips:

Useful tools:

It is helpful to have a blender of food processor when making this soup.

Color:

Purple cauliflower can turn a slightly different color when cooked – sometimes a brilliant purple and sometimes a brilliant blue. So, be aware that the color can vary from time to time. No need to panic; the soup is delicious no matter the color.

100% frozen grape juice concentrate

Though we initially used 100% grape juice concentrate to intensify the color, we absolutely love what it did to the flavor of the soup. You can be very creative here; add as little or as much as you want to fit your taste. Since it does not need to be added until the last, it is easy to add to taste. Look for a grape juice concentrate that does not have added sugar.

Fresh Lemon Juice

I don’t know if you have had the experience of adding lemon to a dish to watch it change color, but this is very much the case here. The lemon juice changes the purple color, but it makes a difference to the taste.

Cashew Cream:

Adding a little cashew cream to the soup is a recommended option. It adds creaminess and beauty. You can drizzle a little over the soup right before serving, giving the soup a gourmet look, or you can mix it in the soup for a creamier version.

How to make this recipe:

Ingredients:

• purple cauliflower
• onion
• fresh garlic
• 100% frozen grape juice concentrate
• fresh lemon juice
• Better-than-bouillon, vegetable based, vegan
• salt
• crushed red pepper
• vegetable broth
• cashews (soaked) (optional)

In a large saucepan, sauté onion in olive oil until softened. Add the minced garlic and crushed red pepper and sauté for another minute. Next, add the vegetable stock, Better-than-bouillon, salt, purple cauliflower and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer for 7-8 minutes until the cauliflower is fork-tender.
Remove from heat, transfer to blender. Blend on high until smooth. Return to saucepan.
Next, stir in the grape juice concentrate and lemon juice. Finally, taste and adjust flavor by adding more grape juice concentrate, lemon juice, or salt to taste.

For the cashew cream, add soaked cashews and water to a blender and blend on high until smooth.
Drizzle over soup for a beautiful look or mix in the soup for extra creaminess.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Is purple cauliflower natural?

Yes, the purple is a natural color.

Will the soup vary in color?

Yes, the cauliflower varies in color, so sometimes you will get a more brilliant color than others.

Can I make this oil-free?

Yes, sauté onions and garlic in water instead of oil.

What if the soup is too thick?

Add water 1/2 cup at a time until you have reached the desired consistency. Adjust flavor accordingly.

Is this recipe gluten-free?

One word of caution, the better-than-bouillon is made in a facility that handles wheat ingredients, so it can not be certified gluten-free. If this is a concern, find a gluten-free bouillon substitute.

Can this recipe be made nut-free?

Yes, omit the cashew cream or substitute it with a nut-free cream.

How do I soak cashews?

Soak cashews in plenty of water for 4-6 hours or overnight. Drain and rinse the cashews before adding to recipes.

For a quicker option: In a pot add cashews and cover with water. Bring to a boil, turn off the heat and cover. Let sit for 15-30 minutes. Drain and rinse the cashews before using.

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