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This easy Roasted Cauliflower and Fennel soup screams spring time with its fresh ingredients and can go from prep to serve in about an hour. Pair it will a fresh yummy salad for a light dinner idea!
The calendar says spring but Mother Nature is saying otherwise. April has brought nothing but cold temps and even snow. This has got to stop! Some days I want to lounge in my pajamas and stay in (oh wait, I have done that quite a few times 🙂 ) Today though, I ventured out and bought these ingredients to brighten things up by making this Roasted Cauliflower and Fennel soup. Hey, if the robins can be out enjoying the seed we have left for them, then I can suck it up (with my winter coat) and provide for my family too.
Seriously, it is getting ridiculous and everyone is complaining, even people who don’t normally complain. It’s got to get better right? And if it doesn’t, well at least I have a business trip to Phoenix in two weeks and I wouldn’t even mind if it was in the 90’s. I just want to get some warmth back on this body. Our trip to Cabo this past January, seems like eons ago.
Let’s get back to this soup. I was really intrigued with the combo of the cauliflower and fennel. When it was roasting in the oven, the aroma in the kitchen was wonderful. I had never bought a fennel bulb before and I guess I should have known better to go to Target for one. Luckily our bigger grocery store in the area had one. It definitely adds a nice flavor that tastes like anise or licorice. The soup can be enjoyed by itself but you might want to pair it with either a Roasted Beet Salad that is also really fresh or an Italian Antipasto Salad for something a bit heartier.
I hope you enjoy this recipe and I hope to get better weather!
I was inspired to make this recipe from Land O Lakes.
Roasted Cauliflower and Fennel Soup
This easy Roasted Cauliflower and Fennel soup screams spring time with its fresh ingredients and can go from prep to serve in about an hour. Pair it will a fresh yummy salad for a light dinner idea!
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter with olive oil and sea salt (or regular butter)
- 4 cups cauliflower florets
- 1 cup chopped fresh fennel
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup chopped white onion
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1/3 cup chopped pistachios
Directions
- Heat oven to 375 and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper
- In a large bowl combine 2 tablespoons melted butter, cauliflower, fennel, garlic 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- Toss until coated then spread on baking sheet
- Bake for 30-40 minutes until tender and golden brown
- In a large saucepan melt the remaining butter until it is sizzling.
- Add onions and cook until translucent (about 7 minutes); add fennel seeds and cook another 5 minutes
- Add roasted veggies, chicken stock, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cayenne pepper
- Use a blender to process the soup by carefully doing it by thirds.
- When all soup is processed, place back in saucepan and add heavy cream and heat until it just comes to a simmer
- Serve in bowls and top with chopped pistachios if desired
Recipe Notes
You could substitute half and half instead of the heavy cream for a lighter version.
Elle says
This is one of my favorite series of photos yet I think! So dreamy. A side dish I had here in Rome I can’t stop thinking about is caramelized fennel and onion. From what I (sort of) understood, its essentially just caramelizing onions then adding chopped fennel, and cooking low and for a long time. It was quite sweet and not what I expected. 🙂
Deb Attinella says
Thank you Danielle! I’ll make it when you come home!