I’ve said it once before and I will definitely say it again: soup season is every season, period. Soups are just so comforting and delicious and I have just another great soup recipe for you. You guys have been loving my previous soup recipes and trust me when I say this one is just as good, if not even better. It’s my roasted cauliflower soup with toasty grilled cheese. Also, did I say this soup is great in packing in your vegetables, especially when serving to kids?

This silky, roasted cauliflower soup paired with melty grilled cheese transforms simple ingredients into a satisfying meal. Perfect for sneaking extra vegetables into picky eaters’ diets while delivering rich, complex flavors that adults will love too.

Why This Recipe Works

Roasting the cauliflower develops natural sweetness and depth, while the potato provides body without relying solely on cream. The accompanying grilled cheese offers the perfect contrast in texture and a familiar comfort food appeal.

Understanding Key Components

1. Roasting Vegetables: forms the foundation of the soup. This soup is great for kids who are picky with their veggies – they won’t be able to taste it. Make sure to space your veggies out evenly to ensure consistent roasting and even colouring.
   • High-heat roasting develops caramelization and sweetness in the cauliflower.
   • Whole garlic bulb becomes sweet and mellow when roasted.
   • Potato is our natural thickening agent, it also adds creaminess so you can omit the cream for you’re lactose intolerant or want to make it vegan.
   • Shallots and leek add flavour and sweetness.
   • Rosemary adds freshness and depth to the soup
   • Lemon juice – the acidicity adds brightness and cuts through the richness of the potatoes and cream.
2. Stock: use vegetable stock if you want to make a vegetarian version, otherwise chicken stock is a great option.
3. Cheese: you can use whatever cheese you have on hand. I used mozzarella for the stretch and parmesan for the flavour. Mixing a combination of cheeses is a great way to maximise flavour! You can use gruyere, cheddar, swiss etc.
4. Bread: Any crusty white loaf will do for this recipe. I use pane di casa which is an Italian white loaf but you could also use sourdough or ciabatta for this.

Tips and Techniques!

For the perfect soup texture:

• Blend in batches if using standard blender to achieve best texture
• Strain for extra smoothness if needed (optional)
• Adjust thickness with additional stock/cream

Creating the perfect grilled cheese:

• Butter is key! It adds flavour and helps with browning.
• To ensure the cheese is properly melted, you can cover your pan with a lid to create steam.
• Temperature control is super important! I recommend going low-medium heat to allow your cheese to fully melt and nice browning of the bread.

Storage and Reheating

Soup:

• Keeps refrigerated up to 4 days. Freeze without cream up to 3 months
• Reheat gently on stovetop and you can adjust consistency by adding in more stock if needed.
• Add fresh garnishes when serving

Grilled Cheese:

• Make fresh when serving
• Can prep cheese blend ahead of time. Store grated cheese mixture in the fridge.

Ingredients

Soup:

1 cauliflower, chopped into florets
1 potato, diced
1 leek, thinly chopped
3-4 shallots, halved
1 garlic bulb
2 sprigs rosemary
4 cups veggie or chicken stock
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 lemon, juice

Grilled Cheese:

Bread, sliced (I used pane di casa)
Mozzarella
Parmesan
Butter

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180C/350F.
2. Chop off the top of your garlic bulb to expose the cloves. Place your cauliflower, shallots, garlic, rosemary onto a large baking sheet, in a single layer so the veggies roast evenly. Drizzle generously with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 45min-1hr or until the veggies are soft and golden. Reserve some roasted cauliflower for garnish.
3. In a pot on medium-high heat, melt a knob of butter. Add in the leeks and sweat it until translucent.
4. Add in the diced potatoes, roasted veggies and stock. Bring to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are cooked.
5. Squeeze in the roasted garlic and blend the soup until smooth (you can either use a stick blender or a standing blender to do this).
6. Return soup back into the pot and add in the cream and lemon juice. You can add more water here if you prefer a thinner soup consistency. Season to taste. Garnish with reserved cauliflower and serve with grilled cheese.