Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 1 large head cauliflower (cut into florets (approximately 5 cups))
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil (divided)
  • 6 strips bacon (cut into ½-inch pieces)
  • 1 cup diced white or yellow onion
  • 1 cup peeled and diced carrot
  • ½ cup diced celery
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon salt, (plus additional to taste)
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1½ cups milk (I used 2% reduced fat)
  • 1 cup fresh or frozen corn
  • ⅓ cup shredded Parmesan cheese (plus additional for garnish)
  • fresh ground black pepper (to taste)
  • fresh chopped parsley (for garnish)

Instruction

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place cauliflower florets on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Roast cauliflower for 30 to 35 minutes until fork tender and golden brown.
  • Place a large saucepan or Dutch oven over MEDIUM heat. Add chopped bacon and cook until crispy. Use a slotted spoon to transfer bacon to a plate and set aside.
  • Pour off most of the bacon fat from the pan, leaving behind about 1 tablespoon. Add remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and add diced onion, carrot, and celery. Cook for several minutes, stirring often until vegetables have softened. Add minced garlic, ½ teaspoon salt, and thyme and cook just until garlic is fragrant.
  • Add roasted cauliflower and broth to the pan. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to LOW, tuck bay leaf into soup and cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
  • Remove bay leaf and use an immersion blender to purée slightly, leaving some of the cauliflower chunky to add texture to the soup. Alternately, you can carefully transfer about ¾ of the soup into a blender and purée until smooth, working in batches if necessary. Add puréed soup back into the pot.
  • Stir in milk and corn. If using frozen corn, there is no need to thaw it first. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 3 or 4 minutes or until milk and corn are warmed through. Stir in the Parmesan cheese, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, fresh ground black pepper, and half of the cooked bacon.
  • Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if needed. Garnish with reserved bacon, fresh parsley, and additional cheese.