Filling, velvety smooth and spiced with warm and fragrant ras el hanout spice mix, this Vegan Cauliflower Soup With Almonds is a perfect winter warmer! Made with ground almonds, you won't believe this dairy-free cauliflower soup has no heavy cream in it! We drizzled this creamy soup with spicy harissa and sprinkled it with earthy toasted almonds for some extra flavour and texture!
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Is Cauliflower Underrated?
Cauliflower is a wonderful filling low carb ingredient, especially when you're following an all-plant diet. Without being too calorific, this cruciferous vegetable is really satisfying and full of fibre. Furthermore, cauliflower contains a lot of antioxidants and various nutrients, including significant amounts of Vitamins C, K and B6.
| Nutrients Found in 1 Cup (128g) of Cauliflower: |
| Calories: 25 Fibre: 3 grams Vitamin C: 77% of the RDI Vitamin K: 20% of the RDI Vitamin B6: 11% of the RDI Folate: 14% of the RDI Pantothenic acid: 7% of the RDI Potassium: 9% of the RDI Manganese: 8% of the RDI Magnesium: 4% of the RDI Phosphorus: 4% of the RDI |
So why not make more cauliflower recipes? Here are some of our favourites:
Ingredients and Substitutes
Only 5 basic ingredients, two optional toppings and some crusty bread to serve this dairy-free cauliflower soup! A simple and delicious meal for the soup season.
- vegetable oil: or any other odourless oil, like rapeseed or sunflower oil.
- ras el hanout: adds all the flavour to this Moroccan cauliflower soup. If you want to make your own spice mix, have a look at our Ras El Hanout Spice Blend recipe.
- cauliflower: you will need about 225-250g of raw cauliflower for one portion.
- ground almonds: also known as almond flour. Choose finely ground almonds for the velvety non-grainy texture in this creamy vegan cauliflower soup. Almonds are the best way to add that smooth creamy texture to cauliflower soup without cream or milk.
- vegetable stock: make sure it's vegan if required, or use a homemade vegetable broth.
- harissa: to drizzle on top. If your harissa is too thick, mix it with a little oil to make it of drizzleable consistency. Alternatively, scatter some red pepper flakes on top.
- almond flakes: to garnish. Alternatively, scatter some nutritional yeast on top for a cheesy flavor. Green onions, toasted seeds/ nuts or fresh herbs make a great topping too.
You can find the ingredient quantities and full instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
The Role Of Almond Flour in a Vegan Cauliflower Soup
Almond flour is a real game changer in this vegan cauliflower soup recipe. The role of finely ground almonds here is threefold:
- Almonds make a silky smooth and creamy cauliflower soup. The end result tastes as if you used a good amount of cream in it!
- Almonds add extra nutrition and substance: healthy fats in almonds make the soup more filling too, without extra carbs!
- It acts as a thickening agent.
How To Prepare Cauliflower?
Whilst you can get a prepared packet of cauliflower florets, there is no need to pay the additional cost. Buy a whole head of cauliflower and prepare it yourself to make this healthy vegan cauliflower soup.
- Remove Leaves: Trim away the outer leaves from the cauliflower.
- Cut Stem: Use a knife to cut off the stem at the base of the cauliflower, creating a flat surface.
- Break into Florets: Using your hands or a knife, break or cut the cauliflower into bite-sized florets. Start from the base and work towards the top.
- Uniform Size: Aim for uniform-sized florets to ensure even cooking.
- Rinse: Rinse the florets under cold water to remove any dirt or debris.
Step-by-Step Method
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large pot over medium heat. Then add ras el hanout and fry for 30 seconds until fragrant. If you don't have any ras el hanout handy, it's very simple to mix it yourself. Here's the recipe for our ras el hanout spice mix.
Add cauliflower florets, and ground almonds and stir to coat in spices. Then pour in hot vegetable stock (or veggie broth), cover with the lid, bring to a boil and leave to simmer on low heat for 15-20 minutes or until cauliflower is tender.
In the meantime, toast almond flakes in a dry pan until slightly browned and smelling nutty.
When the cauliflower is tender, tip into a liquidised or use a stick blender (immersion blender) to make a silky smooth Moroccan Cauliflower Soup. Taste and add some salt and black pepper if needed.
Finally, divide it between two bowls, drizzle with harissa and scatter toasted almond flakes on top.
Recipe FAQs
There are a couple of reasons that would contribute to Cauliflower & Almond Soup being too thin. First, make sure the weight of cauliflower indicated in the recipe is of the prepared cauliflower florets (once all the outer leaves have been removed). Second, make sure to use finely ground almonds that will absorb the moisture and thicken the soup better. In contrast, if your soup is too thick, add a little water or stock.
If you don't have any harissa, try it with jerk paste (equally delicious). Alternatively, drizzle a good amount of chilli oil on top!
What To Serve Cauliflower Almond Soup With?
Just like with other soups, we like some good crusty bread with it! If you're looking for an all-plant-based feast, try it with:
Have a look at our Bread Recipe Section and Sourdough Recipe Section for more ideas! Alternatively, serve it with some homemade croutons on top!
Storage and Reheating
To store leftover vegan cauliflower and almond soup, ensure it is completely cooled to room temperature before transferring it to an airtight container. Place the airtight container in the refrigerator, where it can be stored for up to 3-4 days. If you intend to freeze the soup for longer preservation, ladle it into ziplock freezer bags, squeezing out excess air before sealing. The soup can be stored in the freezer for a couple of months.
When ready to reheat, thaw the frozen soup in the refrigerator overnight, then gently warm it on the stove over low to medium heat. Stirring occasionally will help maintain the soup's consistency.
Other Delicious Soup Recipes
Did you enjoy our Vegan Cauliflower and Almond Soup? Try our Cauliflower and Blue Cheese Soup next! If you love having a cozy soup for lunch, you can find more ideas in our Soup Recipe Section. You will find a number of warming soups for a cold winter day as well as our best soups perfect for al fresco dining in the garden!
Some of our favourite vegan soups include:
- Sweetcorn Chowder
- Pea & Mint Soup
- Roasted Cauliflower Soup
- Roasted Red Pepper and Butternut Squash Soup
Creamy Vegan Cauliflower Soup With Almonds
Equipment
- Liquidiser or Stick Blender
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon ras el hanout
- 450 g (1 lb) cauliflower cut into florets
- 30 g (¼ cups) ground almonds
- 500 ml (2 cups) vegetable stock hot
- 1 teaspoon harissa paste, to drizzle on top optional
- 25 g (2 tablespoon) almond flakes, to sprinkle on top optional
- 2 slices of crusty bread to serve
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large pot, add ras el hanout and fry for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add cauliflower florets and ground almond and stir to coat in spices. Then pour in the vegetable stock, cover with the lid, bring to a boil and leave to simmer on low heat for 15-20 minutes or until cauliflower is tender.
- In the meantime, toast almond flakes in a dry pan until slightly browned.
- When the cauliflower is cooked, tip into a liquidised or use a stick blender to make a silky smooth soup. Divide between two bowls, drizzle with harissa and scatter toasted almond flakes on top.
Nutrition
Sue says
Love that you used ras el hanout ~ it's one of my favorite slice blends!
Ieva says
We love it too! Goes so well with cauliflower and harissa!
Dannii says
One of my favourite soups. So creamy and delicious.
Ieva says
Thanks, Dannii! 🙂
Claire says
Wow, really delicious recipe and I was impressed how creamy it was whilst still being vegan!
Ieva says
Absolutely, finely ground almonds are the magic ingredients in many of our vegan recipes! 🙂
Michelle says
I love the Moroccan flavors in this creamy vegan soup!