Creamy Cauliflower & Celery Soup

Notes

I don't typically count calories, but I did for this recipe. I first made this soup when exploring oil-free cooking. There are 870 calories in the entire pot of this soup, which is when I first started to understand the significance of whole-food replacements for oil might be in my cooking.

Adapted from the Vegan Cream of Celery Soup recipe by Blissful Basil. Leftovers keep 3–4 days refrigerated or freeze well. Soup thickens after chilling; add water when reheating if needed. Rich and creamy without oil, thanks to water, cashews, and cauliflower.

Ingredients

4 cups fresh or frozen cauliflower florets
8 large celery stalks, medium-thinly sliced
1 large yellow or white onion, diced
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp chicken-style bouillon powder
4 1/2 cups water, divided
2/3 cup raw cashews
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp sea salt, plus more to taste
Ground black pepper, to taste
Topping Ideas:
Oyster crackers
Saltines

Instructions

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add cauliflower and cook 7–10 minutes until fork-tender. Drain and set aside.
In a large pot over medium-low heat, add celery, onion, thyme, and rosemary. Water-saute about 10 minutes until just softened.
Add garlic and cook 1–2 minutes more.
Add bouillon and 3 cups water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer 10 minutes.
While simmering, add cooked cauliflower, remaining 1 1/2 cups water, cashews, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, and sea salt to a blender.
Blend 1–2 minutes until completely smooth.
Stir blended mixture into the soup pot.
Simmer uncovered 5–8 minutes to thicken slightly.
Season with black pepper and additional salt to taste. Add an extra splash of lemon juice if desired.
Serve warm.

Makes 4