Okay okay.. I know we’re just getting into the summer season, but who doesn’t love a great soup? Lunch doesn’t discriminate, especially in my house and I am ALWAYS down for a nice creamy, flavor-packed soup. This cauliflower soup is full of nutritional goodness, and bonus – it’s VEGAN!! In hindsight, next time I would probably grill the cauliflower for an added depth of flavor, but this recipe won’t disappoint. I added the perfect crunch on top with some spicy, roasted chickpea “croutons”. These are a healthier option to bread croutons because, hellooo..summer bod, I see you! And let’s be honest , seasoned chickpeas are delicious and have that plant powered protein you can appreciate. The soup is perfect for a cool summer rainy afternoon treat! 😋

Note: I used an emulsion blender for this recipe because in my opinion it’s the best way to get the creamy consistency you’re looking for. If you don’t have a hand blender, you can use a regular blender but be extremely careful and cautious while doing so!

Ingredients:

2 cups riced cauliflower

1 can of chickpeas

1 cup veggie stock

1/2 cup tahini

2 tbsp garlic powder

1/2 chopped onion

1 tbsp chopped lemon balm

2 tbsp olive oil (1 tbsp to sauté your onion and 1 tbsp to coat your chickpeas before seasoning)

1 tbsp pepper

1 tsp Trader Joe’s garlic salt

2 tbsp curry powder

1 tbsp cayenne powder

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 375°

Start by taking 1/3 of the chickpeas out of the can and put them onto a greased baking sheet. No need to rinse or pat dry, they will be getting coated in olive oil spray.

Coat the chickpeas with olive oil. Sprinkle the curry powder & cayenne powder and Trader Joe’s garlic salt. I used this because it has all the trader Joe’s garlic salt because it has all the goodness in one quick grind! Can’t go wrong. Toss the chickpeas around to ensure they are all evenly seasoned. Place in the oven and keep an eye on them. Bake for about 15 min until crispy but not burnt. If they need a bit longer, keep them in an additional few minutes but make sure to keep checking them!

In a small pot, heat 1 tbsp olive oil on medium flame. Add your chopped onion. Cook until translucent. Then add your additional chickpeas and cook for 3-5 minutes. Add your veggie stock and simmer. When simmering, add your cauliflower, tahini, garlic powder, chopped lemon balm salt & pepper. Continue simmering for about 10 mins. After simmering, turn the heat off and get that emulsion blender out! CAREFULLY blend until creamy. Finally, put your soup into a bowl, top with those crunchy chickpeas and enjoy!!!