French Cauliflower and Brie Soup Recipe

Creamy cauliflower soup topped with brie in a blue bowl.

French Cauliflower and Brie Soup Recipe

Course: Soup

Cuisine: French

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Keyword: cauliflower and brie soup, cauliflower brie soup, creamy cauliflower soup, french cauliflower soup

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 20

Total Time: 25

Servings:

Calories: 314kcal

This French-style cauliflower and brie soup has a luscious, creamy texture. It's vegetarian and made with half and half. Ready in less than 30 minutes.

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US Customary - Metric

Equipment

Ingredients

32 oz cauliflower florets (one large head cauliflower or two small ones)
4 cups water (you may not need all of it, see note)
1 small shallot
4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
¾ cup half and half
6 oz French brie (see note)
1 teaspoon kosher salt (plus more to taste)

Instructions

Take the brie out of the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature as you prepare the soup.
Chop the shallots finely. Chop the cauliflower into small florets. You want them to be pretty small so that they are all submerged under the water once it's added.
Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven with a lid over medium heat. Add the shallots and sauté until they are fragrant and translucent, about 5 minutes. Then add the Dijon mustard and stir to combine.
Add the cauliflower, 1 teaspoon of salt, thyme sprigs, bay leaves and just enough water to barely cover the cauliflower to the pot. (This may be less water than the amount I call for, see note.) Don't submerge the thyme and bay leaves under the cauliflower because you'll need to remove them before blending.
Place a lid on the Dutch oven and bring the mixture to a boil. Turn the heat down to medium low and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the cauliflower pierces easily with a fork. Remove from heat.
Remove the thyme and bay leaves. If any stray thyme leaves have gotten loose from the stems, try to get them out, but it's not a big deal. Use an immersion blender or a regular blender to blend the soup until it's smooth.
Stir in the half and half, and salt to taste. Place the soup back over medium heat until it's piping hot. Top with a couple of slices of brie and season with freshly ground black pepper.

Notes

Use as little water to cook the cauliflower as you can: You want it just barely covered. Too much water and the soup won't be thick enough to support the delicious slice of creamy brie. Keep in mind the cauliflower will release more water as it cooks, so start cautiously. You can always add a bit more when blending if you need to.
Try to keep the thyme leaves intact: You want nestle the thyme and bay leaves down into the water without the leaves going everywhere. Don't submerge them under the cauliflower because you'll need to remove them before blending.
You must use French brie: American brie does not have the same fat content and it will not melt properly into the soup.
An immersion blender is a helpful tool: I love my immersion blender. I have had mine, a Braun, for probably 20 years! I prefer using it as opposed to a regular blender for hot soups, because you can just blend it right in the pot, and you don't have to worry about the venting and exploding that can sometimes happen with hot liquids in blenders. If you do use a regular blender, be sure to do small amounts at a time, and make sure the vent is open on the top so steam can escape.
Recipe adapted from The French Market: More Recipes from a French Kitchen

Storage and reheating

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Freeze for up to one month.
To reheat, transfer to a saucepan over medium-low heat. You'll want to reheat gently so you don't scorch the half and half.

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