Sooo….are you thinking what I’m thinking? Loaded cauliflower soup? Seriously? Our good friends made this soup and raved and raved about it. Loaded potato soup is just so many calories. So why not try this right? It’s creamy, smooth and will really hit the spot on a cold afternoon.
Add a little bacon (which makes everything better, like you didn’t know that already!!) and a little bit of hot sauce and you’ve got a soup that will really put a smile on your face. And there is an added bonus!! This cauliflower is LOW in carbs!! If you are trying to cut carbs (and maybe shed a few pounds) BUT still have a craving for potato soup, this will definitely hit the spot. If you try it, let me know! I’d love to hear your opinion on this one!
- 12 oz chicken, diced
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 large leeks, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced and rinsed
- 4 cups chopped cauliflower florets (from 1 medium head)
- 2 small russet potatoes, washed and diced
- 1 zucchini chopped
- 1 cup frozen/fresh corn
- 2 cups 1% milk
- 3 bay leaves
- 2 tbsp garlic powder, divided
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon white or black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1½ cups shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Red Hot Sauce (Optional)
- Bacon pieces (Optional Garnish)
- Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add leeks and cook, stirring, until very soft, about 5 minutes. Add cauliflower, 2 cups milk, chicken broth,water, bay leaves, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring often. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cauliflower is soft, about 8 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in another non-stick pan, spray with cooking spraying and add salt, pepper and garlic powder to the diced chicken, cook over medium heat for about 8minutes.
- In another pan, sauté the russet potatoes in 2 table spoons of olive oil for approximately 4 to 5 minutes and then add the zucchini to the same pan, the frozen corn will only take a few minutes to cook. (We like the corn still a little firm)
- After the cauliflower has softened in the milk mixture you will need to remove the bay leaves from the pot. This soup can be served with the chunky florets of cauliflower or pureed (as shown in the picture). Once the chicken and other vegetables have completed their sautés take the cauliflower mixture from the heat and slowly begin to incorporate the cheese into the soup, stirring the mixture while adding it. Once the cheese has been added add the chicken and vegetables to the soup. One last squeeze of lemon juice before serving and dinner is served!
- I garnished with some leeks I reserved from the initial cooking process as well as some left over bacon I chopped into bits from breakfast. We highly recommend a dash of hot sauce to go over the top of this soup.
Tycdftg
The more I eat this soup, the more I think I should have named it I Can t Believe It s Not Loaded Baked Potato Soup!
This soup did not turn out very good. I gave it one star and it really doesn’t even deserve that. We ate one serving and the rest went out to the compost.
The Winter has arrived, lets drink the soup.