This Thai-inspired spicy cauliflower soup is hearty and rich with plenty of yellow curry flavor. It's a great dish for beginning Thai cooks, as it comes together quickly, and doesn't require any hard-to-find ingredients or special cooking skills to make.
I've been wanting to make a Thai-inspired cauliflower soup for a while. And now that I've made it, I'm so glad that I did! This rich and hearty soup is packed with flavor. It's made by roasting cauliflower, then simmering it in a rich and creamy yellow curry coconut broth. All of the ingredients are then blended together to make a silky smooth, ultra satisfying soup.
Because this soup relies on yellow curry paste for the majority of it's flavor, you don't need to be an expert in balancing Thai flavors. Likewise, it only requires a few ingredients, all of which are fairly easy to find in mainstream stores these days. That makes this soup a great recipe to start with for those who are just getting started cooking Thai food.
Ingredients
- Cauliflower: Cauliflower forms the base of this soup. It's roasted with a drizzle of a mild-flavored oil and sprinkle of salt and pepper to bring out its natural flavor.
- Onion and garlic: These aromatic herbs add a nice background upon which the soup is built.
- Yellow curry paste: The Thai yellow curry paste is responsible for the majority of the flavor of this soup; therefore, it's important to choose a good one. In our taste test comparison, our favorite brands were Mae Anong, Mae Ploy, and Mae Sri.
- Chicken broth and Water: Chicken broth and water form the broth of the soup. If you prefer a richer soup, feel free to use all chicken broth without the water. Vegetable broth would also work well, if you're making this into a vegan soup.
- Coconut milk: Coconut milk adds the creaminess. You should use the canned, unsweetened variety. If you like your soup more creamy, feel free to add more than one cup.
- Sugar and Fish Sauce: Depending on which curry paste you use, you may need to adjust the seasonings a bit. Different curry pastes have different levels of saltiness, so taste and adjust accordingly. Sugar can help to round out the curry flavors.
Instructions
Cut cauliflower into medium-sized pieces and place in a baking dish. Drizzle with a mild-flavored oil and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Bake at 400 degrees for ~30 minutes until it's roasted.
While the cauliflower is roasting, chop the garlic and onion. Once the cauliflower is done, you can begin making the soup. Add a bit of mild-flavored oil to a large pot over medium heat, then saute the garlic and onion until the onion is translucent and the garlic is golden brown.
Add the curry paste to the cooked onion and garlic, and mix to incorporate. Once it has had a minute or two to fry, add the roasted cauliflower and mix together with the other ingredients.
Next add the chicken broth, water, and coconut milk. Mix together, then let everything simmer until the cauliflower is completely soft (~15 minutes).
Season the soup with with fish sauce and sugar as needed. The amount you will need to use will depend on which curry paste you used, so taste and adjust accordingly.
Take the soup off the heat, and blend until it is smooth and creamy. Pour into individual serving bowls and serve with a sprinkling of dried chili flakes and green onion for garnish.
Vegan Cauliflower Soup
Although this soup is not inherently vegan, it can easily become so with a few alterations. Instead of chicken broth, you can use vegetable broth. Instead of fish sauce, you can use salt to season the soup. You should also double check the ingredients of the curry paste you use, as Thai curry pastes may include shrimp paste.
Serving Suggestions
This spicy cauliflower soup pairs well with crusty bread for dipping, if you're serving it with a western style meal. If you'd like to serve it in more of a Thai style, it'd be complemented nicely by a bright and refreshing salad such as Som Tam or Larb Gai.
Recipe
Thai-Inspired Spicy Cauliflower Soup
Ingredients
- 4 cups cauliflower florets (~ 1 head)
- ½ cup onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- 2 Tablespoons yellow curry paste
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
Instructions
- Cut cauliflower into medium-sized pieces and place in a baking dish. Drizzle with a mild-flavored oil and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Bake at 400 degrees for ~30 minutes until it's roasted.
- While the cauliflower is roasting, chop the garlic and onion. Once the cauliflower is done, you can begin making the soup. Add a bit of mild-flavored oil to a large pot over medium heat, then saute the garlic and onion until the onion is translucent and the garlic is golden brown.
- Add the curry paste to the cooked onion and garlic, and mix to incorporate. Once it has had a minute or two to fry, add the roasted cauliflower and mix together with the other ingredients.
- Next add the chicken broth, water, and coconut milk. Mix together, then let everything simmer until the cauliflower is completely soft (~15 minutes).
- Season the soup with with fish sauce and sugar as needed. The amount you will need to use will depend on which curry paste you used, so taste and adjust accordingly.
- Take the soup off the heat, and blend until it is smooth and creamy. Pour into individual serving bowls and serve with a sprinkling of dried chili flakes and green onion for garnish.
Ashley
Quick question, I would really like to add some protein to this dish and was wondering about adding crab, shrimp, or lobster. Do any of these things sound like a good pairing?
andy
Yeah man. This was the shit! Will definitely make again.
heidi g
Wow. This is an amazing soup. I used a head of locally grown, purple cauliflower, which made for an interesting color (Go Ravens?). But, I will be using this recipe again, real soon. Delicious!
Rachel
Great! Glad you enjoyed it Heidi!
Mafalda
Hello Rachel!!!
This recipe seems delicious! I will make some changes, cause I am vegan, but I will certainly try this one and others! Congrats for the recipes and amazing photos!