Roasted Cauliflower Corn Chowder
This creamy Roasted Cauliflower Corn Chowder is precisely what is in order on a cool, crisp fall day. Roasting the cauliflower creates a delicious layer of flavor that pairs perfectly with sweet corn, crispy bacon bits, and Parmesan cheese.
Servings: 6
Calories: 267kcal
Ingredients
- 1 large head cauliflower cut into florets (approximately 5 cups)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 6 strips bacon cut into ½-inch pieces
- 1 cup diced white or yellow onion
- 1 cup peeled and diced carrot
- ½ cup diced celery
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus additional to taste
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 1½ cups milk I used 2% reduced fat
- 1 cup fresh or frozen corn
- ⅓ cup shredded Parmesan cheese plus additional for garnish
- fresh ground black pepper to taste
- fresh chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place cauliflower florets on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Roast cauliflower for 30 to 35 minutes until fork tender and golden brown.
- Place a large saucepan or Dutch oven over MEDIUM heat. Add chopped bacon and cook until crispy. Use a slotted spoon to transfer bacon to a plate and set aside.
- Pour off most of the bacon fat from the pan, leaving behind about 1 tablespoon. Add remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and add diced onion, carrot, and celery. Cook for several minutes, stirring often until vegetables have softened. Add minced garlic, ½ teaspoon salt, and thyme and cook just until garlic is fragrant.
- Add roasted cauliflower and broth to the pan. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to LOW, tuck bay leaf into soup and cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Remove bay leaf and use an immersion blender to purée slightly, leaving some of the cauliflower chunky to add texture to the soup. Alternately, you can carefully transfer about ¾ of the soup into a blender and purée until smooth, working in batches if necessary. Add puréed soup back into the pot.
- Stir in milk and corn. If using frozen corn, there is no need to thaw it first. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 3 or 4 minutes or until milk and corn are warmed through. Stir in the Parmesan cheese, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, fresh ground black pepper, and half of the cooked bacon.
- Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if needed. Garnish with reserved bacon, fresh parsley, and additional cheese.
Video
Nutrition
Calories: 267kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 21mg | Sodium: 697mg | Potassium: 454mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 3645IU | Vitamin C: 14.1mg | Calcium: 113mg | Iron: 1.1mg