Cauliflower White Bean Tahini Soup

With cumin, garlic and fresh lemon juice, this roasted cauliflower white bean tahini soup is a satisfying, hearty, easy-to-make vegan soup.

Whether I’m hungry or not, I am constantly thinking about food including new recipes to try and what I will make when my appetite kicks in.

That doesn’t mean I always know what to cook. I have spent countless hours with cooking block when I’m not short on ingredients, but I can’t come up with anything.

I compare it to staring at your closet and feeling like you have absolutely nothing to wear.

How is it that there’s a range of suitable options in front of you, but you still cannot decide?

Even though I don’t consider myself qualified to help with your wardrobe, I do have a strategy when you’re stuck in the kitchen.

After taking a pantry and fridge assessment, I like to brainstorm about what I’ve made in the past with the fruits, vegetables, grains and other things that I do have on-hand.

This gives me a starting point with a recipe that I might have on repeat. I try to figure out how to put a twist on it and do something a bit different.

Then I’m not struggling to start with an idea completely from scratch, which is definitely not a daily mealtime requirement.

This might involve roasting veggies and pairing them with greens in a salad instead of mixing them with quinoa or rice or eating them on their own for a side.

And that is how I ended up making this cauliflower white bean tahini soup for the first time.

With a head of cauliflower patiently waiting in my fridge, I thought about one of my favorite ways to eat this versatile vegetable–roasted with tahini and spices.

It only made sense to do this, but then add a couple steps afterward to transform it into soup.

How To Make Cauliflower White Bean Tahini Soup

First, I preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

To prep the cauliflower, I trim the bottom of the head and slice it lengthwise. Instead of breaking it into florets, these slices maximize contact with the pan and result in more browning.

Then I whisk together tahini, olive oil, cumin, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper in a large bowl. So then you have enough space to add the cauliflower, tossing it around to coat it.

I arrange the cauliflower in a single layer on a sheet pan. It roasts for 20-25 minutes, including turning it over to the other side halfway through roasting.

When the cauliflower is almost finished in the oven, I get started on the other part of the soup. This is on the stovetop.

I heat olive oil in a big pot and sauté chopped onions until they are soft and translucent. Then I add minced garlic, salt and pepper.

Shortly after that, I stir in 2 cans of cannellini beans, vegetable broth, chopped parsley and most of the roasted cauliflower. I save some of it to use as garnish.

Then I bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat and let it simmer for 10 minutes.

Next, I carefully transfer the soup in batches to the blender to puree. I return the soup to the pot to warm it as needed.

The last step before serving is to squeeze in the juice of a lemon. It adds a wonderful brightness to this thick comforting vegan soup.

I top each bowl with the roasted cauliflower that I have saved and a sprinkle of parsley.

Cauliflower White Bean Tahini Soup

• Author: Paige Adams
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 30-35 minutes
• Total Time: 40-45 minutes
• Yield: Serves 4 1x

With cumin, garlic and fresh lemon juice, this roasted cauliflower white bean tahini soup is a satisfying, hearty and easy-to-make vegan soup.

Ingredients

• For cauliflower
• 1 head cauliflower, leaves removed, bottom stem trimmed
• 1/4 cup tahini
• 2 tablespoons olive oil plus more for greasing pan
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• Pinch red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• For soup
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small white onion, roughly chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2–15 ounce cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley plus more for serving
• Juice of 1 lemon

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Cut the cauliflower lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick slices. In a large bowl, whisk together the tahini, olive oil, cumin, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Toss the cauliflower in the mixture.
3. Arrange the cauliflower in a single layer on an oiled sheet pan. Roast for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking, until browned.
4. For the soup, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Then sauté the onions until they start to soften, about 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic, salt and pepper and cook for another minute until fragrant. Stir in the beans, vegetable broth, parsley and the roasted cauliflower, reserving a 1/2 cup cauliflower for garnish.
5. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
6. Carefully transfer the soup to a blender in batches and puree until smooth.
7. Return the soup to the saucepan and warm it as necessary over low heat. Stir in the lemon juice.
8. Divide the soup into bowls. Top with the reserved roasted cauliflower and chopped parsley.