Creamy Cauliflower Pesto Soup with Miniature Pasta Shells

This soup is creamy and smooth and my kids who seem to have been born with some super weird aversion to soup, will actually eat it!! I throw in a few extra pasta shells for them and we call theirs ‘pasta’ and mine ‘soup’. Whatever works, right?!  You can make this ahead and keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze it for up to a month using fresh pesto when serving.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook your miniature pasta shells as per package directions. Don’t overcook them. Drain and set aside.

In a large soup pot (I use this Ceramic Soup Pot),  heat your oil over medium heat and add your chopped onion and 1 tsp of salt. Cook until soft and then add your garlic and cook it for another 30 seconds. Add your broth and bring it to a boil and then add your cauliflower florets and the remaining 1 tsp of salt and let it simmer until the cauliflower is soft about 9 minutes.

Transfer the soup to a Vitamix  or high speed blender and puree it until smooth and then puree a little longer;) It will be very thick at this point. Transfer it back to the soup pot and add 1 cup of water, the lemon juice and cooked pasta shells. Stir to combine and season with pepper.Add a small dollop of pesto to each individual bowl and swirl it in before serving.

Adapted from Coscarelli, Chloe. “Cauliflower Soup With Pesto and Pasta Shells”. Chloe’s Vegan Italian Kitchen.

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Creamy Cauliflower Soup with Miniature Pasta Shells

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

25 mins

Total time

35 mins

 

A delicious, thick, creamy cauliflower soup with a flavourful dollop of pesto.

Website: WhatTheHeckDoIEatNow.com

Adapted From: Coscarelli, Chloe. "Cauliflower Soup With Pesto and Pasta Shells". Chloe's Vegan Italian Kitchen.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 cup miniature pasta shells (use brown rice pasta shells for a gluten free option)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion chopped
• 2 tsp salt
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 large head of cauliflower chopped into florets
• 1 cup of water
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• freshly ground black pepper
• Pesto sauce of your choice

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook your miniature pasta shells as per package directions. Don't over cook them.
2. Drain and set aside.
3. In a large soup pot heat your oil over medium heat and add your chopped onion and 1 tsp of salt.
4. Cook until soft and then add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
5. Add your broth and bring it to a boil and then add your cauliflower florets and the remaining 1 tsp of salt and let it simmer until cauliflower is soft about 9 minutes.
6. Transfer the soup to a high speed blender and puree it until very smooth and then puree a little longer;)
7. It will be very thick at this point.
8. Transfer it back to the soup pot and add 1 cup of water, the lemon juice and cooked pasta shells.
9. Stir to combine and season with pepper.
10. Add a small dollop of pesto to each individual bowl and swirl it in before serving.

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