Cauliflower Chowder Topped with Bacon

Vegan-ized this Pinterest find (original post – http://damndelicious.net/2014/03/22/cauliflower-chowder/) earlier this week for dinner with my best friend & her roommate. Verdict? Two thumbs up! My bestie & I had seconds… any then I maybe had thirds from the leftovers when I got home…

One of the great things about this chowder is that it satisfies your creamy cravings without all the added carbs and calories that come with a potato chowder. A handy google search, see beside, can confirm this.

The changes I made to the original recipe included swapping out dairy-filled butter & milk for vegan versions, and doubling the onion & celery. I did, however, take out the carrots because I was serving an AMAZING carrot side dish (recipe coming soon). I also decided to include the cauliflower greens as well for some added fiber & nutrients – plus reduced waste! I recommend washing the stalk & leaves before you use them because they can have dirt hidden amongst them. When I made the recipe, I just composted the very end of the stalk because it was a little too tough to work with, but chop up the rest of it & toss it all into your soup! I’ve adjusted the cooking times to account for the stalk – which takes longer to become tender – but you may need to cook your soup 5-10 minutes more at the end if they’re still a tad tough.

This is a great, hearty soup that will warm you up on chilly days! Bon appetit!

Cauliflower Chowder Topped With Bacon

Ingredients:

• 4 slices vegan bacon, diced
• 2 tablespoons vegan butter
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 onions, diced
• 4 stalks celery, diced
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup plant-based milk
• 1 head cauliflower (stalk & greens included), roughly chopped
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Directions: 

1. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add bacon and cook until brown and crispy, about 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate; set aside.
2. Melt butter in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add garlic, onion, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-4 minutes.
3. Stir in cauliflower and greens. Cook, stirring occasionally, about 5-6 minutes.
4. Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute.
5. Gradually whisk in vegetable broth and milk, and cook, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened, about 3-4 minutes.
6. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until cauliflower & stalk/greens are tender, about 15-20 minutes; season with salt and pepper, to taste. If the chowder is too thick, add more milk as needed until desired consistency is reached.
7. Serve immediately, garnished with bacon and parsley, if desired.