When I buy soup, it’s usually something with beans or lentils, so that I know it will have a decent protein content and will keep me full. I used to love plain cheesy tomato or broccoli cheese soup, but they typically aren’t the healthiest options (full of cream, butter, and cheese).
When Nicole posted this Creamy Roasted Cauliflower soup a few weeks ago, it really caught my attention. I love the deep, savory flavor of roasted vegetables, and I’ve been on a kick to try new cauliflower recipes (like on my husband’s birthday). Once I saw that there roasted garlic involved, I was sold. If you haven’t roasted a head of garlic yet, do it. I can’t believe it took me so long. Need more reasons to try it? Check out Jess’s post.
I loved the nutrition stats of the soup, but thought it could use more protein. 
Now it doesn’t look pretty, but these pureed beans don’t affect the flavor of the soup, add 35 grams of protein, and make the soup even more creamy.
I didn’t measure the broccoli and cauliflower prior to roasting – I just used two bunches of broccoli and 1 large bag of frozen cauliflower florets (thawed).
I think an immersion blender is one of the best inexpensive small appliances you can buy. I don’t use it all that often, but it saves so much time, doesn’t take up very much space, and spares you the annoyance of pureeing things in batches in a blender or food processor. Most importantly, clean up is way easier!
It took about 3 minutes to go from this:
To this!
The meal was complete with a new (to me) pizza from Trader Joe’s – my lovely husband grabbed it the other night when he brought home sushi for dinner.
It even looks similar to the photo on the box – always a bonus!
I knew my husband would want it to be a cheesy soup (creamy isn’t good enough), so I made myself a few taste tests – one plain, one with nutritional yeast, and one with shredded cheddar.
Honestly I liked them all, but decided to add about a teaspoon of each to my bowl. 
Other simple changes I made to the original recipe: no celery, 2 carrots, 32 oz of vegetable stock (instead of 28), 1/4 cup of 2% milk (instead of 1/3 cup of half and half).
Delicious, warm meal for a cold, rainy night in Pittsburgh.
PS – My ever complimenting husband said the soup looked like “baby vomit”, but liked the flavor (after adding a ton of cheese). Gotta focus on the positives, right?
I’ll admit it’s not the prettiest of soups. What’s your favorite “ugly” food that tastes delicious? Any “must have” small appliances in your kitchen?
I love love love my hand held mixer/blender. Totally useful and sooo easy to clean!
The immersion blender is the best! It changed my life – so much easier than trying to transfer soups to the blender to puree. Looks like a lovely dinner (not at all like baby vomit).
I love all the ingredients in this soup! I am big on roasting everything but I haven’t roasted garlic yet either! Also I just got an immersion blender for Christmas and haven’t used it yet, so this sounds perfect! However, unlike you, the scary texture and look of the soup means my bf will not come within 10 feet of it, so it will have to be a soup I freeze for myself!
Oh yum! That looks so good, and I love your addition of the beans! Nice way to get that protein in!
sounds delicious! i LOVE split pea soup… it truly is so ugly, but so delicious and healthy!
The soup looks like it came out great! I adore beans and I bet they did a lot for the texture and made it more hearty and satisfying. And hey, that’s pretty good box-to-real-life similarity for a frozen pizza! Haha
Oooh that Trader Joe’s pizza looks awesome. I”m always hesitant with frozen pizzas but this one looks like a winner!
My favorite ugly food is probably tuna salad or eggs – for whatever reason neither looks appetizing at all!
Ok, everything here looks friggin amazing!! Pizza and yummy soup?! HELLO!!!!
Split Pea soup is my FAV!!! I love it!
xxoo
gotta say – it’s not the prettiest soup, but it sounds amazing!!
Mmmm, sounds good! Most of my Indian food is pretty ugly, but it’s always incredibly delicious.
This sounds amazing!
I want an immersion blender:)
This sounds delicious. Roasted garlic is so yummy.
The nastier the food looks, the tastier it will be. Tried and true.
I need one of those blenders!
I love that you added beans – great idea! Plus more fiber
I’m in LOVE with my immersion blender…so much easier than transferring hot soup from pot to blender and back again!
Thanks for the great recipe!