creamy roasted cauliflower chowder

prep: 10 MINUTES | cook: 45 MINUTES | total: 55 MINUTES | serves 6

We get a lot of snow here in Salt Lake City, which is great for two things: ski season and soup days. While I would rather stay inside where it’s warm and toasty, Josh loves getting outside when there’s been a big snowstorm. He and the boys hit the slopes as often as possible, or just spend the morning building snow forts in the yard. When they come in, they’re all ready for a steaming bowl of comfort food—and this chowder always hits the spot. Instead of potatoes, we use roasted cauliflower, which adds deep, caramelized flavor while keeping the soup a little lighter.

1 large head cauliflower, cored and roughly chopped

3 garlic cloves

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

2 medium carrots, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

1 dried bay leaf

½ teaspoon dried thyme

¼ cup all-purpose flour (you can use gluten-free flour)

3½ cups vegetable broth

1¼ cups milk

½ cup shredded cheddar cheese (we prefer white cheddar)

1 Preheat the oven to 400°F.

2 Arrange the chopped cauliflower and garlic cloves on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil, season with a pinch of salt and pepper, and toss until well coated. Spread out the cauliflower and garlic in a single layer to avoid steaming. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring once, until the cauliflower is tender. Set aside to cool. When cool enough to handle, remove the garlic from its skin and finely chop.

3 In a large pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until just beginning to soften. Add the carrots and celery and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the chopped garlic, cauliflower, bay leaf, and dried thyme. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and mix to combine. Cook until the flour disappears, about 2 minutes. Pour in the broth, stir, and bring to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes. Stir in the milk and cheese and continue mixing until the cheese is melted and the chowder is creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Discard the bay leaf. Ladle the chowder into bowls and serve warm.