Easy Carrot and Cauliflower Soup (Carrot Gazpacho)

5 from 3 votes

Easy Carrot and Cauliflower Soup (Carrot Gazpacho)

This recipe for carrot and cauliflower soup is super easy to make at home! It’s like a carrot gazpacho — creamy and served chilled. This cauliflower and carrot soup is made on the stovetop and features plenty of veggies, buttermilk, and a bit of cayenne pepper for some added flavor. Enjoy as a refreshing appetizer, for lunch, or for dinner anytime.

Prep Time15

Cook Time1

Cooling Time2

Total Time3 15

Course: Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine: North American

Diet: Gluten Free, Low Calorie, Low Fat

Keyword: Buttermilk, Carrots, Cauliflower, Cold Soup Recipes, Gazpacho, Vegetable Soup

Servings: servings

Calories: 166kcal

Author: Alisa Infanti

Ingredients

2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
3 ½ cups chopped white or yellow onions
2 lb carrots; peeled, trimmed and chopped into 1" pieces
4 ½ cups cauliflower florets (1 medium head of cauliflower)
8 cups vegetable broth
¼ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
¾ cup buttermilk
½ cup chopped red onion
2-3 green onions; trimmed and chopped
2 tbsp fresh basil; chopped
1 tsp lemon zest
¼ tsp salt
⅛ tsp black pepper
2 tbsp lemon juice

Instructions

Add the olive oil and butter to a large heavy-bottomed soup pot and melt over medium heat. Add the white onions and sautee until they start to brown slightly. About 7 minutes
Add the chopped cauliflower and carrots to the pot and sautee for 5 minutes.
Pour the broth into the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and let simmer until the vegetables are soft. About 45 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in the cayenne pepper. Let cool slightly and then use an immersion blender to blend the vegetables until the soup is smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Refrigerate the soup until cooled completely and cover it with a tight-fitting lid until ready to serve. Stir in the buttermilk. If you wish the soup to be thinner add a little more vegetable broth, chicken broth or water to get the desired consistency.
Before serving, mix the red onion, green onions, basil, salt, pepper, and lemon juice in a small bowl. When ready to serve the soup add a spoonful on top as a garnish. Serve chilled or warm.

Notes

Storage and Freezing:

Carrot and cauliflower soup can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days, which makes it perfect for enjoying throughout the week. (And perfect for packing for lunch, since you won’t even need to reheat it!)

If you’d like to freeze the soup, transfer it to freezer-safe containers, and freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and enjoy!

Buttermilk Substitute:

To replace the buttermilk, mix 3/4 milk with 2 tsp of white vinegar and let sit for 10 minutes to curdle/sour.

In both cases, you’ll want to store the garnish separately. It will last in the fridge for 3 days as well. In the case of frozen soup, make the garnish when you’re ready to thaw it and enjoy.

Nutrition