Cauliflower Soup with Smoked Meat – Quick, Simple & Delicious
Cauliflower Soup with Smoked Meat – a flavorful and hearty soup, perfect for family meals.
Cauliflower Soup with Smoked Meat
Course: MainCuisine: RomanianDifficulty: easy5
servings25
minutes50
minutes500
kcalThere are dishes that don’t impress through opulence, but rather through their simplicity — both in the way they’re prepared and in the ingredients used. Sometimes, less truly is more. In a world where meals seem to get more and more complicated, with over half the ingredients being inaccessible to most people, one dish has managed to stay at the top: soup.
The kind of soup that puts you back together — because that’s what we’re talking about this week — will always be a meal close to the heart. We all know those days when the world feels upside down: we’re too tired, too caught up in routine, and nothing seems right. And then, somewhere between craving something warm and that quiet longing for comfort, the solution appears: a bowl of soup.
A simple story about a soup that gathers peace in one pot.
Not just any soup, though. One that grounds you, soothes you, and silently tells you: “You’re home.” Tell me I’m wrong — nothing brings you back to your comfort zone faster than a steaming bowl of soup.
Cauliflower soup — my pick among too many favorites (I’m a true soup lover through and through! 😅) — is a lesser-known soup, but it won me over from the first taste. I stumbled upon it while looking up cauliflower recipes and, after some reading, decided to create my own version. It’s somewhat similar to tripe soup (or the Rădăuțeană soup): vinegar and garlic are added at the end. There are also fasting-friendly versions, as well as ones with tomato sauce, which change the way the soup gets its tanginess.
Let me show you just how easy it is to prepare!
You can also find this recipe on Chef Adrian Hădean’s blog, along with many others I cooked during my internship.
Ingredients:
1 medium cauliflower
600 g smoked meat (I used smoked ribs)
1 onion
1 carrot
1 parsnip
A small slice of celery root
2 small peppers or 1 large pepper
2 eggs
200 ml yogurt or sour cream (I used yogurt)
Garlic, to taste
Salt and pepper, to taste
Preparation method:
- I had the chance to cook this soup at my parents’ home, outside in the garden, in a cast-iron pot, using mostly homegrown ingredients.
- I placed the smoked meat in cold water and skimmed off the foam whenever necessary. The water in which it boils should NEVER be changed. Let it simmer until the meat softens and a flavorful stock forms.
- Meanwhile, while the meat was boiling, I prepared the cauliflower. I broke it into florets and cooked them in salted water until just tender, not mushy — about 10 minutes. Do not discard the water in which the cauliflower was boiled; keep it to add later, at the end, to adjust the soup’s broth.
- Once the cauliflower is cooked, remove it from the water and let it cool slightly. Then cut it into smaller pieces, just the right size to fit on a spoon, and set it aside for now. At this stage, I also prepared the remaining vegetables — peeled and chopped them.
- After the meat was cooked, I added the chopped vegetables (except the cauliflower), the water in which the cauliflower had been boiled, and continued simmering until the vegetables were tender.
- Almost there! In a bowl, mix the yogurt, eggs, and a few crushed garlic cloves. Season with salt and pepper and stir well. Gradually, pour in a few spoons of the hot soup broth to bring the mixture to the same temperature as the soup.
Pro tip: I used homemade yogurt, which makes the mixture less smooth and slightly tangy. For a creamier, smoother texture, use sour cream instead. - Pour the yogurt-egg mixture into the hot soup, stirring gently but continuously. Add the cauliflower florets and turn off the heat. Cover the pot and let the soup rest for about 15–20 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
- For serving, be sure to add vinegar, extra crushed garlic, and for those who like it, even some pickled bell peppers. To give you an idea of the flavor, it’s a mix between Rădăuțeană soup without chicken (a milder version of tripe soup for those who aren’t fans) and a smoked meat soup with sour cream.
- Like many soups of this kind, it’s even more flavorful on the second or third day—if it lasts that long. In our case, though, it never has, and honestly, it probably never will. This soup is just too delicious to not be eaten right away.
Finally, I want to thank all of you who have read this far, and I wish that whenever you feel the need for a hot, savory, comforting soup—a little refuge in the midst of everyday chaos—you give this cauliflower and smoked meat soup a try.
