It's officially soup season. Yay! It's been in the thirties and forties this week, so the soup recipes came out and got sorted through.
Just when I had decided on one to make, my friend Sherry emailed me this recipe for Hearty Hamburger Cauliflower Soup - an easy Fall soup recipe she created for her family.
Sherry says, "I wanted to use cauliflower in a healthy soup recipe instead of potatoes and couldn't find a recipe that wasn't cream based."
Well, she did a great job because it turned out beautifully. It's comforting, full of good stuff, and delicious.
The cauliflower is tender and soaked in some of that wonderful beefy-tomato broth and is a great addition to the soup. Here's a photo of it hot and steamy right out of the pot...
I was looking for a soup or stew to take to a friend of mine who just got out of the hospital and this Hearty Hamburger Cauliflower Soup was perfect. I took it over to them steaming hot with fresh crackers and a few slices of Double-Layer Pumpkin Pie.
When I got home I slipped on my jammies and fluffy socks and enjoyed a bowl of it while binge-watching Columbo. Now, that's the life!
I think we'll double this one next time.
A lot of my readers have given me feedback on this recipe and many are thrilled that it's a keto soup. Others add other vegetables like green beans, carrots, even broccoli! Also, if you don't want to use bouillon or don't have any in the cabinets, replace two cups of the water with beef broth.
Make it a delicious vegan soup by replacing the bouillon with water, adding more vegetables and herbs, and leave out the ground beef.
Use whatever is in season (but don't forget that wonderful cauliflower) and make this Hamburger Cauliflower Soup your own.
Hamburger Cauliflower Soup
Delicious, hearty, very versatile soup full of good stuff.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ Medium Onion, (roughly chopped)
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 (14.5 oz) Can Stewed Tomatoes
- 3 Cups water
- 3 Beef bouillon cubes
- ½ teaspoon Onion Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Garlic Salt
- ½ teaspoon Basil
- 1 teaspoon Celery flakes
- Salt & Pepper to taste
- ½ Large Cauliflower head, (cut into florets)
Instructions
- Add the oil to a large pot and turn heat on medium. When oil is hot, saute the onion until almost translucent.
- Add the hamburger and brown. Drain excess grease.
- Add the stewed tomatoes, water, bouillon cubes, onion powder, basil, garlic salt, celery flakes and salt and pepper. Simmer on low for about 20 minutes.
- Add cauliflower florets and simmer (very slow simmer) for 1 hour. Salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
Tips and Stuff:
If you don't want to use/don't have beef bouillon cubes, use 3 cups of beef broth in place of the cubes and don't add the 3 cups of water called for.
I added a another cup of water to her original recipe (called for 2 cups) because I wanted to make sure and have enough to take to my friend.
Remember to drain off excess grease after browning the hamburger meat and before you add the rest of the ingredients so the soup won't be oily.
Be sure and add the cauliflower when the recipe calls for it - you don't want it to get mushy.
Next time I might add even more vegetables - the broth base of this is soooo good!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1 bowlAmount Per Serving: Calories: 260Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 67mgSodium: 533mgCarbohydrates: 7gFiber: 2gSugar: 4gProtein: 22g
Nutrition Values are Approximate
Can you make this the night before and serve for lunch the next day?
Definitely, Wendy! It's good for up to 3-4 days refrigerated.
Oh good, thanks! So the cauliflower won’t be soggy or should o wait to add it an hour before serving?
Add the cauliflower later in the simmering process (about 20 minutes before finished). That should help the cauliflower not be mushy.
Can this be frozen?
Maureen, the cauliflower might come out a little mushy, but over all, after cooled, could be poured into a freezer bag, sealed and frozen.
I love this soup! I add squash, zucchini, and a little bit of barley. Thanks for sharing.❤️
Can you make this soup the day before?
Great recipe! Used beef stock and added more vegetables as you mentioned in your notes. (Carrots, celery, & red peppers) Otherwise, followed your recipe to the "T" ! Delish!
Sounds great, Diane. Glad you liked it! I can't wait for the weather to cool down some so we can heat up the kitchen again and make some soup.
I absolutely love this dish. I add rice. I make it often. Thanks!
That's a good idea, Carmen. I love how you can throw anything you want into this soup!
This is a wonderful and filling soup ! I’ve made it a few times and each time it hits the spot . Tonight I altered it somewhat. I like to use frozen cauliflower but I only had 2 @ 12 ounce bags and I had already committed to doubling it this time . So I used 2 bags of cauliflower and 2 bags of mixed veggies and it was still delicious. Great recipe!!!!
That sounds great, Greg! I like to add fresh corn cut off the cob and green beans sometimes. It's very a very versatile base.