Roasted cauliflower, sweet potatoes, a generous spice blend, grainy mustard, miso, and lemon make this vegan sweet potato chowder one of the most flavorful soups on this site. The cauliflower goes into a hot oven first, and the resulting caramelization makes a real difference in the finished pot. Serve this vegan soup with a a few pieces of no-knead whole wheat bread and you’ve got the coziest cold weather dinner.
The spice depth is what makes this chowder interesting. I think spices actually make up the bulk of the ingredient list here! Smoked paprika, cumin, and cayenne build the heat, while capers add an unexpected briny note that lifts everything up. Grainy mustard and tomato paste follow for body and tang.
Roasting the cauliflower with garlic powder and smoked paprika before it goes into the pot is the step that makes this chowder. I tested a version where the cauliflower cooked directly in the pot and the depth just wasn’t there. One reader mentioned roasting whole garlic cloves alongside the cauliflower to add in later, and I thought that was a brilliant idea.
A third of the finished chowder gets blended in an upright blender and stirred back in, along with non-dairy creamer for richness. Miso and lemon go in at the very end. Both brighten and deepen in a way that’s hard to explain until you taste it. If you have liquid smoke, a few drops at the finish take the smokiness even further. I always add it to mine!
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Creamy Cauliflower & Sweet Potato Chowder
Ingredients
- 4 cups small cauliflower florets (from ½ of a medium head of cauliflower)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, divided
- 2 medium shallots, small dice (about ½ cup diced shallots)
- 2 sticks celery, sliced
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon capers, minced
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried tarragon
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon grainy mustard
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 2-inch pieces (about 3 cups chopped sweet potato)
- 3 cups vegetable stock
- 1 cup unsweetened non-dairy creamer (see note)
- 1 teaspoon light miso
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 3-4 drops liquid smoke (optional)
- chopped chives, for garnish
Equipment
- Blender
Notes
- You can make this soup on a meal prep day and keep it sealed in the fridge for up to 5 days. This soup is also freezer-friendly!
- I used an unsweetened oat-based creamer as my “cream.” Any unsweetened and rich non-dairy milk is good here. If you like, you can make your own cashew-based cream by blending ⅓ cup soaked (for at least 2 hours) raw cashews and 1 cup of water until completely smooth.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F. Place all of the cauliflower on a baking sheet and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and add the garlic powder and ½ teaspoon of the smoked paprika. Toss to coat and roast in the oven until golden brown on the edges and tender, about 25 minutes. Set aside.
- Heat a heavy-bottomed, Dutch oven-style pot over medium heat. Pour in the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and swirl it around. Add the shallots to the pot and sauté until very soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the celery and carrots, and sauté for another 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- To the pot, add the following: the remaining ½ teaspoon of smoked paprika, garlic, capers, dried thyme, tarragon, sweet paprika, ground cumin, cayenne, and nutritional yeast. Keep stirring and sautéing for another minute, or until the garlic is very fragrant.
- Add the tomato paste and mustard to the pot and sauté for another minute or so, just to get the raw tin-like flavour out of the tomato paste.
- Add the sweet potatoes to the pot and stir to coat. Season liberally with salt and pepper again.
- Add the vegetable stock and non-dairy creamer to the pot and stir. Place a lid on top so that it's partially covering the pot. bring the chowder to a boil and then lower the heat to a simmer. Cook until the pieces of sweet potato are tender, about 20-25 minutes. Check in on the pot here and there and stir up the chowder.
- Once the sweet potatoes are tender, carefully ladle about 1/3 of the chowder into an upright blender. Add 1/3 of the roasted cauliflower to the blender as well. Blend this mixture until completely smooth and add it back into the pot. Add the remaining roasted cauliflower back into the pot as well. Stir it up!
- Bring the finished chowder to a boil and stir in the miso, lemon juice, and liquid smoke (if using). Check for seasoning and adjust if necessary. Garnish the chowder with chopped chives and enjoy!
This soup is great! I made some modifications based on what I had on hand: whole head of cauli, no celery, 2 carrots, 1 yellow onion instead of shallots, 1/4 tsp each of oregano & dill instead of tarragon, no nooch, no miso, a can of pureed great northern beans instead of creamer. I also added a bulb of roasted garlic (shoutout to reviewer Sherry for the idea) and a can of un-pureed cannellini beans. I know that sounds like a lot of modifications but I think it just shows you how customizable & forgiving the recipe is. The flavor is awesome! Sweet & smoky, but bright and well-rounded. I served it to a nonvegan friend who loved it as well. I’ve saved the recipe and will definitely make it again!
Side note, when I tried to leave a review on mobile (using Chrome), there wasn’t a “submit” button. Maybe a glitch on my end, but something to look into.
Thank you for the recipe!
DELICIOUS! Added the lentils, kale, and liquid smoke. 10/10 will make again
Excellent recipe! I roasted red onion and whole garlic cloves with the cauliflower. The flavors are great balance of creaminess, spiciness, and tang.