you're making mealtime meaningful.
When we think of chowders, we primarily think of either clam chowder or corn chowder, and we don’t really stray much from either of those two. Which is a shame because there are a lot of different chowder options out there, just waiting to be scooped up and gobbled down. When we got the craving for a creamy soup last week, we originally thought about using up some of the fresh corn we’ve got in our backyard, but then we realized we also had cauliflower that we hadn’t used yet. While it seemed far-fetched at first, we decided to take a whack at creating a creamy cauliflower chowder that was full of flavor and that people would actually want to eat again…it took a little fine-tuning, but we love the finished result! This stuff ticks all our boxes, so give it a shot and see if you love it as much as we do.
Slow Cooker Cauliflower Chowder
Yield(s): Serves 8
15 minutes active; 1-2 hours inactive
you're making mealtime meaningful.
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
- 4-6 slices bacon, optional, cooked and crumbled
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated, divided
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon rosemary, minced
- kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- fresh chives, minced, garnish
- oyster crackers, garnish
Preparation
- Place cauliflower florets, garlic, celery and onions in a large slow cooker.
- Pour in chicken broth and 2 cups water, then add thyme, rosemary and bay leaf, and season generously with salt and pepper.
- Cover slow cooker and cook on high for 1-2 hours (or on low for 3-4). Vegetables should be tender.
- Remove and discard bay leaf, then, working in batches, transfer soup to a large blender or food processor and pulse until desired consistency is reached. (Or use an immersion blender.)
- Return to slow cooker, and mix in heavy cream and 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, stirring until smooth.
- Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.
- Ladle soup into serving bowls and garnish with crumbled bacon, remaining cheddar cheese and fresh chives. Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from Damn Delicious