Smoky Cauliflower Chowder with Bacon

Velvety dairy-free chowder made from pureed roasted cauliflower, aromatic vegetables, and crisp smoky bacon crumbles.

• Prep: 15 min
• Cook: 25 min
• Total: 40 min
• Servings: 8
• Cuisine: American
• Difficulty: Easy
• Cost: $3.41/serving

Dietary

• Paleo
• Whole30
• Gluten-Free
• Dairy-Free
• Nut-Free
• Soy-Free
• Egg-Free
• Low-Carb
• Low-Calorie

Tags

• one-pot
• smoky
• comfort food
• rich

Ingredients

• 1 pound bacon (thick-cut, chopped)
• 1 yellow onion (large, diced)
• 3 piece celery (diced)
• 2 carrots (medium, finely diced)
• 4 clove garlic (minced)
• 2 head cauliflower (medium, cut into florets)
• 6 cup chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 0.5 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 0.5 teaspoon black pepper (ground)
• 0.25 cup fresh chives (chopped)

Instructions

1. Place 1 pound chopped bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook for 8 minutes until crisp and browned. Transfer bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving 2 tablespoons of rendered fat in the pot.
2. Add 1 diced yellow onion, 3 diced stalks celery, and 2 finely diced carrots to the bacon drippings. Sauté over medium heat for 5 minutes until soft.
3. Stir in 4 minced cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Cook for 1 minute.
4. Add florets from 2 heads cauliflower and 6 cups chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes until cauliflower is very soft.
5. Use an immersion blender directly in the pot to blend half of the soup until smooth and creamy, leaving some visible vegetable texture throughout.
6. Stir half of the cooked crispy bacon into the chowder. Ladle into containers and garnish each serving with the remaining bacon and 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives.

Notes

Pureeing a portion of the cooked cauliflower creates a rich chowder consistency without requiring any heavy cream or flour.

Nutrition (per serving)

• Calories: 353
• Protein: 24.4 g
• Carbohydrates: 17 g
• Fat: 23.4 g
• Fiber: 3.8 g
• Sodium: 1906 mg
• Saturated Fat: 8.3 g
• Sugar: 8.6 g
• Cholesterol: 67 mg