A wonderful soup for a warming dinner, full of vegetables with a garnish of bacon. See notes below to make it vegan if you wish. It’s easily made gluten free by using a flour substitute.

Recipe by Catherine Pla

Serves 6

4 slices bacon, cut into 1” pieces
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 carrot chopped
1 fennel bulb, trimmed and chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
2 T all-purpose flour, or gluten-free flour mix
1⁄4 c dry white wine
2 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves stripped and minced
1 bay leaf
1 head cauliflower, chopped into florets
4 c vegetable (or chicken) broth
1 c whole milk
1 c chopped greens, such as spinach, kale, or power greens

In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, cook bacon until crispy. Remove from the pot, leaving fat 2 tablespoons of fat behind, and drain on paper towels. Set aside.

To the same pot, add onion, celery, carrot, fennel and sauté over medium heat until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for one minute until fragrant. Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes. Add the wine and deglaze the pot, scraping up any brown bits on the bottom. Add the thyme, bay leaf, and cauliflower. Add the broth and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the cauliflower is tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in the milk and greens and taste for seasoning, adding salt and black pepper as needed. Cook another few minutes at a simmer to wilt greens. Garnish with reserved bacon.

NOTE: To make the soup vegan, omit the bacon, use oil instead of bacon fat, replace milk with coconut milk.

Bacon Cauliflower Chowder with Greens