Blomkalssuppe, Danish Cauliflower and Dill Soup
Cauliflower turns to velvet when you cook it soft and blend it, which makes it the natural base for a smooth Scandinavian soup with no cream in sight. This Danish version leans on the classic northern move of a leek and potato foundation, sweated slowly in water so it stays pale, then simmered with the cauliflower until everything collapses. Dill and a spoon of mustard place it firmly in the north, and a handful of toasted pumpkin seeds gives the bowl the contrast it needs. It is light enough for a summer lunch and warming enough for a dark afternoon, and it costs almost nothing to make.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb Cauliflower, cut into florets
- 1/2 lb Potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1 whole Leeks, white and pale green, sliced and washed
- 2 cloves Garlic, sliced
- 1/4 tsp Caraway
- 1 tbsp no-salt vegetable bouillon
- 1/2 cup Unsweetened oat milk
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/4 tsp Nutmeg, freshly grated
- 1/2 tsp Black peppercorns, freshly ground
- 1 tbsp Lemon juice
- 3 tbsp Dill, chopped
- 3 tbsp Pumpkin seeds
Method
- Sweat the leek and garlic in 0.25 cup (60 ml) water in a covered pot over medium heat until soft and sweet, about 8 minutes, adding a splash more water if it runs dry. Cooking the leek gently under a lid keeps the base pale and sweet, so the finished soup reads clean cauliflower rather than browned onion.
- Add the cauliflower, potato, caraway, and bouillon, then pour in 4 cups (950 ml) water. Simmer until both are completely soft, about 15 minutes. The potato is here for body: blended, it gives the soup a creamy weight that cauliflower alone cannot, with no dairy and no roux.
- Toast the pumpkin seeds in a dry pan over medium heat until they puff and pop, 3 to 4 minutes, then tip them out to stop the cooking. They are the only crunch in a smooth bowl, so toast them until they smell nutty.
- Blend the soup until completely smooth, then return it to low heat and stir in the oat milk, mustard, and nutmeg. Blend while everything is hot for the silkiest texture; the mustard adds a quiet sharpness that stands in for salt, and the oat milk finishes it round.
- Off the heat, stir in the lemon juice and most of the dill. Acid at the end wakes up a soup that carries no salt, and the dill keeps its grassy bite only if it never boils. Ladle out and scatter the toasted seeds and remaining dill over each bowl.
Nutrition
Estimated per serving: 150 calories, 6 g protein, 6 g fiber, 150 mg sodium. Computed from USDA FoodData Central reference values for the main ingredients. This is an approximation, not a laboratory measurement. How these are computed.
Cost per serving is estimated from US national-average retail prices for cheap staple forms, using BLS dried-bean prices and USDA produce prices. Prices vary by store and season, so treat it as a guide, not a receipt. How this is computed.
