Cauliflower Leek Soup
Dehydrated cauliflower and leek rebuilt in one pot. Tastes like potato soup, isn't.
- calories
- 430
- weight
- 3.2 oz
- cal / oz
- 134
- protein
- 13 g
- serves
- 1, scales
- prep
- 2 min
- cook
- 10 min
- total time
- 12 min
- water
- 500 ml boiled
- cost
- $
Calorie and protein figures are my own estimates, good enough for planning a food bag and not meant as precise nutrition data.
- Dinner
- Lunch
- Canister stove
- Alcohol / Esbit
- Liquid fuel
- Backpacking
- Basecamp
- Winter / snow
- Canoe / raft
- Vegetarian
- Nut free
- One pot
- Dehydrate ahead
- Shelf stable
- Basic
Ingredients
| Dehydrated cauliflower | 1 cup | riced or thin-sliced florets rehydrate fastest |
|---|---|---|
| Dried leek | 3 tbsp | wash and slice thin before drying, sand hides in the layers |
| Vegetable bouillon | 2 tsp | or two cubes crushed |
| Flour | 1 tbsp | all-purpose, or instant potato flakes if you want it gluten-free |
| Olive oil | 1 tbsp | dropper bottle |
| Milk powder | 2 tbsp | optional, adds body and protein |
| Salt and pepper | to taste |
Method
- Heat the oil in the pot on low. Stir in the flour and keep it moving for a minute until it smells toasted and stops looking raw.
- Pour in 500 ml of water a little at a time, stirring so the flour does not clump.
- Add the cauliflower, leek, and bouillon. Bring it to a boil, then drop to a simmer.
- Simmer 8 to 10 minutes, until the cauliflower is soft enough to mash on the side of the pot.
- Kill the heat. Mash it against the pot wall with the back of your spoon until it is mostly smooth. Stir in the milk powder off the heat.
- Salt and pepper. Add water if it is too thick, another minute of simmer if it is too thin.
The original is a home-kitchen soup: fresh leeks, a whole head of cauliflower, and an immersion blender. All three are problems on trail. Dehydrated cauliflower and leek carry the same flavor at a fraction of the weight, and the back of a spoon does what the blender did, just coarser. It will not be silky. It will be thick and closer to a chowder, which is arguably better after a long day.
The roux is the part worth not skipping. A tablespoon of flour cooked in oil is what makes this read as creamy without any cream, and it is why the soup has body at all. Cook it the full minute or you get a floury aftertaste that no amount of pepper covers. If a stove-side roux is more fuss than you want, the potato-flake variation gets you most of the way there.
Packing
Cauliflower, leek, bouillon, flour, and milk powder go in one bag. Oil travels separately in a leakproof bottle. Dehydrate the vegetables at 125°F until they snap.
Variations
- Swap the flour for 2 tbsp instant potato flakes stirred in at the end. Thickens without a roux and keeps it gluten-free.
- Leave out the milk powder for a dairy-free version.
- A pinch of dried thyme or a spoonful of parmesan at the end is worth the weight.
https://mealswithmaria.site/cauliflower-leek-soup