Lately I’ve been really into bisques made with coconut milk. I just love the ever-so-subtle coconut flavor. Using coconut milk is also a great substitution for heavy cream!

This easy cauliflower coconut bisque is velvety and delicious. You would never guess it wasn’t made with heavy cream. It’s perfect for a first course for a date night at home, or for a light lunch with some crusty bread for dunking.

To give this soup it’s smooth velvety texture, I pureed it in a high-speed blender after it cooked. You could also use a handheld immersion blender if you have one! To finish, I drizzled a little bit of fruity olive oil on top and sprinkled some rosemary. Delicious!

Easy Cauliflower Coconut Bisque

This easy cauliflower bisque recipe has subtle notes of coconut. Food blogger Jenna Weber explains how to attain a smooth texture in a full post on the Fresh Tastes blog.

Ingredients

• 1 small head cauliflower (about 4 cups chopped florets), chopped
• 1 cup diced onion
• 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 cup light coconut milk
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• ½ tsp ground coriander
• scant ¾ tsp salt
• fresh rosemary for serving (optional)

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a medium sized saucepot over medium high heat. When hot, add the diced onion and sauté for about eight minutes, until golden around the edges.
2. Add the chopped cauliflower and the chicken broth. The broth should just barely cover the cauliflower.
3. Bring to a simmer and cook until cauliflower is incredibly tender. Then, carefully transfer to a blender (or, alternatively use a hand held immersion blender here) and process until completely smooth. Transfer soup back to the original cooking pot and stir in the coconut milk, coriander and salt. Adjust seasonings to your taste.
4. Serve immediately with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of rosemary if desired.

Yield: 2-3 servings

Jenna Weber is half of the Fresh Tastes blog team. She graduated from Le Cordon Bleu in 2008 and, since then, has worked as a pastry chef, bread baker and freelance food editor. Currently, Jenna blogs full-time on EatLiveRun.com where her delicious daily recipes and quirky culinary musings appeal to thousands. She lives in Northern California and, when not in the kitchen, can usually be found on her yoga mat.