This week, I taught a class on “superfoods.” Of course, that meant that I got to cook with some of my favorite flavor-, color- and antioxidant-packed foods. But one that I didn’t have room to squeeze into the menu was the cabbage.
Sure, the blueberries and pomegranates get most of the limelight for their antioxidant punch, but let’s not throw shade on the everyday cabbage. Like all its brassica brethren, this cousin of kale is a plant-based powerhouse of protective phytochemicals.
Classic Peasant Food
I usually have a hunk of cabbage in my vegetable drawer, holding its own for weeks at a time in a ziplock bag. Unlike so many fragile foods, the sturdy cabbage can be stored and taken out every time you need a sliver for salad or a wedge for stir-fry. But once in a while you just need to finish it off in a feast like this soup.
The cabbage has a slightly spicy flavor when raw, but when you roast it, the natural sweetness comes to the fore. By tossing it with olive oil and sliding it in the oven, I was able to get both moist and juicy caramelized cabbage chunks and a few slightly charred leaves to give the mix some complexity. All while I went about my business, ignoring the magic happening in the oven.
Roasted Cabbage, Carrots, Onions and Garlic with Rosemary
The Vitamix Purees and Heats the Soup
Once it’s all soft and sweet, it just takes minutes to puree the veggies with some creamy raw cashews. Nobody will miss the dairy. With just a cup and a half of water, the resulting puree is so thick and rich, you would swear that there was cream in there. Nuts of all kinds are in the superfood category, thanks to essential fatty acids, protein and fiber.
The Vitamix is such a powerful blender that it not only makes a super-creamy soup, but it also heats the soup to a piping hot serving temperature. Just let it run and it will start steaming to let you know it’s ready.
So if you want to enter to win your own Vitamix 5200, scroll on down to the bottom of this post and dive right in.
Until then, you can make this in a food processor, just add the water at the end, gradually, as the rest of the ingredients become smooth.
We can celebrate the cabbage with a superfood soup that feels like a decadent indulgence.
That’s a win-win in my book!
The Roasted Brussels Sprouts Are a Perfect Accent to the Creamy Soup
Creamy Roasted Cabbage Soup with Rosemary
Serves 3
1/2 small cabbage, sliced
1 large carrot, thinly sliced
1 large onion, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, plus more for garnish
2 large garlic clove, sliced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
18 small Brussels sprout, halved
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
salt
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup raw cashews
Preheat the oven to 400 F. On a large sheet pan, place the cabbage, carrot, onion, rosemary and garlic. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, then toss to coat. Roast for about 45 minutes, stirring halfway. When all the vegetables are super soft and some are well-browned, take out.
While the cabbage is roasting, place the brussels sprouts on a sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with smoked paprika and salt to taste. Roast for about 20 minutes. Make sure to save the oil to drizzle over the soup.
When the cabbage is cooked, place the water and raw cashews in the Vitamix container. Add the cabbage mixture and secure the lid. Select Variable Speed 1 and turn on the machine, then slowly increase to Speed 10, then High. Blend for about 2 minutes, until the mixture is velvety smooth. If desired, blend for 2 minutes longer to heat the soup.
Serve 1 cup per bowl and garnish with 12 Brussels Sprout halves and a drizzle of the oil they were roasted in, and a fresh rosemary sprig.
