Fire Roasted Tomato Soup

Prep the cauliflower:

1. Preheat the oven to 400F.
2. Place the cauliflower florets onto a baking sheet, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and season with salt. Toss to coat and spread the veggies in an even layer. 
3. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the cauliflower is tender and golden brown. 

Make the soup:

1. Meanwhile, in a large Dutch oven or soup pot, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Cook the onions for 5 minutes or until translucent. 
2. Add the garlic, remaining salt, thyme, and red pepper flakes. Cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. 
3. Stir in the fire-roasted tomatoes, cooked cauliflower, vegetable broth or stock, heavy cream (if using), paprika, and goat cheese. 
4. Bring the soup to a boil before reducing the heat to medium and simmering for 15 minutes. 

Blend:

1. Once the soup is cooked down, remove it from the heat, insert an immersion blender, and process until smooth. 
2. If you don’t have an immersion blender, see the note below. 
3. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with additional goat cheese.