This traditional Hungarian cauliflower soup, features a paprika-flavoured broth, cauliflower, carrots and delicious mini dumplings that cook in the soup!
What a revelation this soup was. Who knew? Hungarian cauliflower soup doesn’t need to be creamy! I spotted this recipe in Saveur late last Fall and put it on my list to try over the Winter. With local Ontario cauliflower 2 for $5 at the grocery store this week, the moment had arrived to give it a try.
This is a traditional Hungarian soup, known as Karfiolleves. Traditionally (and in the original recipe), hot Hungarian paprika is used in the soup. After reading a few reviews on Saveur, I quickly realized that we wouldn’t be able to handle that kind of heat (and apparently a lot of people couldn’t!) The Hungarians must be a spice-lovin’ people.
I adapted my version to use regular paprika with a hit of cayenne for just a bit of warming heat. I also used chicken broth, instead of the original vegetable broth recommendation. It was perfect. Filling and just the right amount of heat to warm me up. A good thing, particularly for today, when we woke to a temperature was -36° C and the forecast high temperature is -22° C.
The dumplings in this soup are very interesting (one of them is pictured on the spoon in the photo below). They call it a dough in the recipe, but it’s really more of a thick batter, which kind of surprised me. They are a nice addition to the soup and add a bit of bulk to the soup, making it more filling, which is especially nice when enjoying it as a dinner soup.
Everyone here loved this soup and it will definitely be going in regular rotation throughout the Winter. I love that it’s a quick, healthy, tasty and meatless soup. If you swap out vegetable broth for the chicken broth, it could be vegetarian, as well.
Cook’s Notes for Hungarian Paprika Cauliflower Soup
This soup is best right when it’s cooked, though it will keep reasonably well for leftovers.
Top Tip! Don’t add any extra salt until the very end (after the dumplings have been cooked). There is a good bit of salt in the dumplings that will naturally salt the soup for you. I didn’t have to add any extra to mine – just some freshly ground pepper to finish.
Paprika Spiced Cauliflower Soup
Ingredients
Dumplings:
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt a bit less if using table salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter cubed and chilled, DIVIDED
- 1 large egg
- 1 Tbsp paprika
- 1/8 - 1/4 tsp cayenne or hot Hungarian paprika for heat, use to taste
- 1 large yellow onion finely chopped
- 6 cups chicken stock low-sodium would work well in this soup
- 1 small head cauliflower large stem removed, cut into small florets
- 1 medium carrot peeled and sliced or diced
- For garnish: 1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley, stemmed and finely chopped
Instructions
- Make the dumplings: In a small bowl, stir together the flour, salt and a bit of freshly ground pepper. Add 2 Tbsp. of the butter, and using your fingers, rub the butter into the flour until pea-size crumbles form. Add egg, and stir until dough forms (mine was more of a thick batter). Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
- In a large soup pot, heat the remaining 4 Tbsp. of butter over medium-high heat. Add paprika, cayenne and onion, and cook, stirring, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken stock, cauliflower and carrots and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Using a 1/2-tsp. measuring spoon and working quickly, spoon out and drop all dumpling dough into simmering soup (I just used a 1/2 tsp. measuring spoon, scooped and gave it a good rap against the side of the pot to drop into the soup), cook, stirring occasionally, until the dumplings are cooked through, about 3 minutes. At this point, you can do a taste test and add additional salt, if necessary. Add some additional cayenne, if needed, for a bit more heat.
- To serve, ladle soup and dumplings into serving bowls and garnish with parsley.
Yuri says
Hi
I just made for tonight. I was cooking your recipe from this recipe soup , Mushroom Marsala Pork Tenderloin for main dish and for Desert Sour Cream Pumpkin Coffee Cake.
Thank you so much for your all recipe for my tonight Dinner !! Amazing.
This soup also amazing taste for me . I love this !
Thank you again as always.
Irene (former Ontarian, now PEI) says
Your receipe for cauliflower soup sounded most appealing. My husband isn’t a cauliflower fan but he agreed that this soup was surprisingly delicious. Ended up using a teaspoon for larger dumplings. Thought your seasoning was “spot on”.
For our second “meal”, we made up another batch of dumplings.
Another one of your receipes going into regular rotation!
Jennifer says
Thanks Irene and so glad you and your husband enjoyed this :) I love this soup and my husband enjoys it too. I think the dumplings provide that extra bit of heartiness.
Elizabeth says
This soup has become a multi-generation family favourite. I made it yesterday as soon as the weather cooled. Tonight I am cooking stuffed peppers and I am using the dumpling recipe to add to the broth.
Thanks so much!
Jennifer says
Thanks so much Elizabeth! So glad you are enjoying this and sorry for the delay in answering. I somehow missed your comment earlier.
Sidonia says
Yum! delicious, l grew up with hungarian food, l loved the soup and loved it as well with a dollop of sour cream.
Jennifer says
Thanks Sidonia :) And a dollop of sour cream sounds perfect!
Tracey says
Is it possible to make this & then leave it on low heat in a slow cooker? I’m thinking of making it for Easter, but i always try and make everything in the morning & then have it staying warm…so I can socialize.
Jennifer says
Hi Tracy, I’m the same way when I entertain :) That said, I’m not sure this is the best soup for that. I’d worry about the cauliflower and dumplings disintegrating. I would be afraid you would be disappointed in serving it that way. My butternut squash or curried carrot soup, for example, would stand up a lot better, I think.
Gwen Federer says
THANKYOU!!!My hungarian mom-in-law was the best cook ever but unfortunately didnt share any of her recipes.I tried this last night and all I can say is *wow*.It was like sitting at her table again.Thanks and btw you were right about the tomato soup.It was a definite hit.
Jennifer says
So glad you enjoyed it, Gwen. Perfect time of year to make this, as cauliflower are so nice right now. Glad you liked the tomato soup, too :)
Karen L/Baytown Cakes says
Loved this! Hubby approved. It’s a keeper.
Jennifer M says
So glad to hear. I must make a pot soon, too.
Jim Palfrey says
ii made this for dinner tonight, and one of my daughters said it was the best soup she ever had! The only change I made was using smoked paprika, but I use smoked paprika all the time! Five out of five forks! This has been bookmarked and I will make it again and again!
Jennifer M says
So glad to hear, Jim and nice to know about the smoked paprika. I thought about using it too, but wondered with so much of it in the soup if it would be too “smokey”. I’ll be sure to try it next time myself.
Laura says
I’m in the process of cooking this right now. It looks and smells soo good. But as I was going along, I realized, the directions don’t say anything about the carrot! So I just threw it in while it simmers for 15 minutes. Hope they’ll be done
Jennifer M says
Oh yes, that’s the right time to throw them in. Sorry about that. Off to fix the directions right now (thanks for the heads-up!)
Bob says
Damn -22C high? That’s way too cold for me. Sounds like the perfect soup to have in a cold day like that. My wife and I love having soup in the fall and winter time.
Jennifer M says
Hi Bob. Yes, it was crazy cold last week, but this week +10C and raining. Such is winter in this neck of the woods. Hope you get a chance to try this soup. Really nice and different soup.
Melody Scott says
Brrr, sounds cold. The soup sounds like just the thing to warm you up! I’m always looking for ways to make cauliflower more interesting, and I’m not interested in mashing it up with cream and cheese to resemble mashed potatoes. Yuk, I’d rather use potatoes! This recipe is going in the bookmarks, thanks!
Jennifer M says
Thankfully, it has warmed up a little here! I think you’ll love this soup. Great flavours and just a nice bit of spice.
Renee says
Jennifer this soup looks so good! My cousin gave me a rather large tin of smoked paprika for Christmas and I can’t wait to try it out on this recipe. Dumplings too? Yes, please! Hope it warms up where you are…we’ve been in the deep freeze for way too long. Have a great weekend!
Jennifer M says
Thanks so much, Renee. We really enjoyed it and the dumplings were so fun. I think smoked paprika would be nice in this soup.
We’ve managed to miss the deep freeze for the past few winters, so this has been a bit of a shock to us here. An old-fashioned winter!