Cauliflower Soup, But Make It Festive

Posted by Nicola Prybell on Dec 3rd 2025

It’s officially the season for cozy bowls, twinkly lights, and experimenting in the kitchen in ways that may or may not involve yelling at a piping bag. So naturally, I made our Cali Coastline Creamy Cauliflower Soup and gave it the full Christmas treatment.

Picture this: a silky bowl of winter-white soup topped with a pesto drizzle Christmas tree—zig-zag branches, red pepper flakes as tiny ornaments, and just enough festive chaos to make it look intentional. And honestly? She turned out pretty cute.

Let’s Talk Flavor First

This mix is one of my new favorites because it’s mellow, comforting, and has that “I swear I cooked this all day” flavor profile… without actually cooking all day. The ingredients read like a farmer’s market stroll:

Navy bean, carrot, onion, celery, fennel, cauliflower, garlic, scallion, black/green/white peppercorn, and allspice.

It’s cozy and creamy with just a hint of warm spice. The cauliflower keeps things rich (without being heavy), the fennel adds a whisper of sweetness, and the blend of peppercorns gives it a little personality.

How to Make It (aka: the part where I accidentally aerated my soup)

Here’s the recipe straight from our instructions—with a few behind-the-scenes confessions:

You’ll Need:

Cali Coastline Creamy Cauliflower Soup mix
3 Tbsp butter or olive oil
1 small head cauliflower, chopped (white or orange—I picked white to keep it festive)
4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
Optional: fresh chives or parsley

Directions:

In a 4-quart pot, melt the butter or heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.
Add the chopped cauliflower and sauté about 5 minutes, until lightly browned (aka “golden, but not like… crispy”).
Stir in the contents of the soup mix. Add broth, bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 25 minutes.
Stir in the heavy cream.
Puree to your desired consistency using an immersion blender… or apparently whatever strange attachment I grabbed because my soup ended up surprisingly frothy. Not in a bad way! Just in a “my soup went to a blowout bar and asked for volume” kind of way.
Season with salt and pepper if desired.
Serve with toasted pita and your festive garnish of choice.

The Great Pesto Christmas Tree Attempt

Alright, let’s talk pesto artistry.

My vision: a cute little Christmas tree drizzled perfectly on top of the soup like I’m the Barefoot Contessa meets an Instagram reel.

Reality: pesto is… chunky. Chunky pesto resents being forced through a metal piping tip. Chunky pesto lets you know about that resentment.

But here’s what did work:

Fill a piping bag (or honestly, a zip-top bag with the corner snipped works even better).
Let most of the pesto oil drip back into the jar first. This is key. Otherwise you get “pesto oil puddle” instead of “pesto evergreen branches.”
Pipe a zig-zag tree shape.
Sprinkle with red pepper flakes like tiny twinkly lights.

Despite the mild pesto rebellion, the flavors were chef’s kiss. The brightness of the basil and the warmth of the red pepper flakes pair beautifully with this mellow, creamy soup.

And if your tree ends up looking more like a blob or a shrub? Just call it “abstract holiday art” and pretend it was the plan all along. Works every time.

Final Thoughts

This soup is cozy, festive, and ridiculously easy to dress up for the holidays. Whether your pesto tree cooperates or not, the end result tastes like the Christmas spirit gave you a gentle hug.

If you try this festive twist, tag me—I want to see your soup trees, your soup shrubs, your soup lightning bolts… whatever happens, honestly. ’Tis the season for edible creativity.

Happy slurping & happy holidays!

About Nicola Prybell

Nicola Prybell is the marketing manager at Anderson House and got her job by telling her future bosses that her “brain was full of soup.” She’s currently on a quest to try every soup and dip Anderson House makes — for research purposes, of course. So far, her brain is still full of soup. In the best possible way.