This Spicy Cauliflower Soup With Harissa and Tahini is full of bold flavors. Made with a bag of frozen cauliflower, canned tomatoes, white beans and tahini, it’s a quick and easy weeknight soup for when you want a meal that’s light but still full of flavor.
I got the idea for this soup after tasting these dreamy flavors put together in a dish at a restaurant we visited, which is one of my favorite ways to dream up new recipe ideas. It’s such a fun game to me, to see if I can re-create flavor combinations at home, in a healthier way.
I know that sometimes just seeing the names of exotic spices and ingredients can scare people off, but trust me…this soup is really easy to make and it’s WORTH IT for the flavor payoff.
Don’t be afraid of bold flavors and spices, it’ll keep you from getting food boredom. Use different spices and use them often.
Harissa is a spice blend found in Tunisian cuisine, and it’s actually extremely versatile. You can also use it to season roasted veggies or sweet potatoes, or on roasted or grilled chicken or fish. The flavor is pretty unique and it’s not super spicy. It shouldn’t be too hard to find. I picked mine up at Whole Foods, but if you have trouble finding it, this is the one I use.

Why I love soup early in the week
I typically make a pot of some kind of veggie based soup at the start of each week, on Sunday or Monday night. I love coming off the heavier foods that we typically enjoy over the weekend with a lighter meal, like soup. It always helps me get my digestion back on track and my body craves lighter foods after eating heavier for a day or two. I always say that soup is my secret healthy weapon!
The right soup blending tools
This Spicy Cauliflower Harissa Soup is a puréed soup, so you’ll want to make sure you’ve got the right kitchen tool to blend it up.
One of my favorite kitchen tools is my immersion blender because of how easy it is to make soups like this one. If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can transfer your cooked soup into a blender to blend. Just be careful when you’re working with very hot soups. I suggest doing it in batches if you’re taking the regular blender route. I use my immersion blender almost weekly to make soups like this one. Here’s the immersion blender that I have. I love it and have had it for many years.
If you make this spicy cauliflower soup, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below letting me know what you think. I love hearing your feedback and reviews are incredibly helpful for other Elizabeth Finch Wellness readers!

Spicy Cauliflower Soup With Harissa and Tahini (Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Vegan)
Ingredients
- 1 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 16 ounce bag frozen cauliflower florets
- 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
- 28 ounce can diced tomatoes
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 14 ounce can cannellini or other white bean, rinsed and drained
- 1 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon harissa powder
- 1 teaspoon lemon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 cup tahini (my favorite is 365 Everyday Value from Whole Foods)
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- Juice from 1/2 lemon
Instructions
- Heat a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat, and add the olive oil to the pot. Add the onion and cauliflower and sauté for about 5 or 6 minutes, or until the onion is clear and translucent.
- Add the tomatoes, vegetable broth, beans and spices to the pot, bring the mixture to a low boil then reduce the heat to medium low and allow it to simmer for about 10 minutes. Add the tahini, maple syrup and lemon juice to the pot, stir well and remove it from the heat.
- To purée the soup, you can either use an immersion blender and blend it in the pot, or you can move the soup into a high speed blender to blend. If you use the blender, please be VERY careful as the soup will be very hot.
- To reheat your leftover spicy cauliflower soup, add a small amount of water or vegetable broth and reheat over medium low heat.
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