Creamy Vegan Cauliflower Soup

Pour boiling water over the cashews to cover and let rest for 15 minutes. Drain and rinse. Prep remaining ingredients: cut [cauliflower], herbs, and [garlic].

Make the bouquet garni: use kitchen twine to tie up the 12 fresh thyme sprigs (8 to), fresh rosemary sprig (1 large), and leaf (1 bay).

Heat the olive oil (1.5 tbsp) in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add the yellow onion (1 large) with a pinch of [kosher salt] and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring, until golden brown. Add the cloves (4 garlic) and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring. Start 8m timer

Pour in some of the low-sodium vegetable broth (4 cups) to deglaze the pot. Add the remaining [low-sodium vegetable broth], water (1 cup), soaked and drained [cashews], cauliflower (1 medium-large), cannellini beans (2 cans), nutritional yeast (5 tbsp), kosher salt (2 tsp), and [freshly cracked black pepper]. Stir. Tuck the bouquet garni into the broth.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a rapid simmer. Cook for 15 minutes, or until the [cauliflower] is tender. Start 15m timer

Remove the bouquet garni. Transfer the soup to a stand blender (in two batches) or use an immersion blender. Blend until smooth and creamy.

Taste and adjust [kosher salt] and [black pepper]. Serve in bowls, garnished with [lemon zest], [crushed red pepper flakes], and a drizzle of [good-quality extra virgin olive oil]. Serve with [bread] if desired.