Cauliflower Cream with Hemp Seeds and Curry
Creamy cauliflower soup with curry and roasted hemp seeds. Step-by-step recipe, verified seed composition, and THC limits in hemp food.
Blended cauliflower provides one of the smoothest textures among vegetables, without cream and without a roux. All you need is a base of onion and spices, a short cooking time, and a blender. The problem with such a soup lies elsewhere: cauliflower itself contributes very little protein and fat, so it fills you up for an hour. A tablespoon of toasted hulled hemp seeds added to the bowl changes this balance, as hulled seeds are about 36% protein and about 47% fat. Curry and turmeric are responsible for flavor here, not for health benefits, and that is how we describe them. Below you will find a step-by-step recipe, the composition of the seeds verified at the source, and what recipes say about hemp food.
KEY INFORMATION
• Hulled hemp seeds: on average 35.9% protein and 46.7% fat (House et al., 2010).
• Lysine is the first limiting amino acid, and PDCAAS is 63-66%.
• Whole seeds contain 33.8 g of fiber per 100 g of dry mass (Mattila et al., 2018).
• Toasted seeds should be added to the bowl, never to the pot.
Why does cauliflower with hemp seeds and curry work?
Because these two ingredients close the balance that cauliflower does not close on its own. Cauliflower is a watery and low-calorie vegetable, practically without fat and with a small amount of protein. Hulled hemp seeds provide both: House et al. (Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2010) measured an average of 35.9% protein and 46.7% fat in them. The study included thirty commercial samples of hemp products, from whole seeds to hulls.
This same work cools the marketing shortcut about “complete protein.” Lysine turned out to be the first limiting amino acid in all studied hemp products, and the PDCAAS for hulled seeds was 63-66% compared to 49-53% for whole seeds. The authors summarize that hemp protein performs no worse than protein from grains, nuts, and legumes. It is a good protein supplement for a meal, not a substitute for its main protein source.
Curry and turmeric do the flavor work in this soup. Spices sautéed in fat release aromas that will not be freed if added to boiling water. We do not attribute any health benefits to this combination, as we have not found a study measuring such an effect in a finished meal.
How much protein and fat does a tablespoon of hemp seeds contribute?
A tablespoon of hulled seeds weighs about 10 g, contributing about 3.6 g of protein and 4.7 g of fat. This is a simple calculation based on the composition provided by House et al. Four tablespoons used in this recipe provide about 14 g of protein for the entire pot, or about 3.6 g per serving. The topping is, along with the oil from the base, the only significant source of fat in the entire soup.
It is worth distinguishing three raw materials here, as all are often labeled as “hemp seeds” in stores. Whole seeds with hulls have about 24% protein and 30% fat. Hulled seeds, which are used for topping, have 35.9% and 46.7%. The cake left after oil pressing reverses the proportions: 40.7% protein with 10.2% fat. For toasting, you take hulled seeds, as the hard hull will not soften in the pan.
With fiber, it is the opposite of what intuition suggests. Mattila et al. (Plant Foods for Human Nutrition, 2018) measured 33.8 g of fiber per 100 g of dry mass, but in whole seeds, with hulls. The topping made from hulled seeds has a different composition, as removing the hull increases the proportion of protein and fat. Therefore, the fiber in this soup comes from the cauliflower, not from what you sprinkle on top.
Are hemp seeds in the kitchen legal?
Yes, and without any conditions on the part of the buyer. The Act on Counteracting Drug Addiction defines cannabis other than fiber as the above-ground parts of the plant excluding seeds, containing more than 0.3% of the sum of delta-9-THC and THCA (art. 4 point 37 of the Act of July 29, 2005, Journal of Laws 2023, item 1939, as amended by the Act of March 24, 2022, Journal of Laws 2022, item 763). Seeds are explicitly excluded from this definition.
Separately, EU law establishes how much THC may be found in such food as a contaminant. Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/915, applicable from May 25, 2023, sets 3.0 mg/kg for hemp seeds and for ground seeds and other processed products. For seed oil, the limit is 7.5 mg/kg. The level is calculated as the sum of delta-9-THC and THCA expressed as delta-9-THC, with a coefficient of 0.877 for THCA.
The 0.3% threshold mentioned in cultivation refers to something else: the content in the flowering tops of the plant, not in the seed bag from the store. Hemp food is subject to limits expressed in milligrams per kilogram, not in percentages.
Ingredients - what do you need?
Proportions for 4 servings. Preparation takes about 5 minutes, cooking about 25 minutes. You can buy hulled hemp seeds at a health food store; our offer does not include them, so we do not redirect you to the store for them.
Two items from the list are worth choosing consciously. The broth should be well-seasoned, as cauliflower is mild on its own and dilutes everything you pour into it. Curry powder varies between manufacturers so much that the same teaspoon can yield a mild soup one time and a spicy one another; with a new blend, start with half and season at the end. Fresh ginger works differently than ground: it gives a sharper, more citrusy note, so if you only have ground, reduce the amount by half.
- 700 g cauliflower, about 1 medium head
- 4 tablespoons hulled hemp seeds, about 40 g, for toasting
- 1 large onion
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger or 1/2 teaspoon ground
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 700 ml vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil or olive oil
- optionally 100 ml coconut milk
- lemon or lime juice, salt, and pepper to taste
- fresh cilantro or parsley for garnish
How to cook cauliflower cream step by step?
The whole process takes half an hour and comes down to two things that are easy to stumble over. The spices need to be sautéed in fat before the cauliflower goes in, as they build the depth of flavor. The cauliflower must not be overcooked, as it will break down into a watery mush instead of a smooth cream.
- Sauté the curry base. In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons of coconut oil or olive oil. Add finely chopped onion and sauté for 5 minutes until golden. Add garlic and ginger, sauté for a minute. Stir in turmeric, curry, and cumin, mixing for 30 seconds over medium heat.
- Add cauliflower. Break the head into florets, peel the stem and cut it into slices. Add to the pot and mix to coat the vegetables with the spices. Pour in 700 ml of hot broth, bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and cook covered for 15-18 minutes.
- Toast the seeds. Meanwhile, add 4 tablespoons of hulled hemp seeds to a dry pan. Toast for 3-4 minutes over medium heat, stirring constantly. Once they turn golden and smell nutty, transfer them to a plate.
- Blend and season. Remove the pot from the heat. Optionally, add coconut milk. Blend with an immersion blender for about 2 minutes until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, and finally add lemon juice. If the soup is too thick, thin it with broth.
- Serve with topping. Pour the soup into bowls. For each serving, sprinkle a tablespoon of toasted hemp seeds and garnish with cilantro. If adding hemp oil, pour a teaspoon into the bowl, never into the pot.
How to modify this recipe to your taste?
The base is neutral enough to withstand many modifications without losing its character. The table below collects four of them along with what each realistically changes on the plate.
| Variant | What you do | What changes |
|---|---|---|
| With chickpeas | Blend 150 g of cooked chickpeas together with the soup | thicker consistency, more plant protein per serving |
| With roasted vegetables | Roast cauliflower and onion for 20 minutes at 200 degrees instead of boiling | caramelized edges give a deeper, nuttier flavor |
| With apple | Cook one peeled apple together with the cauliflower | delicate sweetness balances the spiciness of the curry |
| Without milk | Skip the coconut milk | lighter soup, cauliflower and spices are more pronounced |
Two mistakes most often ruin this soup. The first is burnt spices: turmeric and curry powder become bitter in just a few seconds over too high heat. The second is adding seeds to the pot instead of the bowl, causing them to soften and lose the nutty flavor imparted by toasting. The same technique is used in the recipe for broccoli cream soup with hemp seeds and in pumpkin cream with toasted hemp seeds. If you have leftover seeds, they also work well cold, in orange and arugula salad. The hemp accent in the dinner version is curry with chickpeas and hemp flour.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much protein does a tablespoon of hemp seeds add to the soup?
A tablespoon of hulled seeds weighs about 10 g, contributing about 3.6 g of protein and 4.7 g of fat. This calculation is based on the composition measured by House et al. (2010): 35.9% protein and 46.7% fat in hulled seeds. Four tablespoons in the pot provide about 3.6 g of protein per serving.
Do hemp seeds provide complete protein?
Not in the sense that advertising uses the term. House et al. (2010) found that lysine is the first limiting amino acid in all studied hemp products, and the PDCAAS was 63-66% for hulled seeds and 49-53% for whole seeds. It is a good protein supplement, not a substitute for the main protein source in a meal.
When should hemp seeds be added to the cauliflower cream?
Only to the bowl, never to the pot. Toast them in a dry pan for 3-4 minutes and sprinkle just before serving. In hot soup, they soften in a few seconds and lose the nutty flavor imparted by toasting. The crunchiness of the topping is half the effect.
Is coconut milk necessary for this soup?
No. Cauliflower blended gives a smooth texture on its own, without cream or thickener. Coconut milk shifts the flavor towards sweeter and increases the saturated fat content. Without it, the soup is lighter, and the spices are more pronounced.
Are hemp seeds from the grocery store legal?
Yes. The Act on Counteracting Drug Addiction excludes seeds from the definition of cannabis other than fiber. Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/915 allows up to 3.0 mg of THC per kilogram in seeds and products made from them, and up to 7.5 mg/kg in seed oil.
This article is for informational and educational purposes and does not replace consultation with a doctor. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medications, or have chronic conditions, consult a specialist before using supplements or herbs.
Author: Michał Waluk · Published: 2026-06-02 · Updated: 2026-08-16
