Cauliflower cream with hemp seeds and curry
Creamy cauliflower soup with curry and toasted 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. A base of onion and spices, brief cooking, and a blender are all you need. The problem with such soup lies elsewhere: cauliflower itself contributes very little protein and fat, so it satiates for only an hour. A tablespoon of toasted shelled hemp seeds added to the bowl changes this balance, as shelled seeds are about 36% protein and about 47% fat. Curry and turmeric are responsible for flavor here, not for health benefits, and that's 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
• Shelled hemp seeds: on average 35.9% protein and 46.7% fat (House et al., 2010).
• Lysine is the first limiting amino acid in them, and the PDCAAS is 63-66%.
• Whole seeds contain 33.8 g of fiber per 100 g of dry mass (Mattila et al., 2018).
• Pour roasted seeds into a bowl, never into a pot.
Why does cauliflower with hemp seeds and curry work?
Because these two ingredients complete the balance that cauliflower alone does not achieve. Cauliflower is a watery and low-calorie vegetable, practically fat-free and with a small amount of protein. Shelled hemp seeds contribute both: House i wsp. (Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2010) they 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.
The same study cools down the marketing shortcut about "complete protein." Lysine turned out to be the first limiting amino acid in all the examined hemp products, and the PDCAAS for shelled 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 addition to 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 an aroma that won't be freed when added to boiling water. We do not attribute any health benefits to this combination, as we did not find a study measuring such an effect in a prepared meal.
How much protein and fat does a tablespoon of hemp seeds contribute?
A tablespoon of shelled seeds weighs about 10 g, so it contributes 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, which is about 3.6 g per serving. The sprinkle is, along with the base oil, the only significant source of fat in the entire soup.
It's 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. Shelled seeds, which are used for sprinkling, have 35.9% and 46.7%. The cake left after oil pressing reverses the proportions: 40.7% protein with 10.2% fat. For roasting, you take shelled seeds because the hard hull won't soften in the pan.
The situation with fiber is the opposite of what intuition suggests. Mattila i wsp. (Plant Foods for Human Nutrition, 2018) they measured 33.8 g of fiber per 100 g of dry mass, but in the seeds whole, with hulls. The sprinkle from shelled seeds has a different composition because 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 legal in the kitchen?
Yes, and without any conditions on the buyer's side. The Anti-Drug Abuse Act defines hemp other than fiber as the above-ground parts of the plant excluding the seeds, containing more than 0.3% of the total delta-9-THC and THCA (Article 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 is allowed to be found in such food as a contaminant. Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/915, applicable from May 25, 2023, sets a limit of 3.0 mg/kg for hemp seeds and for ground seeds and other products processed from them. 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 factor of 0.877 for THCA.
The threshold of 0.3%, which is mentioned in cultivation, refers to something different: 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 shelled hemp seeds at a health food store; our offer does not include them, so we do not send you to the store for them.
Two items from the list are worth choosing consciously. The broth should be distinctly seasoned, as cauliflower is mild on its own and dilutes everything you pour into it. Curry powder varies enough between producers that the same teaspoon can yield a mild soup one time and a spicy one the next; 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 of cauliflower, about 1 medium head
- 4 tablespoons of shelled hemp seeds, about 40 g, for roasting
- 1 large onion
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 1 teaspoon of freshly grated ginger or 1/2 teaspoon of ground
- 1 teaspoon of ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon of curry powder
- 1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin
- 700 ml of vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons of coconut oil or olive oil
- opcjonalnie 100 ml mleczka kokosowego
- 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 boils 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 one minute. Sprinkle in turmeric, curry, and cumin, stirring for 30 seconds over medium heat.
- Add the 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. In the meantime, add 4 tablespoons of shelled hemp seeds to a dry pan. Toast for 3-4 minutes over medium heat, stirring continuously. When they become 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 a sprinkle. Pour the soup into bowls. For each serving, add a tablespoon of toasted hemp seeds and garnish with cilantro. If you're adding hemp oil, pour a teaspoon into the bowl, never into the pot.
How to adjust 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 one realistically changes on the plate.
| Variant | Co robisz | What changes |
|---|---|---|
| With chickpeas | Blend 150 g of cooked chickpeas with the soup | thicker consistency, more plant protein per serving |
| Z pieczonych warzyw | roast cauliflower and onion for 20 minutes at 200 degrees instead of boiling | caramelized edges give a deeper, nutty flavor |
| With apple | cook one peeled apple together with the cauliflower | the delicate sweetness balances the spiciness of the curry |
| Bez mleczka | pomijasz mleczko kokosowe | a lighter soup, with a clearer taste of cauliflower and spices |
Two mistakes often ruin this soup. The first is burnt spices: turmeric and curry powder can 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. We use the same technique in the recipe for broccoli cream soup with hemp seeds oraz w pumpkin soup with roasted hemp seeds. If you have leftover seeds, they also work well cold, in a salad with orange and arugula. The hemp accent in the dinner version is, on the other hand, 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 shelled seeds weighs about 10 g, contributing approximately 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 shelled seeds. Four tablespoons per pot provide about 3.6 g of protein per serving.
Do hemp seeds provide complete protein?
Not in the sense that the advertising slogan uses. 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 shelled seeds and 49-53% for whole seeds. It is a good protein supplement, but not a substitute for the main source of protein in a meal.
When to add hemp seeds to cauliflower cream?
Only in the bowl, never in the pot. Toast them in a dry pan for 3-4 minutes and add 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 needed for this soup?
No. Cauliflower blended gives one of the smoothest textures among vegetables, without cream and without a roux. A base of onion and spices, brief cooking, and a blender are all you need. The issue with such soup lies elsewhere: cauliflower itself contributes very little protein and fat, so it satiates for only an hour. A tablespoon of toasted shelled hemp seeds added to the bowl changes this balance, as shelled seeds are about 36% protein and about 47% fat. Curry and turmeric are responsible for flavor here, not for health benefits, and that's 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.
Are hemp seeds from the grocery store legal?
Yes. The Anti-Narcotics Act 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.
The article is informational and educational in nature and does not replace consultation with a doctor. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medications, or have chronic conditions, consult the use of supplements or herbs with a specialist.
Author: Michał Waluk · Opublikowano: 2026-06-02 · Aktualizacja: 2026-08-16
